Why Elite 11 coach said ‘sky is the limit’ for Notre Dame QB commit Deuce Knight

Three days at the Elite 11 Finals can reveal a quarterback’s true colors. In working the prestigious quarterback prospect camp over the last 12 years, Justin Hoover has discovered what several of Notre Dame’s future ones are made of.

Deshone Kizer , Brandon Wimbush , Malik Zaire , Drew Pyne , Tyler Buchner , CJ Carr and even Avery Davis were among the Fighting Irish verbal commits that Hoover has coached over the years in Los Angeles. Lucedale (Miss.) George County’s Deuce Knight was the latest prodigy.

Entering last month’s Elite 11 Finals at Manhattan Beach (Calif.) Mira Costa, Hoover had a pretty good idea of what to expect from the 6-foot-4½, 208-pound passer. His game tape showed size, speed and a live arm that could whistle passes through wind gusts. Still, Knight’s intangibles were immeasurable.

As Hoover saw on film, Knight’s profile matched his on-field performance at the Elite 11 Finals. However, what truly set him apart was his conduct off the field. It was equally as impressive as his athletic prowess.

“One thing that stuck out to me throughout the week is the energy that he brings,” Hoover told Blue & Gold . “The other guys around him wanted to be with him. He has this great personality of killer instinct when the ball is in his hand, and then a very soft, laughable, fun guy to be around when it’s not.”

Notre Dame has already had the chance to capitalize off character on the recruiting trail. Knight, who the On3 Industry Ranking slots as the No. 53 overall player and No. 7 quarterback in the 2025 cycle, has been a key architect of a recruiting class that ranks seventh-best in the nation.

Since Knight, the No. 3 prospect in Mississippi, announced his declaration to the Irish on Sept. 18, Notre Dame has added commitments from 18 recruits. Many have credited Knight as pivotal in pushing their pledge over the finish line.

The Irish have at least another year before they can reap the benefits of his on-field impact. However, head coach Marcus Freeman has already suggested that the program has big-time expectations upon his arrival. After Hoover observed Knight in detail, he said the Southpaw signal-caller has the personality and traits to meet them.

“At a place like Notre Dame, you’re going to this very prestigious place with some expectations set very high,” Hoover said. “One of the things that Deuce will have a great sense of is that his expectations are high. He’s going to pay close attention to his expectations.

“As for the outside things, he’s very mature and aware that he’ll handle his business the way he knows how, and he’ll be a great representative of the university. He’s going to be able to handle some of the pressure and scrutiny that comes with playing quarterback at a place like Notre Dame based on the type of person he is and how he’s been raised by his parents.

“That part of it is the icing on the cake. You’ve got to have some traits physically, or else (they) can’t recruit you. Then, suddenly, you add some of those intangibles, and I think the sky’s the limit for a guy like him.”

The post Why Elite 11 coach said ‘sky is the limit’ for Notre Dame QB commit Deuce Knight appeared first on On3 .