Notre Dame enters 2025 with its usual high expectations — and even higher stakes — after last season’s run to the national title game. With a new defensive coordinator, questions at quarterback and a front-loaded schedule, the Fighting Irish face a razor-thin margin for error again. Expert Tim O’Malley of IrishIllustrated joined Bud Elliott on the Cover 3 College Football Summer School series to preview expectations for Notre Dame this fall.
What are the stakes for Notre Dame in 2025?
The mission is clear for Notre Dame: identify the quarterback best equipped to lead the Irish back to the College Football Playoff. Riley Leonard will go down as a one-year chapter in Notre Dame lore, but now it’s up to homegrown talents CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey to write the next one.
“I would bet a fair amount of money it’s CJ Carr,” O’Malley said. “They do like Minchey because he can run as well. I’ve heard people on campus say he actually had the best arm of the three. I don’t believe that because I’ve watched CJ Carr throw a lot when healthy, and I think Carr will be a very good quarterback.”
Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, was a top-50 recruit in the 2024 class and brings both pedigree and polish to the competition. Minchey, a top-200 prospect in the 2023 cycle, is more of a question mark. He’s attempted just three passes in two seasons and is still chasing his first real opportunity to lead the offense.
As always in South Bend, everything hinges on quarterback play. If Notre Dame gets it right, Freeman could be steering the program toward another deep postseason run. If not, the Irish may be left wondering what could have been in another season loaded with potential.
Breakout player everybody needs to know
Even with a new…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/notre-dame-football-2025-win-total-cfp-outlook-and-the-search-for-a-starting-quarterback/
Author : Cody Nagel
Publish date : 2025-07-22 13:36:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
