CJ Carr is set to take on one of the biggest roles on Notre Dame’s roster when the Irish open the season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sunday night. The quarterback was voted one of Notre Dame’s team captains last week, a sign of how much trust he has earned as the player expected to lead the offense in a championship-focused season.
That attention has also brought a familiar question: Is CJ Carr related to Derek Carr? The answer is not the point of Notre Dame’s opener, but it helps explain why Carr’s name has drawn interest beyond South Bend. What matters most for the Irish is that CJ Carr is the quarterback in position to guide the team into a major early test.
A different kind of Notre Dame quarterback story
Carr’s path at Notre Dame has included more than football. Notre Dame requires all freshmen to take a philosophy course, and Carr initially expected to major in Film, Television and Theater before later declaring Philosophy as his major. A year after entering Philosophy 101, he returned for Medieval Philosophy and continued to draw attention in the classroom.
He also owns two Notre Dame Philosophy sweatshirts, which fits the picture described by David Cory, who said Carr wants football to be part of a bigger picture. Cory added that Carr gravitates toward difficult topics and is “just not afraid of a challenge.” Carr himself said, “I never really loved school growing up,” but added that good professors at Notre Dame made the subject matter more engaging because of the way they present ideas that have been studied for thousands of years.
The football challenge now comes first
Still, the most important part of Carr’s Notre Dame story is what happens on the field. Last fall, he had Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price at his back, and this season he steps into a role with far more responsibility. Being named a captain last week suggests the team sees him not only as a starter, but as a leader.
That is the real answer to why Carr matters entering Sunday night’s opener. Notre Dame is not just looking for a quarterback who can manage the game. It is looking for the player who can set the tone, handle the pressure and give the offense a clear direction against Wisconsin. For Carr, the opener at Lambeau Field is an early chance to show that his role as captain matches his role as the centerpiece of the Irish offense.
