Kirk Herbstreit Reveals His Favorite in Notre Dame Quarterback Race

Kirk Herbstreit Reveals His Favorite in Notre Dame Quarterback Race originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

One year after an unlikely run to the national championship game last season, Notre Dame has brought some drama to the summer in the form of a quarterback competition.

The Fighting Irish have two potential starters in Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr, with the team's coaching staff not yet tipping their hand about who will start the season.

But ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit doesn't believe it's much of a competition. Speaking at the Personnel and Recruiting Symposium, Herbstreit revealed that he's backing last season's No. 2 as the starter for 2025.

"There’s something about this CJ Carr," Herbstreit said, via FootballScoop's John Brice. "I’m super-high on him.”

Carr missed a chunk of last season with a lingering injury to his throwing elbow, but he has been careful not to aggravate it this year. He told the South Bend Tribune that he has a new warm-up routine that includes a circuit of work with a weighted ball to get loose.

“Every day, just pre-throw, we like to warm up that way,” Carr said. “And instead of just going out and ripping 50 balls to warm up, it's more of a slow progression into it. And then afterward, I have an arm care (routine) that I do to make sure I'm fresh for the next day.”

Notre Dame has yet to name a starter, with head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock remaining quiet about their decision as the season nears.

Related: Notre Dame 2025 Profile: Quarterback CJ Carr

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.