Now that Notre Dame football’s spring practice is over, there are plenty of positions that get mentioned as being among the most important for 2026 success. One position that gets overlooked quite a bit is the Fighting Irish backup quarterback. While this battle doesn’t have the same intrigue and mystery as last year’s fight for QB1, it can be just as important. Especially because whoever backs up CJ Carr is bound to be quite young and inexperienced.
Notre Dame football may have a true freshman pushing his way into the QB2 battle.
Carr, who is just a redshirt sophomore, is hardly surrounded by a veteran presence in ND’s quarterback room. In fact, entering his third year in South Bend, Carr is the grizzled vet. Every other player taking reps and studying film at quarterback is technically a freshman. The lack of experience and playing time is why it’s a positive that Noah Grubbs has already emerged as a name most analysts believe will take home the backup quarterback title.
Grubbs, who enters 2026 as a true freshman, is battling redshirt-freshman Blake Hebert and another true freshman, Teddy Jarrard, who wasn’t originally expected to play for Notre Dame until 2027. Jarrard reclassified to the 2026 class last winter and, at the very least, gives the Irish yet another choice should Grubbs and/or Hebert falter. While the starting quarterback job won’t be officially determined until the fall, On3 analyst Alan Trieu believes Grubbs has gotten some separation from the competition.
Trieu talked about a number of freshmen he was impressed by this spring. At the quarterback position, Grubb got the most love.
Noah Grubbs is making Notre Dame football’s backup quarterback race real
"On offense, I think first the most interesting to watch is Noah Grubbs. He's very much in the conversation for quarterback two behind C. J. Carr. You know, came in and had a really good spring. You know, obviously had some true freshman moments, but I think showed enough to where he is definitely in that battle.”
“There's some people around that program who think he's going to end up winning that,” Trieu continued. “I don't think you'll know until fall camp and maybe leading right up to that first game, who's going to be CJ Carr's backup. But he's done a really, really good job.”
“Big physical. I mean, he came in at 200 pounds with a big arm. So he's the most interesting freshman on that side of the ball.”
Grubbs came to Notre Dame as one of the most heralded quarterbacks in his class, garnering 2025 Navy Bowl All-American, 2025 Lake Mary High School MVP, and 2025 Lake Mary High School Offensive Player of the Year. He was also someone who showed, time and time again in his senior year, that he didn’t let pressure from the defensive line or the pressure of a big game get to him.
In fact, Grubbs showed he could step up and lead his team to emotional victories, including a come-from-behind win in his final high school game.
Noah Grubbs has a long way to go before he’d actually get the nod for the backup job for the Notre Dame football team, but it appears he’s got one heck of a good start.
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