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Newsstand: Where ESPN ranks Notre Dame’s quarterback group entering the 2024 season

Kyle Kellyby:Kyle Kelly•03/15/24•

ByKyleKelly

Notre Dame Quarterbacks
Notre Dame quarterbacks during the first spring practice of the 2024 season. (Chad Weaver/Blue & Gold)

The Notre Dame football program should have no problem finding a starting quarterback for the 2024 season … at least according to ESPN. 

On Tuesday, ESPN senior writer Adam Rittenberg ranked the top 25 quarterback groups entering the upcoming campaign. He tapped the Fighting Irish at No. 9. 

“As the expanded CFP era begins, Notre Dame needs the quarterback spot to become a consistent strength,” Rittenberg said.”The Irish have been good at quarterback and great at times but rarely elite. This winter could be a turning point, though, as Notre Dame added a splashy transfer in Riley Leonard and brought back (Mike) Denbrock as offensive coordinator. …

“Notre Dame hopes Leonard is an upgrade from Sam Hartman, who feasted on decent to poor defenses but wasn’t a difference-maker against top competition. …

“The Irish seemingly have insurance behind Leonard, who has only one full season as a starter. Steve Angeli enters his third season in the program and carries sophomore eligibility. …. 

“But he will be pushed by CJ Carr, ESPN’s No. 36 recruit in the 2024 class, and the grandson of longtime Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. The Irish also have Kenny Minchey, a top-200 prospect in 2023, and have a 2025 commitment from Deuce Knight, a dual threat ranked as ESPN’s No. 123 recruit.”

Last year, Rittenberg ranked Notre Dame’s quarterback room of Hartman, Angeli and Minchey at No. 13. This year, he gave Ohio State the nod for having the best group of quarterbacks in the nation. You can check out Rittenberg’s complete list here. 

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“My conversation with Riley has been to focus on you. We’ve had meetings on his leadership and, ‘Hey, how do I do this better? It’s like, ‘Riley for the 15 practices, man, I don’t want you to worry about that. I want you to worry about becoming the best version of Riley Leonard because that will make you a better leader, a better quarterback and our offense better.”

— Irish coach Marcus Freeman when discussing a reasonable expectation for Leonard in spring practice on Greg McElroy’s Always College Football Podcast.

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