CJ Carr Reflects on Winning Notre Dame QB Job and Miami Starting Debut

The spotlight is nothing new for a Notre Dame quarterback, but for redshirt freshman CJ Carr, it feels like the moment he’s been preparing for his entire life. This week, Carr, the grandson of legendary Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, spoke at length about winning the Notre Dame quarterback battle, the influence of his family and mentors, and what he expects when he takes the field Sunday night in Miami Gardens.

On Being Named QB1 for Notre Dame

Carr didn’t hide what it meant to officially be named Notre Dame’s starter.

“Yeah, it means everything. This is what you worked for your whole life really,” Carr stated. “I was talking to my dad earlier. He talked about just when we were in the competition, he was saying if I would have told you as a middle schooler or high schooler that you’d be at the University of Notre Dame competing to be the starting quarterback here, you would have been jumping up and down. And then actually being here and being able to win the job is amazing.”

He also credited the competition with Kenny Minchey for pushing him.

“I think just coming in every day knowing somebody’s chasing you or you’re chasing someone else was important for me in the fall to just kind of come in every day with a chip on my shoulder,” Carr said of his competition with Minchey. “Attack the day and know that you don’t have room for error, you don’t have room to relax. I think it made both of us better players.”

Learning From Mentors

Carr said advice from mentors has been crucial. Ian Book, the last Notre Dame quarterback to win big games in Miami, shared his perspective.

“Ian’s been a great resource throughout the whole process. Being able to talk to a guy who’s done it before, who’s been through the Notre Dame quarterback cycle and understood the highs and the lows of the position, especially here, has been really great,” Carr said of the former Notre Dame quarterback who knows a thing or two about playing at Hard Rock Stadium. “He played at Miami too, one of his years, and he talked about the crowd and the atmosphere. Getting those little tidbits has been really important.”

Carr also pointed to his family’s influence, including his grandfather, Lloyd Carr.

“He texted me after I got named (starter) and he said that football runs in the Carr family blood and that this is your moment. You’re ready for this. So go out against Miami, attack and don’t look back.”

Blocking Out the Noise

Carr acknowledged that he’s walking into one of the loudest environments of the season, but said preparation has helped.

“We’ve just kind of stuck to staying in the game plan and trying to see different looks that Miami is giving us that we’re planning on getting. Making sure that I got all my checks down and just staying in the game plan,” he said.

When asked how he’ll handle adversity, Carr said trust in his teammates is the key.

“We have a lot of weapons out there. We have a really good O-line, really good defense. So getting out there and letting it loose, letting my guys do the work. My goal is to facilitate the weapons we really have.”

Command of the Huddle

Carr also described how he approaches leadership.

“I’m not really sure to be honest with you. This is kind of just me. I just enjoy coming out here and playing football with some of my best friends, like Will Pauling, my line, and some of the other targets we have on offense, and also competing against my friends on the defense,” Carr said. “It’s fun for me. I enjoy it. Doesn’t feel like a job or anything. I can come out every day with high energy and enjoy it.”

That confidence has already been noticed by teammates and coaches, but Carr made clear it’s rooted in who he is, not something he tries to manufacture.

A Competitor Ready to Attack

When asked how he defines himself, Carr kept it simple.

“I’m a competitor. I’m coming out ready to compete with my guys and we’re ready to go.”

And when asked for the biggest piece of advice he’s been given as a first-time starter?

“Just let it loose really. Go out and attack, stay in the film room, know what they’re giving you, know what you got on offense and let it loose.”

Stories of Car’s film room work have already started to grow among Notre Dame circles with the staff also crediting all of the work Carr has put in off the field.

CJ Carr hasn’t thrown a pass yet as Notre Dame’s starter, but his words paint the picture of a player who’s not overwhelmed by the stage. Press conferences and playing in a hostile environment are two very different beasts, but he’s come off as prepared as one could be given how long it’s been since he’s thrown a competitive pass. He’s listened to his mentors, leaned on his family, embraced competition, and built the trust of his teammates.

On Sunday night, it won’t just be the start of his Notre Dame career — it will be the first chance to show whether the poise and preparation everyone around him sees can translate into a victory with the spotlight of the college football world squarely on him.