Marcus Freeman serves a reality check to CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey on the QB1 battle while highlighting the biggest challenge coming their way

Marcus Freeman faces the challenge of naming a new starting quarterback for Notre Dame ahead of the 2025 season. Riley Leonard held the role last season, and he led the Fighting Irish to the national title game. This necessitates finding a worthy replacement for next season.

Freeman is expected to pick his starter between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey after Steve Agnelli left for Syracuse. In his appearance on the radio show “Unsportsmanlike” on Thursday, Freeman served a reality check to the two options running to become the starting quarterback.

“We have two guys that are battling for this quarterback position, and neither of them has true in-game starting experience,” Freeman said. “So we have to find unique ways to create, to get them some of that experience in training camp.

“And so we have to be intentional about some unscripted periods. They have to make decisions. They have to see some things they haven't seen, and they got to kind of understand the pressure that is gonna happen when game one is coming, and we got to find ways to do that in practice.”

Marcus Freeman relied on experienced transfer portal acquisitions as his starting quarterbacks in the last two seasons. Sam Hartman was the starting option in 2023 before Riley Leonard led the Irish offense in 2024. Therefore, the challenge the coach currently faces is quite unfamiliar for him as he enters his fourth year at the program.

Marcus Freeman discusses building relationships with new quarterbacks

Without a doubt, Marcus Freeman will need to build a working relationship with whoever becomes the starting quarterback for Notre Dame this fall. The coach, on the “Unsportsmanlike” show, discussed what it takes to build the relationship and the difficulties that come with it.

“Trust is built over time” Freeman said. “And you can try to find ways to expedite that process, but you have to be intentional about building trust. We have to be intentional about setting meetings together. We have to be intentional about having those certain type of connections

“That takes time and it takes conversation. It takes authentic conversations and relationships to have. And so you can't rush it. You can try to expedite it, but it's not something that's going to be built instantly.”

Following their 2024 performance, there's a national championship expectation for Marcus Freeman and his team ahead of the 2025 season. Getting it right at the quarterback position is crucial for Notre Dame to return to the college football playoffs and challenge for the national title next season.