Why Lloyd Carr's Grandson Chose Notre Dame Over Michigan

Notre Dame’s starting quarterback is garnering a lot of hype heading into this upcoming 2026 campaign. But many were shocked that he didn’t choose the Maize and Blue out of high school.

CJ Carr has a family full of Wolverines; his dad played in Ann Arbor and his mom also attended the University. Most notably, his grandfather Lloyd Carr is a legendary coach for Michigan, as he was at the helm from 1995-2007, recording a 122-40 record during his time in Ann Arbor.

Recently, CJ went on the Rich Eisen Show and discussed his recruitment and why he didn’t attend the University of Michigan.

CJ Carr runs against USC — Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, center, runs with the ball in the second half of a NCAA football game against Southern California at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Recruitment Process

Prepping at Saline High School in Michigan, Carr explained that head coach Jim Harbaugh was the first to offer him.

“Michigan was my first offer coming out of high school,” Carr said. “I played the last game of my freshman year, (and) after that game, played pretty well, Michigan and Michigan State offered me.”

CJ Carr says Michigan might have taken his family connections for granted, while Tommy Rees showed him he was wanted at Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/DvtczWs7Bq
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) July 16, 2026

Carr explained he didn’t feel pressure from his family to attend Michigan; his dad even hid the UofM offer from him at first because he wanted him to remain open throughout the process.

During his sophomore year, Carr took visits around the Midwest to schools like Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin. He felt like Michigan didn’t put the same effort into trying to recruit Carr.

“Michigan didn’t really recruit me,” Carr said. “It felt like they thought I was just going to Michigan because of my family.”

Did Michigan drop the ball by not recruiting CJ Carr? 🤔@TheEchoesNDpod pic.twitter.com/Xv08oiFiAS
— THE BLUE PRINT (@TheBluePrintUM) July 17, 2026

After Marcus Freeman got hired, Carr heard great things about him, while former ND offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was persistent in getting Carr to South Bend.

Did Michigan Miss Out

A few years removed, is it safe to say the Wolverines messed up not going harder to try and get Carr?

It is always hard to say, but looking at Carr’s class (2024), Michigan brought in Jadyn Davis as its only QB. That obviously did not pan out, as Davis transferred this past offseason to East Tennessee State University.

Jadyn Davis throws the ball for Michigan — Team Maize quarterback Jadyn Davis (2) makes a pass against Team Blue during the second half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Carr would’ve been an obvious better choice than Davis. In 2025 with ND, he finished throwing for over 2,000 yards, 24 touchdowns and was one of the top freshman QB's in the nation. Now, he has been named a 2026 Phil Steele Preseason All-American.

But if the Wolverines landed Carr, would they still have brought in Bryce Underwood in the ensuing class (2025)? If both Carr and Underwood were in Ann Arbor, who would be the starter?

There is a strong argument to be made that maybe the Maize and Blue would be better with Carr over Underwood. That answer should become clearer as the 2026 season gets going and we see what kind of strides the young QB made over the offseason.

Redemption for Michigan?

Despite losing out on CJ, the Wolverines did manage to land his younger brother, Tommy Carr, who will be a freshman in this upcoming season.

There have been reports that Tommy has looked great in his first months on campus and may be the backup QB this season.

Tommy Carr at the Michigan spring game — Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr (14) runs the ball during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Despite missing out on CJ, the Wolverines may have redeemed themselves with Tommy, who could pan out to be the better of the two brothers.

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