CJ Carr Shows Resilience in First Notre Dame Start Despite Loss to Miami

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has worn his emotions on his sleeve a few times after a loss. 

It’s human nature to be angry, annoyed, disappointed, or even sarcastic following a loss. You see it from head coaches across the country every week. 

Freeman didn’t show too much emotion in his press conference on Sunday night following the 27-24 loss to No. 10 Miami. 

It was almost as if he wasn’t surprised by the result. Now, it’s not as if he was happy, but Freeman carried himself like a coach who wasn’t going to get caught up in the result. 

Maybe it was because quarterback CJ Carr was making his first start, or that he knew his team needed to get through this game to test their character. 

Regardless, Notre Dame has plenty of areas to fix before Texas A&M arrives in South Bend in 12 days, but the program can also start to build around Carr. 

The redshirt freshman completed 19-of-30 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while adding 16 rushing yards and another score. 

No one is going to put Carr into the Heisman race following the game. Yet, it’s worth noting Carr threw for more yards than Riley Leonard did in all but three games last year - in his first start at Hard Rock Stadium. 

“He's going to be a really good quarterback,” Freeman explained. “Everything that I thought he was going to be - his ceiling is so high. He's going to have to learn to take this loss and not let it beat him up too much because he's an ultra competitor.” 

There were certainly highs and lows for the Michigan legacy, but it was his resilience and communication that stood out to Freeman. 

“He's a gamer,” said Freeman. “He performs when the lights are on. He prepares his tail off. He had answers for questions that myself or Coach (Mike) Denbrock would have. He's going to do great things. It's just a start.”

For Carr, the moment to start in college has been a long time coming. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder committed to Notre Dame in June of 2022 and Carr admitted he took in the moment despite the loss. 

“I think it's a blessing to be where we are,” Carr stated. “I was pretty amped just taking it in. It was a great atmosphere, great opportunity. Now, we've just got to be able to get over the hump of winning.” 

Freeman often mentions that the program has to take a bumpy road to get better. 

Carr’s performance could be just that if he and the program use Sunday as a learning lesson. 

One of the lessons for Carr came on an interception early in the fourth quarter. It was a traditional RPO, which Notre Dame ran multiple times during the game. 

An experienced quarterback would have seen press-man on the outside and given the ball to Jeremiyah Love. Carr threw it to the perimeter and Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. picked off a pass that was tipped multiple times. 

In the short term, Carr showed his ability to reload and lead two scoring drives on his next two drives, including a 3-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. 

“I think it's pretty impressive after throwing an interception after a tipped ball,” Freeman said. 

In addition to his mental toughness, Carr demonstrated the ability to make plays, which had been a question mark entering the game. 

Carr’s first touchdown pass of the game, and his career, came on a broken play where he scrambled almost 20 yards backwards before finding Micah Gilbert in the end zone with a no-look pass. 

“Those are plays we don't draw them up like that, but those are plays that CJ Carr can make and he made a good amount of them tonight,” Freeman explained. “Made some mistakes, like any first-time quarterback will make, but the ceiling is extremely high, and his future is bright.” 

Notre Dame’s offense has to improve quickly, but if Carr has anything to say, that work will start on the plane ride back to South Bend. 

“We attack it tonight,” said Carr. “We attack it tomorrow. I think tonight wasn't good enough out of me specifically, and we've got to be able to get better. My dad has always said the only way to get rid of a loss is with a win.” 

Freeman and the program can build around Carr. Sure, there will be many more growing pains, but it’s very clear Carr earned the respect of many on Sunday night. 

“He’s a gamer,” stated Notre Dame safety Jalen Stroman. “He’s going to go make plays. He’s going to do what he has to do to make plays. He’s a competitor. He’s going to compete in any aspect or at any time of the game. He wants to go win the game.” 

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