Notre Dame 2025 Profile: Quarterback Kenny Minchey

Notre Dame is going through its first real quarterback battle since 2018, and rising junior Kenny Minchey is part of that competition. Minchey finally gets his shot to win the job, and he has the talent to battle with CJ Carr for the position. Minchey is considered the underdog, but he'll go into fall camp in position to push for the spot.

IB continues its 2025 player preview profiles with a look at Kenny Minchey.

KENNY MINCHEY BIO

Hometown/High Schools: Hendersonville, Tenn./Pope John Paul II
Height/Weight: 6-2, 204
Class/Eligibility: Junior/Sophomore

STATS BREAKDOWN

2024: 4 snaps - 1-1, 4 yards / 2 carries, 12 yards, 1 TD
2023: 13 snaps - 2-2, 12 yards

Career: 17 snaps - 3-3, 16 yards / 2 carries, 12 yards, 1 TD

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2024 RECAP

Minchey went into the spring of 2024 in a battle to earn the backup job behind transfer quarterback Riley Leonard. That role ultimately went to veteran Steve Angeli, which relegated Minchey to third team. Minchey did perform well in the Blue-Gold Game that spring, hitting 12-19 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 40 yards and another touchdown in the spring game.

The sophomore got into just one game and played just four snaps on the season. Minchey led Notre Dame to a touchdown on that drive. He hit a shovel pass, ran twice for 12 yards and then threw a ball into the end zone that drew a defensive pass interference penalty.

2025 EXPECTATIONS

Minchey will battle Carr for the starting job, so before we get into expectations for the season he'll need to prove he can win the job. I broke down the keys to winning the starting job in the quarterback preview, which you can find HERE.

While I personally view Carr as the frontrunner in this battle and expected him to start, Minchey is certainly a legit contender for the job. The starting quarterback job is not going to be handed to Carr, he'll need to win it, which means Minchey has a legit opportunity to do the same.

Minchey is in this battle because he's a talented quarterback, and that's ultimately why he still has a chance to win it. When breaking him down we aren't talking about a "try hard player" who has to make up for a lack of talent with a great attitude. Minchey brings a lot of talent to the position, beginning with a strong right arm. Minchey has shown the last two springs that he's willing and able to get the ball down the field. His post throw to KK Smith in the Blue-Gold Game (that was dropped) was an incredibly impressive throw, and Minchey has a knack for making those types of plays.

There isn't a throw on the field that Minchey can't make, and the fact this is true for both him and Carr makes this battle exciting. From a passing standpoint, both quarterbacks offer an upgrade, and for Minchey it's more from a playmaking standpoint. He throws well on the run, has the arm strength to attack down the field on play-action looks and he has a quick release and the ability to thrive from the pocket as well.

Minchey is also an impressive athlete that has developed into a playmaker in college. As a high school player he didn't run much, and when Minchey got on the move it was primarily to buy time so he could throw the ball. At Notre Dame he has become much more willing to take off and run, and the coaches have also shown a willingness to call designed runs for him. He scored on a designed run in the 2024 Blue-Gold Game, the 2025 Blue-Gold Game and also in the 66-7 win over Purdue. That playmaking ability and athleticism is a big reason why Minchey is in this battle.

If Minchey is going to win the battle, and more importantly thrive as the starter, he needs to become more consistent. This means from a day-to-day standpoint, but also snap to snap. Minchey will have days where he looks like a player capable of being a dominant quarterback, but he doesn't do it consistently enough. In both of the last two Blue-Gold Games, Minchey has shown flashes of being a big time playmaker from inside and outside of the pocket. The issue is in each of the those games he's also started slow, dealt with bouts of inconsistency and missed too many easy throws. If he can improve his consistency Minchey will have a chance to win the job.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS

Here are the biggest questions surrounding Minchey heading into the 2025 campaign.

1) Can Minchey win the starting job - Before Minchey can prove what he can do as the starter he has to win the starting job. That's going to be a major challenge, but if he can build on his spring success he'll have a shot to do so.

2) Can Minchey be a more consistent player - This is the biggest area where Minchey must improve, which was discussed above. If he can't eliminate the up-and-down performances it will be tough for him to win the job. The highs need to remain but he needs to eliminate the lows. If he wins the starting job that will also need to carry into the fall. It will be hard for the Notre Dame offense to be good enough to compete for a championship if the quarterback struggles with consistency from game to game, or series to series. The floor has to be raised, and if Minchey can do that he'll be an effective player.

3) Is Minchey able to take command of the offense - This was a question with Carr as well and the reality is the starting quarterback has to show the ability to command the offense. Part of taking command is demanding leadership with his work ethic, attitude and ability to run the offense. The other part of showing the command needed to lead an elite offense is being able to handle the mental part of running the offense. Being good at protection calls, getting the offense into good looks and making sure everyone on offense is doing what they need to do are all parts of being comfortable in the offense.

4) Will his pass game effectiveness be close enough - There are two things I'm confident about when evaluating the quarterbacks in the quarterback competition. One is that Carr has the best passing ability. Two is that Minchey is the more dynamic athlete and runner. If Mike Denbrock takes the offense the direction I think he wants to the passing part will be very important. That means Minchey will need to close the passing gap between him and Carr enough to allow his playmaking ability to carry the day. If there's a big gap in the throwing game Carr will start, but if Minchey can make that advantage minimal and it becomes more about his playmaking ability he will not only win the job, but he'll become an impact starting quarterback for the Irish.

A SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR MINCHEY WOULD BE ....

To begin, it would be one where he wins the starting quarterback job and starts off well. A good season for Minchey will need to include a fast start, because struggling in the first couple of games could result in the staff wanting to turn quicker to Carr. Notre Dame will also need its quarterback to play well in order to start the season off with wins over Miami and Texas A&M. A fast start requires Minchey to show good early command, a higher level of consistency and then putting his playmaking skills on full display. If Minchey doesn't win the job a good season is still possible. Being ready to thrive if his number is called is key, but Minchey being a playmaker in fall camp could also result in him forcing himself into a niche role where he can use his running skills.