joe rudolph may have his best 5-man combo on the offensive line
Joe Rudolph has done an amazing job recruiting size, length and talent to the Notre Dame offensive line room. His efforts may lead to the Joe Moore Award returning to South Bend next winter, if things go as planned. Entering spring practice, the first unit has been freshman left tackle Will Black, junior left guard Anthoine Knapp, junior center Joe Otting, junior right guard Sullivan Absher and Sophomore right tackle Guerby Lambert. Senior center Ashton Craig is expected to make a full recovery from the leg injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely, and junior guard Charles Jagusah is still dealing with complications from surgery to remedy his injured left arm due to a ATV accident last summer. Despite missing two highly talented linemen this spring, the early returns from coaches and players signal great things ahead for the group.
Rudolph spoke to the media on Wednesday and began with sharing how pleased he’s been with the right side of the first unit, which features Guerby Lambert being moved from right guard to right tackle, and Sullivan Absher replacing him at the right guard spot.
“Those two guys really kind of called each other out about guys that they are confident in, guys that they really look to for leadership, guys that they really trust. and that's always a unique situation when you can kind of create that or build that into your five-line. And then it would have been easy to leave Knapp outside and Guerby inside. What was just the basis of moving them around, too? Guerby has a real comfort on the right side of the line, which is cool.”
Knapp has always been a devastating run blocker and will serve as a more than comparable replacement for former left guard standout Billy Schrauth, who is preparing to be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft. Freshman Will Black came to South Bend with a lot of buzz as a 5-Star in the 2025 class, and head coach Marcus Freeman said there some early growing pains that he had to endure and overcome to begin reaching his full potential. He’s a natural tackle with great length and athleticism that should benefit from being next to a veteran like Knapp, who was ranked as top returning offensive tackle in college football before being moved inside,
With all of the movement this spring, Rudolph has been impressed with the performance of the Black-Knapp combo on the left side and the performance of the line as a whole.
“Knapper, we felt, has done a great job playing left. But we thought to get each guy in maybe the spot that would allow them to shine the most would be the chance to move Knapp in and create a good competition at the left, which Will's done a great job of, but there's still good competition there. And really what you don't know is how the guys will embrace it. And there's a lot of differences, right? It's like, I've been really good here, and now you want me to move here. And Anthony's just embraced it, and he wants to know the intricacies of the position and the differences. And that's really kind of created it. And then what you can't anticipate is how well they work together, the pre-snap communication, how they work in the meeting room, how they talk, their plan, their trust for one another. So I've been impressed by it.”
Another bright spot this spring has been the performance of freshman guard Matty Augustine, who can play both guard and tackle for coach Rudolph. The Irish have 4-5 experienced linemen that have the flexibility to play multiple positions and that should allow a group that has suffered from injuries over the last three seasons to maintain a dominant level of play throughout the 2026 season.
returning qb and coordinators give marcus freeman a better feeling this spring
For the first time since 2020, Notre Dame will have a returning starter under center. as quarterback CJ Carr returns to become the face of the Irish offense heading into a very important spring practice schedule. Carr had an impressive start to his 2025 season, but leveled off towards the end of the season. Despite disappointing late season performances, he threw for 2,741 yards and completed over 66 percent of his passes with 24 touchdowns, and seven interception. Head coach Marcus Freeman recently sat down with On3's JD Pickell and talked about his confidence in what he’s seen from his second year signal-caller.
"It's exciting," Freeman stated. "It's my first time having a returning starting quarterback along with all three coordinators returning as well. There's a level of comfort knowing who they are as people, knowing that they know the schemes, knowing who CJ Carr is and the work ethic that he puts in as well as the work our coaches put in. There's a level of confidence we have but we still have to continue to do the work."
According to FanDuel, Carr is currently the favorite to win the Heisman and widely considered one of the best returning quarterbacks according to several outlets. Multiple outlets project Carr to be the number one quarterback in college football with a chance of being a top 10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The off-season buzz matches the buzz generated by his arrival during bowl practices for the 2023 Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl. Since then, the sound coming from his talent and preparation have been unavoidable.
"He's prepared," Freeman answered when asked about Carr. "From the moment he stepped on campus, he's prepared to be the starter. It's just a reflection of the way he was raised, being obviously a coach's kid and a coach's grandson. He prepares tremendously. That's the one thing you appreciate about CJ Carr is there is no finish line for him and that's what I'm excited for."
Now, the pressure ratchets up for Carr and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who will also have the same conductor for his offense returning for the first time since returning prior to the 2024 season. Both Freeman and Denbrock have high expectations for their quarterback, and his maturity is greatly needed as the offense loses almost 73 percent of it’s production with players like Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Eli Raridon, and others leaving for the NFL. The passing game must take a step forward with Carr becoming the focal point of the offense.
"The thing that you're seeing him do now is him truly let his leadership shine," Freeman explained. "He's making the guys around him better. You see him getting the wide outs, tight ends and the running backs together saying, 'Okay, we're going to throw on Saturdays at this time and you have to be there. Then they're going to watch film at this time and they have to be there. He is always looking for ways to improve."
Defensive coordinator Chris Ash has continuity in the coaching staff with the hiring of Charlie Partridge, Aaron Henry and Brian Jean-Mary. All three coaches had existing relationships with Ash and understand how he wants things communicated to the players. That may have been difficult with the previous staff that had coached under former defensive coordinator Al Golden. Going into his second year, Ash has a better feel for what the players can do and the defense should benefit from it.”
"Every year before this, I was spending time with a certain side of the ball trying to make sure we understand what the new scheme was," Freeman stated. "You're trying to figure out how we're going to script practice to get enough reps for this quarterback competition. Every year is different, but this one's different. I don't need to go spend a whole bunch of time figuring out what we're doing on offense, defense and special teams because the coordinators are back."
Marcus Freeman has an early season hurdle to get over in the form of his team getting off to slow starts, and the continuity flowing from his quarterback and coordinators has him extremely confident about the Fighting Irish being able to fulfill his mantra for the season. “Leave No Doubt”.
cj carr ranked as top returning qb in college football
Fighting Irish starting quarterback, CJ Carr, is the betting favorite to win the Heisman trophy according to FanDuel, and was recently picked by ESPN analyst Bill Connelly as the top ranked returning quarterback in the country.
The ESPN ranking is based on "stats, trends and recent performances." That equation led to Connelly placing Carr as the nation's top quarterback, ahead of Ohio State sophomore Julian Sayin. Carr will be Marcus Freeman’s first returning starter at the position and the success of the Fighting Irish rest on what many expect to be an impressive season.
Connelly’s Take:
"He sort of looked like a redshirt freshman against Miami in Week 1 of last season, but that was about it. He fell just short of leading a comeback win against the Hurricanes, then pretty much torched all other opposition. Sure, he had a spectacular run game at his disposal -- Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 2,046 yards and 29 touchdowns (and are both gone now) -- but Notre Dame ranked first nationally in third-and-long success rate (7 or more yards to go). When Carr had to make a throw, he did so.
"Carr isn't exactly your modern dual-threat guy; he doesn't scramble much, and he's not a threat to punish defenses for turning their backs on the QB in man coverage. But he also doesn't take sacks, both because of quick decision-making and the fact that he might have the best offensive line in the country protecting him. He's accurate, he has a big arm, and by the end of 2025 he was one of the most reliable passers in the sport.
"While three of last year's four main wideouts are gone, the return of Jordan Faison, plus 2024 playoff hero Jaden Greathouse (back from an injury redshirt) will help, as will the addition of two recent blue-chippers from Ohio State (Mylan Graham, Quincy Porter). Carr should have most of what he needs, and even if the run game regresses a bit, there's no reason to think he won't continue to come through on third down." - Connelly
Carr earned second team Freshman All-American honors last season after passing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing just under 67-percent of his passes. He ranked second in all of college football with a 9.4 yards per attempt average and ranked fifth with a passer rating of 168.06, and his passer rating set a new Notre Dame record, shattering the mark that was previously tied by Jimmy Clausen in 2009. Carr also ranked 4th in the country with a 14.1 per completion average.
Nd set to begin fall camp: carr, minchey look to set the tone
Notre Dame begins fall camp on Thursday and there are several position battles that add intrigue to an already highly anticipated camp, because of the pending quarterback battle between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. Both quarterbacks have garnered confidence from the staff during the spring that they’re ready to assume the responsibility of being the leader of Notre Dame’s evolving offense under 2nd year offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.
1) Who can be the most consistent performer? That is job number one for the quarterbacks, perform on a consistent level. It's not so much about completion percentage as it is moving the offense. Who can lead the offense to points on a more consistent basis. Who can make the best decisions on the most consistent basis, which gets the ball to the playmakers.
CJ Carr showed the ability to do this at a higher level in the Blue & Gold game with Minchey missing a few easy opportunities.
2) Who can command the offense at the highest level? Commanding the offense refers to leadership and also who can handle the system the best. Who commands the most confidence and trust from the rest of the offense? Who can show the best grasp of the offense, which allows the quarterback to get the unit into good looks and out of bad ones? Leadership comes from setting a good example, but it also comes from earning the trust of your teammates that you can set them up for success.
Both quarterbacks have been in Mike Denbrock’s offense for two years and have a good handle of things. Consistency and decision making will be vitally important during fall camp. The spring saw both have moments of greatness, so the more consistent QB will have an advantage.
3) Who can limit the big mistakes? Turnovers are going to happen for all quarterbacks, and that's especially true for first-time starters. Both Minchey and Carr will turn the ball over in fall camp and the winner of the starting job will turn the ball over during the season. The two keys are keeping them to a level you can live with as an offense and also avoiding the really bad turnovers. The bad turnovers are the ones that come from panic, the ones that kill potential scoring drives, the ones that set up the opposition for easier scores and the ones that crush momentum in the biggest moments of the game. Big mistakes aren't just about turnovers, avoiding big mistakes also means not missing out on the opportunities to make big plays and clutch plays when they happen.
No one expects either quarterback to be perfect, and mistakes will be made. The response to those mistakes will be a bigger focus throughout camp.
There should be a natural order at the quarterback position in any program, and the same holds true with this situation. Kenny Minchey has been around and should be viewed as the lead guy in the race with the snaps shared evenly. Ultimately, this is going to come down to how Mike Denbrock views the offense evolving in the hands of both quarterbacks, and if one can show that they possess the skills to speed up that evolution, then they will separate themselves. This battle will set the tone for everything Mike Denbrock is looking to establish heading into the season.
Malik Zaire
talented 2027 qb teddy jarrard gets nd offer
Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli went through an exhaustive evaluation process with the 2027 quarterbacks and 6-3 190-pound four-star signal caller Teddy Jarrard of Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb seems to have stood out as he received an offer from Notre Dame on Friday.
“It feels great,” Jarrard sai. “It’s an honor to be one of the two quarterback offers from Notre Dame. It’s a great school with
great tradition and I couldn’t be more excited.”
Jarrard took his first visit to South Bend with family on June 5 th and spent the day touring the campus and meeting the staff, which included a meeting with coach (Marcus) Freeman for about an hour. There was also an opportunity to impress Gino Guidugli during a workout and throwing session followed by conversations that strengthened their relationship throughout the day.
“I enjoyed my visit,” Houston said. “They told me that they liked me and would continue looking at guys before making offers. From that point, coach Gino started talking more.”
That relationship with coach Gino Guidugli can only be described as a forthcoming one that has budded quickly over the last month or so, and the North Cobb offensive player of the year wasn’t surprised when the Notre Dame staff FaceTimed him on Friday.
“I wasn’t surprised” Jarrard shared. “I knew the offer was coming. Coach Gino and I talked about my chances of getting it a week before, but it didn’t change how special the moment was.
“They called me with the staff on the phone,” Jarrard continued. “They gave me the offer, and I spoke to coach (Mike) Denbrock about everything as well.”
Even after receiving the offer, Jarrard remembers the conversation with head coach Marcus Freeman during his June visit and how it gave him insight into what the culture of Notre Dame was all about. He also has his eyes on the recent recruiting success for the Fighting Irish.
“The culture stands out for me,” Jarrard shared. “You can see what coach (Marcus) Freeman is building and how they’re winning right now. You see what they’re doing in the 2026 class, and you know that they’re moving in the right direction.”
Jarrard will now turn to leading his Warriors’ teammates to a deeper runin the Georgia state playoffs after a hot 11-0 start ended with disappointment. They began practicing early in the summer, but the excitement is at fever pitch with the squad going “full pads” starting next week.
“We’re going to be good,” Jarrard declared. “Health is going to be the key. If we can stay healthy, we’re going to be really good. We’ve been practicing, but we’re getting ready to go full pads.
“I’m working hard to get better,” Jarrard continued. “The strength of my game is making quick decisions and getting the ball out quickly. The most important thing is winning football games. I do want to increase my touch, limit interceptions and increase my completion percentage.” As far as a timetable for a decision is concerned, Jarrard can see two paths to an eventual decision.
“No set timetable,” Jarrard explained. “It depends if I really feel good about a school. If that happens, it will be after the summer. But, if I don’t feel good about a school and I’m not sure, it will be after the season. As a sophomore, Jarrard threw for 2783 yards, 34 touchdowns, 72 completion percentage and a QB rating of 128.2. He currently ranks 217th nationally according to 247 Sports composite and hold offers from schools like Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Ohio State, and Alabama to name a few.
Shaun M. Davis
2027 4-star qb peyton houston lands nd offer
As the annual “Pot Of Gold” offers were dispersed for the 2027
recruiting class, there was an omission that created a bunch of
questions amongst Notre Dame fans. Where were the offers for
quarterbacks? Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and quarterbacks
coach Gino Guidugli took a brave new approach in evaluating signal-
callers as they operated from a position of strength with promising
talents like CJ Carr, Kenny Minchey, Blake Herbert and Noah
Grubbs on the roster or committed to the program. They were afforded
the opportunity to methodically search for the young men that best fit
their plans for the evolution of the offense.
Their search led the Fighting Irish to 5-11 200-pound four-star
quarterback Peyton Houston of Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian
and plans were immediately made for Houston to visit South Bend to
see the campus, meet coaches and observe practice.
“It was a really good visit,” Houston told Irish Breakdown. “They practice
really fast and all of the quarterbacks looked good. I got a chance to talk
to coach Gino (Guidugli) and coach (Mike) Denbrock and they told me
how they would handle the process with offers.
“They liked my film,” Houston continued. “They’re going to come and
watch me throw at my school in May. I’m excited for the opportunity and
to have a school like Notre Dame interested in me.”
The first day of May found coach Gino Guidugli travelling to Evangel
Christian to watch an Eagles’ practice in the Louisiana heat, but he
ended watching the talented passer pivot in more ways than one.
“We were scheduled for spring practice,” Houston said. “But, we had to
cancel it due to a mandatory school event, and I had track regionals. So,
I organized a session after school with my guys that were left.
“The throwing session went great with Coach Gino (Guidugli),” Houston
continued. “We worked on our day one install and did routes on air. The
total count was about 50-60 throws. Unfortunately, Coach Gino couldn’t
stay until the end because he had to fly out. He probably saw 25-30
throws, but he missed some of the deep throws. It seemed like he really
liked what he saw.”
After the throwing session, the three-sport athlete zeroed in on track
season as he waited for feedback from the Fighting Irish, and he didn’t
have to wait long.
“Coach (Marcus) Freeman reached out to my dad afterwards,” Houston
said. “My dad is our (Evangel Christian) quarterbacks coach, and he told
him that Coach Gino was extremely impressed with me.
It seems the Fighting Irish are still impressed and view him as a priority
quarterback recruit, when they extended an offer on Friday.
“It’s a huge blessing to get the Notre Dame offer,” Houston shared.
“Everyone knows how valuable that is and what it means to be a
Fighting Irish quarterback. I’m definitely grateful for the coaches having
trust in me to feel comfortable enough to extend the opportunity.
“I got the offer yesterday,” Houston continued. “Coach Gino asked me to
call him and put it on FaceTime. I spoke with him and coach Denbrock,
and they extended the offer. It was a really cool moment that I won’t
forget.”
As a sophomore, Houston threw for 4480 yards and 38 touchdowns with
70 percent completions. He ran for 690 yards and 7 touchdowns as well.
He currently ranks 85th nationally according to 247 sports composite
and holds offers from programs like Clemson, Ole Miss, LSU,
Michigan, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M, and SMU to name a few.
blue and gold game sheds light on qb competition
Marcus Freeman has spent the spring overseeing a new defensive coordinator in Chris Ash put his fingerprints on a talented defense along with a quarterback battle between Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. Last Saturday, he got an opportunity to watch the fruit of months of observations and evaluations during the annual Blue and Gold game at Notre Dame stadium.
The Blue team defeated the Gold team 76-31 in a spring game that looked much different than in years past.The Fighting Irish were without several players who were rehabbing from injury or resting from an extended run in the college football playoff.
That encouraged some changes to the format and scoring to the game. Instead of four quarters, the game consisted of three periods with four drives consisting of a minimum of six plays. For each of these drives, the ball was placed at various spots to create different game-like situations.
The biggest storyline during the spring has been the quarterback battle between Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. All three QBs had an equal opportunity to shine, and each led the Irish offense on at least one touchdown-scoring drive. But many Irish fans are saying Carr looked the most impressive during Saturday’s game.
Carr finished 14 of 19 for 170 yards and two touchdowns, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Xavier Southall and a two-yard score to freshman wide receiver Elijah Burress. However, he did throw the game’s only interception on his second-to-last drive under center.
After a slow start, Angeli seemed to settle in and capped his day with a 16-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Scrap Richardson. He finished 8 of 11 for 108 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.
Minchey ed a three-play, 45-yard drive where he scored on a four-yard run and celebrated his touchdown by doing a backflip in the end zone. He finished 6 of 14 through the air for 106 yards and ran for 12 yards on six carries.
After the game, Freeman said he saw a lot of good from all three quarterbacks and said they could all lead Notre Dame to wins.
“It’s crazy to think this, but you’ve got three guys that all could lead your program to a victory and be your starting quarterback,” Freeman said. “You would like to go into fall with a two-quarterback battle. It’s really hard truly having a three-quarterback battle.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Luke Talich led the way with nine tackles while Bryce Young and Preston Zinter were credited with sacks. Ben Minich intercepted Carr for the game’s only turnover.
But perhaps the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon came on a goal line stand in the seventh series of the scrimmage, where Talich helped the Gold team make back-to-back stops at the goal line on third and fourth down to prevent a Blue touchdown.
Jadarian Price led the team in rushing with 46 yards on six carries while freshman running back Nolan James Jr. led the team in receiving with 60 yards on three catches. For a full look at the final stats from the 2025 Blue-Gold Game,
The Irish will now wait for fall camp to begin preparation for their season opener versus the Miami Hurricanes on August 31st.