CJ Carr is set to begin his third season at Notre Dame, marking his second year as a starter. Both Carr and his coaching staff are pushing the standards even higher this spring.
How CJ Carr Is Using a Matthew Stafford Mindset to Boost Notre Dame’s Offense
Notre Dame officially opened spring practice last week as the program ramps up toward the Blue-Gold Game on April 25, and all eyes are on Carr, who is expected to take on an even larger leadership role this spring. He spent the offseason diving deep into the playbook of Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams’ passing attack.
As reported by The Athletic’s Pete Sampson, Carr is looking to incorporate some of those concepts into Notre Dame’s offense, including pushing the ball downfield and getting under center more often.
“The things they’re doing schematically and the throws that (Stafford) makes … let’s go out there and try it,” Carr said.
Stafford is known for his ability to throw receivers open before they even make their break, and studying that style suggests Carr is trying to bring an NFL-level anticipation to the Irish offense. Carr is expected to be named a team captain this fall, and it is easy to see why. Quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli has full trust in the Irish quarterback.
MORE: QB CJ Carr Dismisses 2027 Draft Hype to Prioritize Notre Dame Team Goals
“I think CJ is going to have the chance to be one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through the University of Notre Dame, and that’s saying a whole lot,” Guidugli said. “I just challenged him because he needs to grow as a leader inside our offense.
“Last year, coming in your first year starting, you’re kind of trying to earn your spurs. You just won a quarterback job. You’re kind of concerned about what goes through your straw of the world, right? Everybody kind of sees it through a straw, and now he’s kind of earned that with his play. This spring, we expect him to be a leader of this football team. My expectation would he be a captain of this football team and continue to grow in that way.”
Carr’s leadership extends beyond the field. When asked about being projected as a top 2027 NFL draft pick, he remained focused on team success rather than individual accolades.
“I’m not on a bunch of social media or any of that,” Carr said. “This whole team is so focused on how we can have a great Friday practice? How can we have a great weekend? Just static practices, how can we have a great spring? And then the focus is on this year and one day at a time, we’re gonna be really good.”
Carr threw for 2,741 yards with 24 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions, as he posted a strong 85.9 PFSN CFB QB Impact Score in 2025, ranking No. 23 nationally. He completed his passes at an extremely high rate of 66.6%, but he has made it clear that his development and Notre Dame’s success remain his top priorities.
