Notre Dame Will Have A Quarterback Competition According To Marcus Freeman
Marcus Freeman’s second spring practice season is underway and for the second time in as many springs Freeman has a quarterback competition underway. A year ago at this time it was Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne and this spring it’s Buchner and Wake Forest graduate transfer Sam Hartman.
One (Hartman) has 48 games of experience, and 110 touchdown passes on his resume and the other (Buchner) has 13 games and all of six touchdown throws to his credit.
“It’s exciting to see two guys really push each other (and) really battle,” Freeman said after Wednesday’s first spring practice of the top two quarterbacks on his spring depth chart. (They) respect each other. I’m really excited to see this quarterback competition as we move forward as we move forward really to over 14 practices to really see not who becomes the guy but like how much better it’s going to make the room. And that’s what you love. Anytime you can have competition it makes the room better and that’s what I’m really excited to see over these next 14 practices.”
Hartman and Buchner donned the red quarterback jerseys at Wednesday morning’s spring opening practice. So did sophomore Steve Angeli and early enrollee freshman Kenny Minchey. There wasn’t much to see in the roughly 30-minute viewing window the media had before the remainder of practice was closed.
They all threw passes, short and long, and they all went through footwork drills. The most notable absence was that of Ron Powlus III, who has medically retired from football.
Hartman had nice touch on a few long balls he let go, but none of the throws were in competitive situations. Just a sixth-year quarterback getting ready for another spring, albeit with a new team.
“I think today being day one, he’s like a freshman,” Freeman commented. “It’s new. And I know this is, I think I was joking with him, his sixth spring ball. But you’re at a new place, a new system, still figuring out where to go, what a drill is called. So, you can see him at times just trying to say, ok where are we going, what’s the drill, what are we doing, how many plays. But he’ got obviously some natural ability when he throws the ball and he plays the game of football.”
The biggest changes for Freeman this spring are on his offensive coaching staff. Tommy Rees once held both the titled dual titled of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, but those roles are now divided with Gerad Parker running the offense and still coaching tight ends and Gino Guidugli working exclusively with the quarterbacks.
“The one added benefit for the quarterbacks is that you have a guy that is solely focused on you, as you said, but also can just focus on your mechanics, your tools, your decision making,” Freeman said of having a dedicated quarterbacks coach. “Instead of looking at maybe the big picture he can really focus on, did this quarterback make the right decision. That’s the one thing I know with having a quarterbacks coach.
“That’s a great challenge for Gino is that we’ve got four quarterbacks in that room that all need to be developed,” Freeman continued. “They all need to improve. That’s your job as a coach is continuing to find ways to get guys reps to help them improve but also to be able to have an evaluation where you can make a decision on who goes out first.”
As a first-time head coach with a defensive background, Freeman gave Rees autonomy to run the offense a year ago, but he still had his own offensive input. Parker will still run the offense and Guidugli will still coach the quarterbacks, but when it’s time to pick who starts on Aug. 26 when the Irish face Navy in Ireland three coaches will have input on the decision.
“My role is going to be the same as it was last year,” Freeman explained. “It’s going to mean that myself and Coach Parker and Coach Guidugli, we’re going to sit and we’ll talk and we’ll look at some of the statistics of the competition. But also, there’s another side of it (such as) who makes the best decisions, who takes care of the football the best and who ultimately makes plays. It’s going to be important. But there’ll be a collective group effort between all three of us to be able to really at some point be able to name the starter.”
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