Riley Leonard has the hype. Steve Angeli has the experience. CJ Carr is the latest recruiting victory. And Kenny Minchey is simply Kenny Minchey.
This isn’t a slight—Minchey, the Tennessee native, is quietly working to improve his game and earn the trust of the Notre Dame coaching staff after completing both his pass attempts as a freshman last year.
“My goal for fall camp is to improve as a quarterback and build trust with the coaching staff so they’re confident in me if I’m called upon,” Minchey said.
As for the offense, Notre Dame’s quarterback room is largely on the same page, especially with it being Mike Denbrock’s first year as offensive coordinator in South Bend. While Leonard is the starter and Angeli looks like the backup, the entire group is focused on mastering the offense ahead of the 2024 season.
A major change in the offense is that Denbrock will require the quarterback to run more, something Minchey didn’t do under Gerad Parker’s offense last year. Minchey, however, is excited about the opportunity to create plays with his mobility.
“This offense allows the quarterback to use their legs more, which suits my play style,” Minchey explained. “The offense is aggressive and fun, and I feel like it fits us really well.”
During camp, Minchey has concentrated on speeding up his progressions and processing the game more quickly. Being in his second year, the game is still fast, but it’s beginning to slow down for him.
Notre Dame also revamped its receiver room during the offseason, giving Minchey more explosive targets to work with.
“Definitely,” Minchey responded when asked if the receiver group was more explosive. “With the additions of Jayden Harrison, Beaux Collins, and Kris Mitchell from the portal, we’ve gained speed and size that we might have lacked last year. Overall, the wide receiver and tight end units are more explosive.”
While explosive playmaking is important, both groups have spent the last eight months building chemistry, including during player-led summer throwing sessions.
“There are some guys I don’t throw to as much, but during the spring and summer, when we all stayed to work out, all the quarterbacks got to throw with all the receivers,” Minchey explained. “It was good for building chemistry and getting everyone to gel, so it’s not just one quarterback throwing to one receiver.”
Regarding the quarterback depth chart, Minchey never felt the need to look for opportunities outside of South Bend, despite the trend of quarterbacks transferring if they don’t play early.
“The coaching staff is a big reason I stayed,” Minchey said. “I love Gino Guidugli. He’s a great coach, and I feel like he can make me better. And then there’s Notre Dame itself. I want to be a quarterback for Notre Dame—that’s a title I really want to achieve.”
Minchey also values what Notre Dame offers beyond football.
“I love the guys in the locker room—they’re my best friends. The camaraderie among my teammates is something I cherish. And then there’s the significance of Notre Dame as a brand and a team, which you hear about from everyone who comes back and talks about it—they all praise it.”
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