Notre Dame Football Recruiting: How Much Would Losing Deuce Knight Matter?

Star quarterback recruit Deuce Knight is expected to flip from Notre Dame to (maybe) Auburn. Does it really matter? We try to answer this in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI Noon Question.

Deuce Knight transferred to Lipscomb Academy from Mississippi. He's the No. 4 recruit in the state for the Class of 2025 and No. 5 quarterback in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. / Tom Kreager / USA TODAY NETWORK

Deuce Knight is one of the best quarterback recruits in the latest class, and Notre Dame got him ... and then lost him. Maybe. Auburn is expected to vulture in and take away the star prospect, so how much would that really matter for the Irish? We try to answer this in the latest Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI Noon Question.

How much would Notre Dame losing Deuce Knight matter?

Deuce Knight is great, but it'll be okay

Not much at all in the big picture.

Yeah, in the moment it stings because Knight is a shiny new toy and losing recruiting battles feels like a personal slight for fan bases. But how many blue-chip QBs have actually performed like blue-chip QBs at Notre Dame?

Gunner Kiel says it’s not that many. Plus, true freshman CJ Carr is showing very early signs that he could develop into a franchise QB for the Irish.

And if he doesn’t, Marcus Freeman will simply dip into the portal like he’s done the last two years and break the heart of some smaller program.

With or without Knight, ND will be just fine behind center for the foreseeable future. | Rich Cirminiello @RichCirminiello

He's a college football recruit. Whatever.

Full disclosure, when it comes to recruiting even the most five-star of Johnny Five-Stars ...

I ... DON'T ... CARE.

In basketball it's a gigantic deal. One player changes everything. In football, yeah, a top quarterback is the franchise-maker and tone-setter, but we live in a transfer portal world now. With that said, I do get the momentum thing. You can't be Colorado and go for all frosting and no cake - you need to build through a recruiting class that you can develop. But when it comes to the most important position ...

Go let someone else develop your starting quarterback.

This isn't dogging Deuce Knight in any way - you're CRAZY not to at least go after the best offer possible - but whatever. If he's wonderful, great - that just means some other school will break the bank in two years to go get him. But the odds are - in the modern era of football - that he's just another very, very good quarterback.

You're Notre Dame. Go get someone else's great quarterback. | Pete Fiutak @PeteFiutak

George County (Ms) QB & Notre Dame c/o 25 commit @DeuceKnight had a great off season. ☘️#QBcountry pic.twitter.com/igPLIjRUYL

— QB Country (@QBCountry) July 27, 2024

It's what Deuce Knight would've opened up for Notre Dame

At the end of the day recruits are just recruits and nothing is actually known about so, so many of them but there is reason to believe that Deuce Knight could have been something different for Notre Dame. 

Yes, he’s a freakish athlete who just keeps getting better as a passer each time he competes at a quarterback camp or competition. 

It’s what Knight could have done in creating a pathway into the southeast for recruiting purposes. 

If Notre Dame were to land Knight, and Knight were to play at a level that matches the hype, there is a Grade A example of a young man from an area Notre Dame doesn’t historically recruit well in, hitting it big by going to South Bend. 

Ultimately Notre Dame has CJ Carr who was no slouch as a recruit either and if we’ve learned anything since 2021, if all else fails just go to the transfer portal and get another quarterback in the off-season. | Nick Shepkowski @NickShepkowski

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