Urban Meyer Can’t Help Himself When It Comes to Notre Dame

Disgraced former college football head coach Urban Meyer was on the Triple Option podcast earlier this week. When asked about Notre Dame, the former Irish assistant, and total NFL failure couldn’t help himself. Meyer went on a rant about Notre Dame having a transfer quarterback again this year.

“I just get confused and don’t quite understand,” Meyer started. “Marcus Freeman is a hell of a coach. Hell of a person. We were there last year, and he treats us great, and I’ve known him a long time. But how at Notre Dame do you keep going to Wake Forest and Duke to go get your quarterbacks?” he added.

 “Those are fine players. Noting against Sam Hartman, the transfer last year. Riley Leonard this year from Duke. Once again, a good player,” Meyer said. “But you’re Notre Dame. In the last ten years, only one national champion had a transfer quarterback. And it was Joe Borrow.”

“So I guess I’m old school, and I know it’s starting to change a bit but to win it all, I think you have to have a quarterback that’s been there. That is the culture, that represents your school that gets everyone together nonstop. Until that happens, I think Notre Dame is just going to be a good team,” Meyer continued.

Meyer went on to talk about how the expectations have changed at Notre Dame even though they haven’t.

“When I was there with Lou Holtz, it was always national championship or bust. I’m not sure that’s the standard anymore, and I hope they get back to that. I think they can, but I think you need to get you an All-American.  You know, get that, Brady Quinn. And coach him up and let him build that culture for three years

Meyer isn’t necessarily wrong that having a transfer as your starting quarterback isn’t ideal, but college football today is vastly different than it was ten years ago, thanks to the transfer portal. Secondly, Meyer is throwing shade at Marcus Freeman and failing to mention that the lack of an All-American junior on the roster is not Freeman’s fault.

The junior class at Notre Dame this year was primarily the work—or lack of work—of Brian Kelly. Kelly and then offensive coordinator Tommy Rees made Steve Angeli their top target in the class of 2022, and while Angeli has been very solid, there’s a reason Freeman went to the portal for Riley Leonard this year. Angeli is a fine quarterback who can win some games but is not necessarily an All-American talent. Notre Dame wouldn’t have dipped into the portal again this year if he were.

Freeman is trying to do exactly what Meyer talks about through recruiting, and that is why Notre Dame will have Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr battle with Angeli next spring for the starting role in 2025. Carr specifically has the looks of being Notre Dame’s next Brady Quinn—i.e., a multi-year starter with All-American potential.

So, Notre Dame is trying to do exactly what Meyer suggests, but Brian Kelly’s utter failure to recruit and develop at the quarterback position for a decade is more to blame for the current situation than Marcus Freeman.

Transfers are becoming much more the norm – even at quarterback – much more than they were ten years ago too. Three of the four finalists for the Heisman in 2023 were transfer quarterbacks. Last year’s national runner up, Washington, had a transfer quarterback. Meyer’s beloved Ohio State Buckeyes have a transfer quarterback this year.

So yes, it would be ideal if Notre Dame’s starting quarterback this year was a junior or senior the Irish recruited and developed into an All-American, but given the options on hand for Freeman and the Irish, they could have done a lot worse than Riley Leonard being their starter next weekend in College Station.

And why are podcasts and outlets even giving Meyer a platform anymore? You would think that with how he disgraced himself with the Jacksonville Jaguars, people would stop giving him a microphone, but it hasn’t stopped anyone from doing so.