Just how close was Kenny Minchey to winning the Notre Dame quarterback job in 2025? Based on how well he's played at Kentucky this season, it sure seems like he was even closer than anyone realized.
Last winter, Minchey finally left Notre Dame, needing to make a name for himself elsewhere. He first chose Nebraska as his new home, then changed his mind and signed with Kentucky. Picking the right school might have been yet another sign that Minchey is a heck of a decision-maker, to go along with a cannon arm and the ability to hurt opponents with his legs.
Now, not only are Minchey's Wildcats 4-1 to begin the Will Stein era in Lexington, but their star quarterback would be hard-pressed to have a better start to the season.
So far this year, Minchey has completed 68.3% of his passes for 1,148 yards and 11 touchdowns to just 1 interception. So far, the Kentucky offense hasn't called on the quarterback to run much. He's got -1 yard on 25 carries. However, he has scrambled for a season-long 17 yards.
Just going to leave this right here.
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 4, 2026
📺 - SEC Network pic.twitter.com/LdlCIjnP59
Kenny Minchey’s Kentucky success could make a Notre Dame football return worth considering
At this point, dear reader, you may be saying, "So what? He's gone." But that's the beauty of college sports right now. Minchey might be gone this year, but if Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr does what most people expect this winter and declares for the 2027 NFL Draft, the Irish will have a real question at quarterback. Meanwhile, Minchey will have one more year of eligibility thanks to this spring's rule change on that topic.
Minchey didn't leave Notre Dame on bad terms. He even went out of his way to wish his former teammates and coaches good luck before the season started. So, if Carr is gone and Minchey doesn't re-sign with Kentucky, is a return to South Bend that wild an idea?
It's hard to think of a better situation for Notre Dame's quarterback position than having Kenny Minchey return for one season. With every quarterback in South Bend except CJ Carr, a freshman, there won't be much experience if Carr heads to the NFL.
If Minchey had to learn the final recipe for success from a coach outside South Bend, it's hard to imagine a better place than under Will Stein.
The idea of Minchey returning to Notre Dame just makes a bit too much sense. The grizzled veteran returning to tutor Noah Grubbs, Teddy Jarrard, and Champ Monds feels like the kind of story that fits the program and the culture Marcus Freeman has built a bit too perfectly.
For now, it's far too early for there to be any hints or whispers that this could be a real thing. However, when the 2027 offseason really kicks off and the dominoes start to fall, expect rumblings around Kenny Minchey's return to begin in earnest.
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