'No one's roles have changed' for Notre Dame football quarterbacks

If you were hoping the answer to “who will start at quarterback for the Notre Dame football team?” Was going to be anyone other than Riley Leonard, you’re pretty disappointed this afternoon. That’s because Marcus Freeman made it clear during his Thursday zoom meeting with the media that he isn’t planning any changes there.

That’s hardly a surprise. Freeman and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock didn’t talk like coaches planning a change. In fact, when they both addressed the media earlier this week, it sounded like they were playing Leonard against Purdue even if that meant he’d start with a bum shoulder.

However, there were still some Notre Dame football fans who thought it might be smoke and mirrors. That the coaching staff would eventually reverse course and start Steve Angeli, or even CJ Carr.

"No one's roles have changed," Freeman said during the Zoom meeting. "Riley (Leonard) has had a really good week of practice."

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At the same time, Freeman seems to have let it slip that his quarterback and his coaching staff haven’t always been on the same page yet this season.

"I think Riley was excited for the opportunity to go out there and compete," he added. "It does take time. Like anything we've done, anything we do, with experience comes improvement."

Those comments, along with Denbrock’s earlier this week about Leonard needing to learn and grow aren’t going to sit well with a certain group of Fighting Irish fans. There’s a contingent out there who believe Leonard should be further along in his development and a better performer considering his veteran quarerback status.

That contingent is ignoring that Leonard wasn’t able to really practice this spring or summer. It wasn’t until the fall that the Duke transfer was “full go.”

Freeman also made sure those thinking Carr might steal Leonard’s job out from under him anytime soon were likely fooling themselves. In fact, it appears the plan for the freshman quarterback is to keep him a freshman.

“He's rotated on the scout team. Kenny Minchey has, too,” Freeman said. "He studies the game. He's constantly trying to improve and he's definitely improving."

That doesn’t sound like Notre Dame football expects CJ Carr on the field with the game on the line anytime soon. Riley Leonard on the other hand, will be tasked with beating Purdue on Saturday afternoon.