Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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44 SEPT. 9, 2023 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY MIKE SINGER N otre Dame has offered eight quar- terbacks in the 2025 class, but due to those prospects committing to other schools, not showing much interest in the Irish or — in one case — the ND staff moving on, position coach Gino Guidugli and Co. are down to just two signal-callers. Of course, that number could expand if Notre Dame misses out on its two current 2025 quarterback tar- gets, but Blue & Gold Illustrated believes the Irish will land one of them. Back in March, Notre Dame extended a scholarship offer to Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy's Deuce Knight, who ranks as the No. 4 quarterback and No. 28 overall player nationally per On3. Knight, who transferred to the Tennes- see powerhouse program from Lucedale (Miss.) George County over the sum- mer, doesn't seem to be too far off from making a college commitment. The other 2025 quarterback target for the Irish staff is Murrieta (Calif.) Valley's Bear Bachmeier, the No. 9 sig- nal-caller and No. 102 overall recruit in America according to On3. Bach- meier picked up his Notre Dame offer in July. He, too, may not be far off from a decision. Which quarterback will Notre Dame end up with? It's a question that cur- rently doesn't have an answer, but the Irish do look in a strong position to land one of them. DEUCES ARE WILD Knight spoke with reporters follow- ing one of his high school games in Au- gust, and when asked which programs are standing out to him as of late, the elite prospect listed five schools: Ala- bama, Auburn, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Tennessee. One of those schools is not like the others. Notre Dame is much farther from home compared to the SEC programs vying for Knight's commitment, but proximity to home doesn't look to be a notable factor in this recruitment. "Location doesn't matter to me, and it is Notre Dame, one of the best in the country on the football and school side," Knight told On3's Chad Simmons. "Notre Dame is an independent pro- gram, but they play top teams, they play big games and Notre Dame is still going to play in the college football playoffs. "I like Notre Dame because of what they are as a program and because of the people up there. Coach [Marcus] Freeman, Coach Gino Guidugli and Chad Bowden all recruit me, and they are great guys." Knight doesn't have a decision time- line, but it could be this fall. "I think I'll have a decision in the next month or two," he said. "I want to knock it out and start recruiting for my class." Knight mentioned Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Auburn as schools he may visit this fall, but he doesn't have any trips locked in yet. Blue & Gold Illustrated sources have indicated that Knight may visit Notre Dame for the Ohio State game, which falls con- veniently during Lipscomb Academy's bye week. Knight has visited Notre Dame twice Notre Dame 2025 Quarterback Recruiting Outlook Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy's Deuce Knight, who is the No. 4 quarterback and No. 28 overall player nationally per On3, has Notre Dame on his short list. PHOTO BY SAM SPIEGELMAN/COURTESY ON3