Notre Dame heads into 2026 with a QB it hasn't had in a long time

playC.J. Carr throws 6-yard touchdown pass (0:33)C.J. Carr connects for 6-yard TD pass (0:33) SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Chad Carr would have loved to have seen his big brother CJ wearing the golden helmet of Notre Dame. Chad zigged when others zagged. Even though he hailed from one of Michigan football's most famous families, with a grandfather, Lloyd Carr, who coached the Wolverines to 122 wins and a national title in 1997, Chad didn't always fall in line with the maize and blue. "He would be happy that I didn't go with the grain," CJ Carr told ESPN about his brother who died of brain cancer in 2015 at just 5 years old. "He really liked to kind of push people's buttons by cheering for other teams. So he would have thought it's funny." CJ's decision to become an "Irishman," as he calls himself, and immerse himself in all that Notre Dame offers, has illuminated how he views his life and career, and potentially his college football legacy. The program that cherishes its independence above all else, even amid criticism, is now being led by a quarterback with a true independent streak. Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now "He's his own man, and he's trying to build his own path," Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore said. Carr's path has only one acceptable endpoint, which has eluded Notre Dame for the past 38 years -- a national championship. Other Fighting Irish quarterbacks have targeted titles, but, for different reasons, haven't achieved them. While Notre Dame's title drought is pegged to several causes, a frequently cited one has been its lack of a truly elite quarterback. The Irish have not produced an NFL first-round draft pick at QB since Brady Quinn in 2007, and have had just four quarterbacks selected in the first three rounds since Joe Montana was a third-round pick in 1979. They haven't had a top-25 passer in the FBS since 2012 (Everett Golson) and no top-10 passers since Jimmy Clausen in 2009. Notre Dame has been waiting for a quarterback such as Carr, whose natural ability is supported by a meticulous approach toward the position he plays, and a competitive fire that burns even hotter since the team's College Football Playoff snub in December. He has drawn praise throughout spring practice, which wrapped up Saturday with the Blue-Gold Game, and will enter the season as a national awards candidate and a quarterback to watch for the 2027 NFL draft. "He's a competitor, he's a leader, he doesn't follow the trends of others," Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. "Man, he's a trendsetter." Before Carr could be any of those things, though, he had to win the starting job. SPEND TIME AROUND Carr these days and he presents fully as QB1. But rewind to August and his status was cloudy, as the competition with Kenny Minchey had spilled into training camp. Even though Carr came to Notre Dame as the more decorated prospect -- ESPN's No. 36 overall recruit in the 2024 class -- he was limited by a throwing elbow injury as a true freshman and didn't separate from Minchey, a dual threat who had played sparingly in two years at Notre Dame. "Every day was a very stressful and high-pressure situation, every rep mattered," Carr said. "You're always evaluating your performance and the other guy's performance. As much as you'd like to say you're just worried about yourself, the comparison comes in." CJ Carr threw for 2,741 yards and 24 scores last season. Joseph Weiser/Icon SportswireQuarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli said both Carr and Minchey "saw the world through a realistic lens," and didn't need to be told who had the better practice. Guidugli stressed to both that they were competing to maximize reps, whether with the starters or backups. The job wouldn't be won with one good or bad day. Freeman had not faced a quarterback decision since 2022, his first full year as head coach, when Notre Dame went with Tyler Buchner over Drew Pyne. The team then turned to experienced transfers in 2023 (Wake Forest's Sam Hartman) and 2024 (Duke's Riley Leonard). As the 2025 season opener at Miami loomed, Freeman would be picking between two players who had never started a game. "What made it difficult is you couldn't really look at the stats from practice," Freeman said. "They both had good days, they both had days they didn't perform as well. You just had to spend some time in solitude and make the decision. And I didn't know if that decision was going to carry through the entirety of the season." Freeman went with his gut and picked Carr, whose starting debut came against a Miami defense that would finish fourth nationally in sacks and propel the Hurricanes to their first College Football Playoff. There would be no easing in for Carr, and the results were predictably choppy but mostly positive: 221 passing yards on 63.3% completions, two touchdowns, one interception, one rushing touchdown. Carr's most encouraging moment came after his wor

Notre Dame heads into 2026 with a QB it hasn't had in a long time

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Notre Dame heads into 2026 with a QB it hasn't had in a long time

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