Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is one of the best returning prospects at his position in the country next season after a breakout campaign under center for the Fighting Irish. Although Carr led Notre Dame’s recovery from an 0-2 start last season, the Fighting Irish were bumped from the 12-team College Football Playoff field by the Miami Hurricanes.
Head coach Marcus Freeman’s team reacted to the playoff snub by closing ranks and opting out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
CJ Carr Addresses Notre Dame’s Revenge Tour Against Miami
During Wednesday’s segment of the “Triple Option” podcast, Carr addressed the hype around the Fighting Irish embarking on a season of revenge, especially against the Hurricanes.
“It’s the year of Notre Dame, we’re worried about ourselves,” Carr said. “We’re not worried about anyone else. We just wanna show up every day. We’ve got a lot of time before Game 1, and so we’re not worried about the teams that we played last year or the results of last year.
“We wanna keep the pain from not making it into the playoffs, but we wanna use that to propel us forward. It’s not about anyone else, it’s about reaching our full potential. I don’t (have Nov. 7 circled). We have every week circled.”
The Fighting Irish lost 27-24 to the Hurricanes in Miami Gardens in Week 1 last season, which ended up being the deciding factor in the College Football Playoff committee’s decision to bump Notre Dame in favor of Miami on Selection Sunday.
In adjustments announced in January, should Notre Dame finish in the selection committee’s top 12 next season, the program will be guaranteed entrance into the College Football Playoff. In addition, the Power Four conference champions will be guaranteed a place, a situation that would have locked out Miami last season.
Marcus Freeman Refocuses Notre Dame Football Away From Miami
Earlier in the spring, Freeman dismissed his players’ fixation on the Fighting Irish’s clash against the Hurricanes in South Bend on Nov. 7 and leveled a warning to them about split focus next season.
“We spend too much time daydreaming about Miami, we’re going to lose to Wisconsin,” Freeman said. “You’ve got to focus on the task right at hand. That’s no different than saying, can we go back to the national championship? If we want to focus on the national championship, we’re going to lose the opportunity we have right here.”
Of all the major contenders next season, the Fighting Irish will have one of the most manageable schedules in the country as they vie for a return to the College Football Playoff.
