(Notre Dame) — Marcus Freeman is making no promises…but he’s also not hiding his optimism about his football team.

“I’ve matured a little bit since last year when I said ‘this is the most talented team I’ve had’,” smiled Freeman. “I really like this team that we put together. I think it has a lot of potential. We have to expedite that elevation to reaching our full potential. When you talk about this team being a really good football team, we definitely have the ability to do that.”

The Irish will be led by a quarterback making their first collegiate start, either current sophomore Kenny Minchey or current freshman C.J. Carr. Freeman would not commit to either quarterback being the starter prior to fall camp.

“Both we believe have the ability to be the starting quarterback,” noted Freeman. “Both have done a tremendous job of improving through spring practice. The thing that you try to create when you have a true 50/50 quarterback battle is you try to create some of that pressure that a real game presents and you have to perform in practice, because you understand that other guys is pretty good and could take off with this race. I’m pleased we are going to have a true competition as we begin fall camp and create some pressure situations for those guys so they have to perform so the first time they feel that pressure, isn’t against Miami.”

Freeman did leave the door open that whichever quarterback doesn’t win the starting job could still be involved in the offense.

“I could see us utilizing two quarterbacks in different situations but you are going to have a starter and then you are going to have a guy that might be able to help our football team win games. If that means we have a special package for a guy, we will but I’m not a huge proponent of having truly two starters.”

Whoever wins the starting job will play behind an experienced offensive line, a unit that had Freeman raving about its collective abilities.

“They all have big-game, big-moment experience,” lauded the fourth-year Irish head coach. “They’re all really talented football players, high-ceiling guys. Young guys that really have room to improve that have all started for us…that’s why I’m excited.”

Freeman gave a fairly positive injury report. While defensive lineman Brenan Vernon will undergo MCL surgery, he’s expected back by July. In addition,  defensive ends Boubacar Traore and Jordan Botelho, center Ashton Craig and linebacker Kahanu Kia have been cleared for full participation in the summer.

Offensive lineman Guerby Lambert and defensive tackle Davion Dixon will work into full training activity in the summer coming out of surgery.  Tight end Cooper Flanigan is the only Irish player with an injury that should linger into fall camp.

Freeman clearly feels things are headed in the right direction with the overall program.

“I’m enjoying this group,” states Freeman. “I like this team. I think we have a really good coaching staff and it’s a fun process to try and achieve the results that we want.”