Notre Dame Football Mailbag: Latest on CJ Carr vs Kenny Minchey, biggest worry against Miami, and some Fighting Irish X factors
Latest Notre Dame Football mailbag
Don’t blink folks, but Notre Dame football is almost officially back. We are entering week two of fall camp, and we will begin gaining more and more clarity for what the 2025 version of this team could look like. There is a lot to be excited about with head coach Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish squad.
With the college football season on the horizon, it is time to bring the Notre Dame Football Mailbags back. As always, shout out to those who submitted questions this week. Let’s talk about the quarterback battle, some Miami chatter, and X factors for this Fighting Irish team.
CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey?
My take on the quarterback position has not changed. I think CJ Carr is the slight favorite, but not by as much as some people believe. If Kenny Minchey ended up winning the job, I’d be a bit surprised but I wouldn’t be shocked. There’s little question that offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock likes quarterbacks with some dual threat upside. While Minchey isn’t a dynamic runner, there’s no question that he brings considerably more upside with his feet than Carr. This is a very real competition, whether you want to admit it or not.
Biggest worry against Miami
In the comparison between the interior defensive line and the quarterbacks, I am much more worried about the latter. Will the defensive tackle position be dominant? Probably not, but the depth gives them a sound floor of at least being a solid group. I think either Carr or Minchey will end up being good for Notre Dame, but they are still going to be a first time starter. The fact that you begin on the road against a top 25 team makes that fact a bit unsettling, or at least semi worrisome.
X factors for the Irish
Instead of framing it as “weaknesses”, I’d rather refer to them as question marks. The main X factors for me, outside of what we should expect at quarterback, is at defensive tackle. There may not be a bigger enigma on the roster than Jason Onye. From a physical perspective, there isn’t a more imposing defensive lineman on the team than Onye. We have seen flashes of brilliance, but inconsistency and absence has plagued him. I’m hoping that 2025 is finally the breakout we have been waiting for. The biggest X factor for me, however, is the health of Boubacar Traore. If he’s back to full speed, I think he could be one of the best pass rushers in the country.
NIL for high schoolers
Notre Dame is competitive when it comes to NIL packages, but they also aren’t going to pay drastically over market for a player. Some will call that being cheap, but in reality, it’s being smart with your money. The players who sign with Notre Dame aren’t hurting for money, but there are plenty that chose to take less for the full scope of the pitch. I expect that ideology to continue for the foreseeable future.
Irish defensive line
To piggyback off of the earlier questions about the defensive line, I think the interior will at least be solid. If someone like Jason Onye or Jared Dawson becomes a difference maker then that unit could become a very good group. I am very positive about the EDGE group, especially with Boubacar Traore seeming back to full speed. At some point, Jordan Botelho will also return this season. With Bryce Young, Joshua Burnham, and Loghan Thomas also contributing to that group in a big way, they have a chance to be a lot better in 2025. It should be a good unit at least, with a ceiling still left to tap into.
What’s up with Cam Williams?
Williams is actually having a good offseason by all accounts, but he was just a lot rawer coming out of high school than some anticipated (including myself). He is a great physical talent, but he is still learning that he has to focus on the intricacies of playing the position to consistently win. I think we will see some of Williams this season, but my money is that the substantial jump comes in 2026, if it does happen at some point.
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