Marcus Freeman updates timeline for Notre Dame QB battle

Marcus Freeman said Friday that Notre Dame’s quarterback competition could extend into fall camp.

The battle is between incoming transfer Sam Hartman and incumbent option Tyler Buchner. Hartman transferred to Notre Dame this offseason after a record-breaking career at Wake Forest and is considered to be the heavy favorite to win the job.

However, Buchner won Notre Dame’s QB job out of camp last season and has chosen to remain with the Irish for the upcoming campaign. He threw 3 touchdown passes in Notre Dame’s bowl game victory over South Carolina to end the 2022 season.

According to Freeman, this is a competition that could continue until the fall.

“The longer you can have a competition, the better, as long as it’s making each other better,” Freeman said, via ESPN

. “You want to keep it going as long as you can. We won’t name a starter until we believe there’s a clear-cut starter. Right now, it’s a great competition, and I can foresee this going into the fall.”

Notre Dame will conclude its spring practice with its annual spring game on April 22.

What this means for Notre Dame

Hartman is the heavy favorite to win the job. He’s t

he ACC’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns and Buchner missed almost all of last season with an injury. He also lost 2 of the 3 starts he made a season ago.

It’s possible Notre Dame is delaying an announcement in an effort to prevent another quarterback from transferring this offseason. Notre Dame has already lost one QB (Drew Pyne) to the portal this cycle.

However, Notre Dame does have some depth at quarterback beyond Hartman and Buchner. Redshirt freshman Steve Angeli and true freshman quarterback Kenny Minchey are both on the roster as well.

If Hartman or Buchner did opt for the portal before the start of the 2023 season, Notre Dame would still have some protection at quarterback.

The NCAA’s spring transfer window opens on Saturday and will remain open for 15 days.