Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is currently the frontrunner to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy after a stunning breakout campaign for the Fighting Irish. For the first time since Ian Book returned for the 2020 season, the Fighting Irish will have a primary starting quarterback returning, solidifying their status as one of the favorites to win the national championship next year.
Carr solidified his status as an elite signal-caller after a stellar 2025 campaign where he led the Irish to a 10-2 record, though they narrowly missed the College Football Playoff. He concluded his first year as a starter with 2,741 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, posting an impressive passer efficiency rating of 168.1.
Marcus Freeman Lavishes Praise on Dominant CJ Carr
While speaking to reporters after Notre Dame’s spring scrimmage on Saturday, April 18, head coach Marcus Freeman detailed Carr’s value to the team’s offense and praised the sophomore’s mental makeup.
“More than anything he does with his physical talent, the ability to put our offense in a position to have success because of what the defense is presenting is probably one of his greatest traits,” Freeman said. “I can speak for hours about his arm talent and his film study, but he puts your offense in positions to have success.”
Freeman emphasized Carr’s autonomy on the field, noting that the quarterback has become a second coach on the gridiron. “He’s able to understand a play, he’s able to see what the defense is doing and put us in a position that usually ends up in a positive play. To have a true problem solver like that, that’s an accumulation of his preparation and experience.”
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Despite his familial ties to the Michigan Wolverines (as the grandson of Lloyd Carr), CJ Carr committed to the Irish as an elite prospect in the class of 2024. He served as the fourth-string option behind Riley Leonard as a true freshman during Notre Dame’s 2024 run to a 14-2 record. Last year, after Leonard departed for the NFL and backup Steve Angeli transferred, Carr won the starting job in a preseason battle with Kenny Minchey.
In his first season under center, Carr led the Irish to a major revival. After an 0-2 start to the season with losses to Miami and Texas A&M, Carr captained a 10-game winning streak to end the year, establishing himself as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country.
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The Fighting Irish now look ahead to a favorable 2026 schedule with very little roster turnover among the core units. Despite bringing in just seven players through the portal, Notre Dame still managed to recruit the No. 9-ranked transfer portal class in the country, according to On3, as they chase their first national championship since 1988.
