Marcus Freeman makes surprise starting QB announcement sooner than expected

Coming out of the Notre Dame Spring Game, redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr was generating Heisman Trophy buzz. Now, a few months later, the excitement has waned, but Carr still did enough to hold off sophomore Kenny Minchey in a hotly contested quarterback battle, as Marcus Freeman named him the starting quarterback on Tuesday. 

Minchey made a significant push through fall camp with his mobility, tantalizing an offensive coaching staff that just watched Riley Leonard guide the program to the national championship game. As the competition waged on, Freeman said that there was "no timetable" to name a starter on Sunday.

However, Freeman ultimately stuck with Carr, making the surprise announcement on Tuesday with the Fighting Irish opening the season in just 12 days against the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday, August 31, at Hard Rock Stadium. 

CJ Carr narrowly edged out Kenny Minchey, set to start Week 1

Tuesday was the perfect opportunity for Freeman to name the starter, with the team coming off a scrimmage at Notre Dame Stadium on Sunday and a game-day dress rehearsal on Monday. If the staff didn’t know who the quarterback was by then, they would have a big problem on their hands for the top 10 matchup against the Canes. 

The good news is that Minchey made the decision difficult, not because Carr struggled, but because they both played well, at least in the eyes of offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock. “They're both good enough to help us win football games," Denbrock told the media on Sunday following the scrimmage. 

In fact, Notre Dame began this search for Leonard’s replacement with three quarterbacks capable of starting on Saturdays. Leonard’s primary backup last season, Steve Angeli, transferred away to Syracuse in the spring portal window as Carr was emerging as the favorite for the job and was recently named the starter for the Orange. Carr and the Irish are set to face Angeli’s new team on November 22 in South Bend. 

It's hard to say if Carr is the right choice for the No. 6 team in the country. He has never attempted a pass in a college football game, but he did finish 14-for-19 for 170 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the spring game and looked like the best quarterback in the program.

While Carr is a major unknown, Freeman can take solace knowing that the Irish are one of seven top 10 teams breaking in a new starting quarterback this season, and one of five with a first-year starter.