Notre Dame Staying After 2025 QB Deuce Knight

Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli made sure to get down to George County High School in Mississippi early in the Spring Evaluation Period to check on 2025 quarterback Deuce Knight‍.

In-person contact is limited at this point, but Guidugli made sure Knight knew he was there and they’ve kept in regular contact since Knight’s trip to South Bend earlier in the spring.

“He stopped by before practice,” Knight said. “And then after practice, he left."

Still, the visit represented more than just a casual check-in to Knight.

"It just shows that he really wants me," Knight said. "If he just wanted to stop by and see my face, he would've just done that. In the morning, he would've came by in the morning then just probably would've went somewhere else and watched practice.

“But him coming to watch practice, it just shows that he really wants you and he going to recruit your hard."

Knight has been impressed with Guidugli, calling him a "cool person" and "relatable."

"He has a lot of energy on the phone and in person,” Knight continued. “He is just always excited to talk to you and see you."

Knight, who has offers from schools like Notre Dame, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Washington, Ole Miss and several others, clearly has the Irish among top consideration thanks, in part, to Guidugli.

"He just thinks playing quarterback is all about development," Knight said of Guidugli. "He developed (former Cincinnati and current Atlanta Falcon quarterback) Desmond Ridder. He thinks if I come there, I have a great chance of getting developed.

“I can play for a national championship and I can go to one of the best schools in the nation, on the academic side too; coming there, I am just going to be a better person.”

Guidugli has told Knight his development in South Bend would go beyond himself, head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive coordinator Gerad Parker.

“Notre Dame can help me become a better person all around," he said.

After a visit at the beginning of April with his father, Knight hopes to return to Notre Dame with his entire family.

"I need to get back up there for sure," he said. "We’ve got to get back, me and my dad and my mom. I know my dad wants to go back. He loves Notre Dame. I need to bring the whole family back up there and probably for summer, or to a game, try to do both of those."

Knight also has plans to visit other schools this summer, including Georgia, LSU, and Tennessee. He hopes to learn more about these programs and find the best fit for himself.

In no specific order, Knight listed development, the opportunity to compete for a national championship, family feel and academics as the most important factors in his ultimate decision.

“I know I can't play football forever, so like, how they are going to set me up to be successful in life.

“I want to win a national championship when I go to college."

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