Noah Grubbs Embraces Rare Early Opportunity in Notre Dame QB Competition

There’s nothing typical about the situation Notre Dame quarterback Noah Grubbs is stepping into this spring.

Early enrollees are usually focused on survival. Grubbs enters campus with a legitimate opportunity to compete for the backup job behind starter CJ Carr.

With only Carr and sophomore Blake Hebert in the room, the path to meaningful reps this spring is easy to see. 

“I’m trying to get as many reps as I can and get the playbook down,” stated Grubbs. “It's going to be tough coming from high school. Everything is different. The game is going to move fast in the beginning, and I have to slow it down the best way I can.” 

How does an early enrollee maximize an opportunity like that?

For Grubbs, it begins with consistency.

“Just leadership and consistency,” Grubbs said. “I'm going to wake up every day and just come in, grind and lead the people around me. Make people around me better and keep everyone accountable.”

Leadership for an early enrollee doesn’t mean dominating the locker room. It means setting a standard.

“Be vocal,” stated Grubbs. “It could be vocal, it could be by example. People see what you're doing. Maybe you're not missing reps in the weight room. Just little things like that is the way a young guy can lead.”

Gone are the days of the Notre Dame quarterback room having drama as Gino Guidugli has created a strong culture during his tenure in South Bend. 

Grubbs was quick to point out that Carr and Hebert have gone out of their way to help him transition to college. 

“They've done a lot for me,” explained Grubbs. “That's what's really helped me in this transition. Just the older people like Blake and CJ giving me the wisdom since they've been in my position, been in my spot – everything through progression, reads, playbook-wise, but even just life stuff.” 

Unlike many freshmen, Grubbs did not arrive overwhelmed. He visited campus frequently during his recruitment  and spent extended time observing meetings and practices.

In fact, Grubbs hasn’t felt he’s been put in a position that’s unfamiliar to this point. 

“I've never really had one of those moments since I've been here so much,” Grubbs stated. “Like in the meetings during spring ball and all the things like that, I've been here on visits more than double digits. I've probably been here at least 15 times before I actually got here and enrolled.

“I feel like that's what's really helped me. I wasn't really shocked by anything, but I would just say going in-depth, playbook, and reads and just being a college quarterback, much different than high school.”

Still, familiarity doesn’t eliminate the learning curve.

The most significant on-field adjustment has been understanding when and how to get out of bad plays.

“I would say the biggest challenge is just like getting out of things when they're not good,” Grubbs said. “In high school, you get one thing, and you're running that. I would say that's the biggest difference. I just have to get used to that and just get more reps of that and we’ll be good.”

The immediate goal for Grubbs is to learn protections. If he can protect himself, then he can become a playmaker. Off the field, Grubbs is also looking to find a routine in his first semester in South Bend. 

“I'd say just protections,” said Grubbs when asked what he wants to accomplish this spring. “Just learn how to protect myself. I think that's one of the most important things. Non-football related, just school. Get good grades, be a good student, be a good person in the Notre Dame community.”

Off the field, the adjustment has been equally demanding.

Grubbs, who lives in Keough Hall, has quickly recognized the academic rigor that defines Notre Dame.

“The different types of readings you have to do and the amount,” explained Grubbs. “When a professor in high school would say, ‘Read over this before class,’ it would just be one page, and then here, I've had 15 pages, 30 pages. I feel like that's the difference academically. It's just the amount. It's challenging, but it's definitely doable.”

Two months in, the experience has validated his decision to attend Notre Dame.

“I'd say the tradition, the culture, everything about it,” said Grubbs. “The people inside the building, not only the football building, but the academic, the professors, students around here. Everyone's just so nice and everyone's just very welcoming, especially in my dorm and things like that.”

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