QB Kenny Minchey: 'I want to be a quarterback for Notre Dame'
Riley Leonard has the hype.
Steve Angeli has the experience.
CJ Carr is the latest recruiting win.
And Kenny Minchey is Kenny Minchey.
It’s not shade, but rather, the Tennessee native is going to work in silence as he looks to show improvement in his game and gain the trust of the Notre Dame coaching staff after completing both his pass attempts last year as a freshman.
“I feel like a win for me would be obviously improving as a quarterback,” stated Minchey of his fall camp goals. “Then just keep building trust around the coaching staff so that way they feel confident in me if my number's called.”
Regarding the offense, Notre Dame’s quarterback room is somewhat on the same level as it’s Mike Denbrock’s first year in South Bend. Sure, Leonard is the starter and Angeli appears to be the backup, but overall, the entire group is working to master the offense ahead of the 2024 campaign.
One of the most significant changes in the offense is that Denbrock will ask the quarterback to run, which Minchey didn’t experience in Gerad Parker’s offense last year. And Minchey loves the ability to create plays with his ability to move.
“I feel like with this offense, it allows the quarterback to use their legs a little bit more, and so obviously that suits my play style,” explained Minchey. “And then, the offense is super fun. It's aggressive, which I like, so I feel like it suits us really well.”
During camp, Minchey has dialed in on speeding up getting through his progressions and processing the game quicker. It’s year two, so the game is still fast, but it also should be slowing down for the signal-caller.
Notre Dame overhauled the receiver room in the offseason, which has helped Minchey improve his game, as there are simply more explosive players on the outside.
“Yes, for sure,” Minchey said when asked if the receiver group was explosive. “Especially with the addition of guys like Jayden Harrison, Beaux Collins and Kris Mitchell from the portal, obviously speed, size that maybe we didn't have last year. I feel like as a unit, as a wide receiver unit overall, and the tight end room, I feel like we can be more explosive with the additions.”
Explosive playmaking is nice, but both groups have been focused on building chemistry over the last eight months, which includes player-led summer throwing sessions.
“There's some guys I don't get to throw to as much, but during the spring and then during the summer, whenever we all stayed here to work out, all the quarterbacks got to throw with all the receivers,” Minchey explained. “It was good to build chemistry and everyone gel together, so it's not just one quarterback throwing to one receiver.”
As for the depth chart at quarterback, Minchey didn’t feel he needed to see if there were greener pastures outside of South Bend in the offseason despite it being the popular move for quarterbacks who don’t play early.
“I would say coaching staff,” Minchey said of why he stayed at Notre Dame. “I love Gino Guidugli. I feel like he's a great coach and I feel like he can make me better. And I would say Notre Dame itself. I mean, I want to be a quarterback for Notre Dame, so I feel like that'd be a super great title and just something I definitely want to accomplish.”
And then there’s the team and what Notre Dame can provide a young person.
“I feel like the guys in the team in the locker room,” said Minchey. “I love all the guys in there. They're my best friends. Just a camaraderie between all my teammates. I feel like that's probably the thing I like the most. And then the stuff you hear about how significant Notre Dame is as a brand and as a team compared to all the other teams in the country, and whenever people come back and talk about it, all they do is praise it.”
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