Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL 2024 27 PERSONNEL UPDATE Position Coach: Gino Guidugli (second season) Returning Starters: None Departing Starters: Sam Hartman (57 career starts) Projected New Starters: Sr. Riley Leonard (21) Top Reserves: Jr. Steve Angeli, So. Kenny Minchey Newcomers: Leonard, Fr. CJ Carr 2024 S P R I N G F O O T B A L L O V E R V I E W BY JACK SOBLE R iley Leonard came to Notre Dame for several reasons. The senior found the campus and culture similar to Duke's, where he loved spending three years. He had grown up a Notre Dame fan in large pa r t b e ca u se h i s m a te r n a l g rea t - grandfather, James Curran, had played for the Irish in the early 1940s. But first and foremost, with one year of eligibil- ity remaining, Leonard knows this is his last chance to realize his dream of playing in the NFL. To him, South Bend was the best place to make that happen. Many believed Leonard had a chance to be three-and-done with the Blue Devils on the heels of a promising soph- omore year. Leonard threw for 2,967 yards on 391 attempts (7.6 yards per at- tempt) and scored 33 total touchdowns as a dangerous dual-threat quarter- back. However, he suffered an ankle injury midway through 2023 and a toe injury a few weeks later that put him on the shelf for the rest of the season. It wouldn't have made sense for Leonard to declare for the draft after that, so here he is. He'll have to improve his consistency as a passer to take Notre Dame where it wants to go, but quar- terbacks coach Gino Guidugli and of- fensive coordinator Mike Denbrock can help him reach his high ceiling. While Leonard is the clear favorite for the starting job — he wouldn't be at Notre Dame if he wasn't — he won't be named QB1 right away. Junior Steve An- geli played well enough in the Sun Bowl against Oregon State (15-of-19 passing for 230 yards with 3 touchdowns) and in mop-up duty throughout his sopho- more season to give himself a chance. Sophomore Kenny Minchey has in- triguing tools entering his second season, and Notre Dame is over the moon about highly ranked fresh- man CJ Carr. The quarterback room as a whole is in a healthy spot. Can Leonard put the Irish over the top in 2024? That effort starts in spring ball. QUARTERBACKS POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH JUNIOR STEVE ANGELI VS. RILEY LEONARD Don't sleep on Minchey — or even Carr — but logic dictates either Leon- ard or Angeli will take the first snap Aug. 31 at Texas A&M. Leonard is the pro- jected starter, but if he stumbles and A N G E L I impresses, it could open the door for a heated battle in August. NUMBERS TO KNOW 68th Was freshman CJ Carr's overall On3 Industry Ranking in the 2024 class. He's Notre Dame's highest-ranked quarterback signee since Brandon Wimbush (40th overall) in 2015. Carr is the Fighting Irish's prized possession in the 2024 class and could be the quarterback of the future in South Bend. 233.3 Passer rating for Steve Angeli in the Sun Bowl, which was higher than any of Sam Hart- man's single-game marks in a Notre Dame uniform. While he wasn't perfect — he took 2 sacks that he'd like to have back and got lucky when center Ashton Craig recovered his fumble deep in Irish territory — Angeli diced up a depleted Oregon State defense and flashed pinpoint accuracy that could legitimize a QB competition. 1,415 Sack-adjusted career rushing yards for senior Riley Leonard, which is good for just better than 7 yards per carry. Leonard's superpower is his combination of size and speed at 6-foot-4, 217 pounds. He's a tough runner who won't go down with arm tackles, and if he gets into the open field, watch out. Leonard has running back-like vision, which he uses to set up his cuts and make defenders look silly. Riley Leonard threw for 2,967 yards and accounted for 33 touchdowns (20 passing, 13 rushing) as a sopho- more at Duke in 2022, but he was injured in 2023 and didn't complete the season. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER ALL EYES ON … SENIOR RILEY LEONARD The consensus thinks Leonard was somewhere around the second- to fifth- best quarterback in the transfer portal. Notre Dame believes he was No. 1. Once again, the biggest storyline of spring camp will be the veteran signal-caller's performance.