Notre Dame had an embarrassment of riches at quarterback following Riley Leonard’s departure for the NFL draft this spring after a run to the College Football Playoff national championship in January.
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Junior quarterback Steve Angeli saw the writing on the wall this spring, transferring to Syracuse before the fall. He had impressive numbers with the Orange before suffering a torn Achilles tendon against Clemson on Sept. 20, throwing for 1,317 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions through four games.
The Irish had a long quarterback battle in training camp before C.J. Carr was named the starter over Kenny Minchey. Carr proved to be the right choice for ND, as the freshman has thrown for 2,275 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions while helping to put the program in he mix for the CFP.
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Given how NIL funding works, Notre Dame might not be able to afford keeping a talented backup quarterback like Minchey on the roster in 2026. Frankly, Minchey might want to look elsewhere for a chance to start.
The Athletic recently named Minchey as a quarterback who will likely hit the transfer portal.
Via The Athletic:
“Minchey, a redshirt sophomore, lost a battle with CJ Carr for the starting job in fall camp. The former four-star recruit from Tennessee has played a total of 71 snaps in three seasons with the Irish. He's completed 11 of 12 passes this season for 130 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.”
All 130 passing yards for Minchey came from this season. He’s seen action in garbage time against Purdue, Arkansas and Navy. He’s added 19 yards rushing on three carries.
The dual-threat quarterback should be of interest to several Power 4 programs in the transfer portal.
Because of Carr’s rising star power in the college football world, his price is certainly going to go up for 2026. The Irish need to make sure Carr is on the roster and the team can build a winner around him.
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