Notre Dame football is set to open up spring practice on March 19th, and that means some position battles will begin heating up. There is a ton of talent returning, and that means that the competition will be fierce. That is on both sides of the football.

We have been discussing some of these battles for weeks, but now it’s time to make predictions. It’s unlikely we will have clarity on starters after these practices, but it will set the table for the long term implications. Here are the players to know, and who I think wins out in the end.

QUARTERBACK

Yes, we are taking quarterbacks again. Some people may be getting tired of it but this is the first real quarterback battle in South Bend in many years. It’s also the most important position in all of sports, so it matters a great deal. You also have three talented quarterbacks vying for the spot who are each very different.

For Steve Angeli, he is the oldest quarterback in the group and has the most game experience by a large margin. While he might not be as physically gifted as the others, Angeli is very confident and has consistently performed when called upon. Redshirt sophomore Kenny Minchey has a strong argument as the most physically gifted player in the room, while CJ Carr may be the most natural thrower and best processor despite being the youngest.

While many are going to pick Carr to eventually earn the starting spot, I’m going with Angeli. Head coach Marcus Freeman is a coach that likes to avoid turnovers and a lot of mistakes, which leads me to think he’ll opt for the experience and consistent play of Angeli.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

Outside of quarterback, there may not be a more interesting position battle on the team than left tackle. Before the season, Charles Jagusah was set to be the starter, and everyone thought he could be a breakout star. True freshman Anthonie Knapp filled in after Jagusah suffered a preseason pec injury, and ended up starting 15 games. Whoever “loses” this battle could end up being a big part of the right guard battle.

Jagusah is now fully healthy and ready to compete in the spring, while Knapp will be participating on a limited basis. That could give Jagusah the slight edge now, and a huge opportunity to solidify his spot before the 2025 season begins. I expect him to take advantage of every chance this offseason, and it begins on March 19th.

WILL LINEBACKER

We know one thing for certain, Notre Dame is going to once again have a deep linebacker rotation. You should expect Drayk Bowen, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Jaiden Ausberry, and Jaylen Sneed to all play a lot. There’s even a chance that true freshman Madden Faraimo earns a role in 2025 as well.

When it comes to the WILL linebacker position, the two players to watch most are Ausberry and Viliamu-Asa. I predict the latter to end up being the starter at WILL. That would allow Ausberry to back up multiple spots, and become a bit of an all around weapon for the Irish with the versatility that he brings.

SAFETY

Everyone knows Adon Shuler will be one of the starting safeties after his breakout sophomore campaign. The bigger question centers around who will be starting next to Shuler. There are several interesting options, including Virginia Tech transfer Jalen Stroman, Brauntae Johnson, JaDon Blair, Kennedy Urlacher, and Luke Talich.

In the end, I think the experience of Stroman will win out. I do believe, however, that there will be a legitimate rotation as well. My prediction is that Blair earns a key role as a true freshman, and the depth of the safety room actually allows Johnson to stick at cornerback like we saw him last season. That could allow for him to become the next guy if Christian Gray heads to the NFL after the season. 

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