By Pete Sampson and The Athletic Staff
Nov 22, 2022
Pope John Paul II (Tenn.) quarterback Kenny Minchey — a four-star prospect, per the 247Sports Composite — committed to Notre Dame, he announced Tuesday.
- Minchey, listed at 6-foot-1 1/2 and 215 pounds, had previously committed to Pitt, but decommitted on Nov. 14.
- He is the Irish’s first quarterback commit for 2023.
- Notre Dame has the No. 3 recruiting class for 2023, per 247 Sports. Minchey ranks as the No. 15 quarterback.
COMMITTED! Go Irish☘️ pic.twitter.com/p0nst9JT5t
— Kenny Minchey (@kenny_minchey) November 22, 2022
Backstory
Minchey threw for 3,280 yards and 32 touchdowns in a breakout junior season, completing 61.3 percent of passes. He missed time during his senior season due to a shoulder injury, but threw for 11 touchdowns in four regular-season games.
Who is Minchey and how does he fit Notre Dame?
The Irish offered Minchey over the summer after failing to close the deal with five-star quarterback Dante Moore, a one-time silent commitment to Notre Dame who ultimately committed to Oregon. It would be an understatement to say quarterback recruiting this cycle has been disjointed for Notre Dame, which chased Chris Vizzina (Clemson) and Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) before focusing on Moore. After the Moore shock, the Irish dropped down their list to pursue Avery Johnson (Kansas State), Austin Novosad (Baylor) and Minchey as the recruiting calendar moved into the football season. And when junior CJ Carr decided not to reclassify from the 2024 class, it made chasing down Minchey in the 2023 cycle even more important.
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Minchey is a four-star prospect on 247 Sports, On3 and ESPN, rated as high as No. 182 overall (ESPN). Rivals listed Minchey as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 14 overall quarterback prospect. Minchey’s ranking within Notre Dame’s class ranks from 13th (ESPN) to 23rd (Rivals). He also listed offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Virginia Tech. – Sampson
Is Notre Dame done with quarterback recruiting?
Yes and no. The Minchey commitment fills a major hole in the 2023 recruiting class, which needed a quarterback to keep the position stocked long-term. But Minchey doesn’t necessarily help Notre Dame’s roster next season in terms of making an impact on the field. That’s where a potential graduate transfer comes into play, something it appears Notre Dame will pursue as a potential option. Coach Marcus Freeman confirmed earlier this year that the Irish explored a graduate transfer at quarterback last winter, only to opt against it in the end. Freeman also said he’d be open to a graduate transfer this winter as well. After Tyler Buchner’s injury and Drew Pyne’s level of play, that feels like a must.
Where would Notre Dame turn? Devin Leary from N.C. State would potentially fit the mold of a Notre Dame grad transfer at quarterback, not dissimilar to Jack Coan two years ago. Leary was this season’s ACC Player of the Year but suffered a pectoral injury midseason that will require rehab into the offseason. His replacement has been freshman MJ Morris, who has flashed potential to be the heir apparent in Raleigh. Leary has not yet entered the portal, but if the Irish take a transfer a priority would be placed on Power 5 starting experience.
Notre Dame will see the impact of the transfer portal on a roster (and at quarterback) this weekend at USC where the Trojans took 20-plus transfers this offseason, including quarterback Caleb Williams, now a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. – Sampson
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How Notre Dame has fared in recruiting
During the 2018 cycle, Notre Dame’s Blue-Chip Ratio, a measure of the talent threshold necessary to compete for a national championship, for the incoming class was 52 percent. One cycle later, that jumped to 73 percent, before dropping back down to 53 percent for the 2020 class. In Brian Kelly’s final full recruiting campaign, Notre Dame’s BCR dropped to 44 percent, with 12 four-star prospects and 15 three-star prospects in a 27-player haul. With Freeman as defensive coordinator, Notre Dame’s single-class BCR jumped to 82% for the 2021 cycle with one five-star, 17 four-stars and just four three-stars. With Freeman as head coach, the BCR for 2023 stood at 90 percent in July. The latest commitment gives the Irish a boost at a position Notre Dame has struggled to recruit this cycle. – Sampson
With Kenny Minchey's commitment, Notre Dame holds at No. 3 in the 247 Sports Team Rankings for the '23 cycle with 24 verbal commitments.
The Irish are No. 3 on On3 and No. 2 on Rivals.
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) November 22, 2022
Required reading
- Notre Dame is raising its game as the temperature drops in Marcus Freeman’s first campaign
- How to sign a recruiting class in 9 days at LSU, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and beyond
(Photo: Matt Cashore / USA Today)
