Coach Marcus Freeman has rarely mentioned Notre Dame’s backup quarterbacks in his press conferences throughout the season, especially with CJ Carr having a solid season.
That changed on Monday when Freeman briefly discussed freshmen QB’s Noah Grubbs and Teddy Jarrard.
According to Pete Sampson of The Athletic, Freeman said the race for the No. 2 QB on the depth chart isn’t a foreshadowing of who will get playing time in 2027. He noted, however, that Jarrard has been leading the Irish’s scout team in practice.
“Practice evaluation and how they grow in practice is the most critical element to it,” Freeman added.
Both Grubbs and Jarrard have seen some playing time this season. In three games, Grubbs is 14-of-22 on completions for 164 yards and a touchdown pass.
Jarrad made an appearance against Rice and completed two passes for 29 yards.
Carr, who is still a Heisman Trophy candidate and a possible first-round pick in the 2027 NFL draft, has shown no signs of slowing down.
Through six games, Carr is 70.8% on completions for 1,378 yards, 16 TDs and an interception. He also has three rushing scores.
Marcus Freeman on Noah Grubbs and Teddy Jarrard:
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) October 12, 2026
"Practice evaluation and how they grow in practice is the most critical element to it."
Notes that how the QB2 race is today doesn't necessarily predict what's coming in '27. Notes Jarrard doing some scout team.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Practice is the 'most critical element' for backup QBs, Freeman says