Notre Dame Just Took Another Brutal Hit In Its 2028 QB Chase

Notre Dame's quarterback recruitment efforts hit a major setback as they lose key prospects to Indiana and consider shifting their focus to the 2029 class.

Notre Dame’s quarterback board for the 2028 class just took another hit, and this one leaves Marcus Freeman’s staff with a much thinner path forward.

Lucas Prock committed to Indiana on Thursday, giving the Fighting Irish their second major quarterback miss in the class after Trey Tagliaferri decommitted just a week after pledging to Notre Dame. What once looked like a manageable setback has now turned into a real recruiting problem, with the Irish suddenly staring at the possibility of having to move on to another cycle entirely.

Prock’s decision came earlier than expected. He had originally planned to wait until after his junior season, but once he became convinced Bloomington was the right fit, he decided there was no reason to drag things out.

Notre Dame had been in the mix, and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli along with the offensive staff liked where things stood. Indiana, though, kept pushing and ultimately landed one of the top quarterbacks in the 2028 class.

“I kind of got serious about it the last month or so,” Prock told Rivals. “I started to cut things down and lock in with a school so I wouldn’t have to worry about it.

I didn’t want to rush it, and I don’t think it’s rushed at all. After conversations with my family, the decision became clear.

We concluded that Indiana is the best spot for me and my future.”

Prock later explained that the Hoosiers separated themselves with steady attention over time.

“I’d say maybe a week or so after I put out my top five, they were the one showing the most consistent love and really being there for me this whole time,” Prock said. “That definitely showed a lot compared to the other programs. I think that’s really what separated them.”

A 6-foot-2, 195-pound four-star quarterback from Hun School in Princeton, N.J., Prock was the second New Jersey quarterback Notre Dame believed it had a real shot with, following Tagliaferri out of Bergen Catholic. Instead, both are headed elsewhere.

According to Rivals Industry Rankings, Prock is the No. 68 player in the 2028 class, the No. 7 quarterback and the No. 3 player in New Jersey. As a sophomore last season, he completed 226 of 309 passes for 4,330 yards, 41 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also added 154 rushing yards, finishing with 4,484 total yards in 12 games.

Notre Dame had extended four notable quarterback offers in the 2028 class: Kingston Preyear, Lucas Prock, Trey Tagliaferri and Neimann Lawrence. All four have now committed elsewhere. With the board wiped clean again, the Irish could choose to skip a quarterback in next year’s class and shift their focus to 2029.

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