Marcus Freeman Talks CJ Carr, Leave No Doubt, and Notre Dame’s CFP Miss with Rich Eisen

Marcus Freeman used his appearance on The Rich Eisen Show to put the focus back on CJ Carr’s day-to-day development and Notre Dame’s internal standard after last season’s playoff miss. On Carr, Freeman said the sophomore’s biggest job is not chasing outside hype: “It’s not to throw touchdowns, win the Heisman, be a first-round pick. It’s to be the best leader he can be and make his teammates better.” He added that the staff’s job is to keep Carr centered on manageable goals, not awards chatter.

Freeman also clarified what “leave no doubt” means inside the program. He said it is not being used as a public grievance over last year’s CFP snub, but as a daily reminder: “How do you leave no doubt today that this is the best Monday?” Still, he acknowledged Notre Dame “left doubt” last season and said the staff has evaluated everything from practice structure to film work to make sure the team is better prepared for Week 1.

• Freeman called Carr “a winner,” “a leader,” and “a heck of a quarterback,” while also saying the off-field piece is what stands out most.
• On Heisman talk, Freeman said the award is “a reflection of a lot of different things” and stressed that focusing on preparation is the better way to handle pressure.
• Freeman said unrestricted transferring is not “best for young people,” arguing that players need to learn how to handle discomfort and adversity.
• He backed Notre Dame’s stance against adding players who already signed pro contracts late in the cycle, saying it is not right for the locker room or the classroom.
• On former Irish backs, Freeman said Jeremiyah Love’s attention to detail showed up even in recruiting, and said Chiefs RB coach Thomas Hammock told him Jadarian Price is “everything you told me he was going to be.”