CJ Carr Shines In The Notre Dame Jersey Scrimmage

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr was a standout in the Jersey Scrimmage ahead of next week's Blue-Gold Game

Notre Dame freshman CJ Carr has yet to take the field for his first public action in an Irish uniform, but the early enrollee quarterback made a great first impression in Saturday’s jersey scrimmage. 

The former top recruit from Saline, Mich/ completed an unofficial (there were no official stats for the scrimmage) 7 of 13 for 84 yards. He threw a touchdown pass to fellow freshman Cam Williams and ran for a short touchdown as well. Carr was among a handful of standouts who shined in the brief live session. 

"You saw the way he came in during bowl practice as a high school senior and just soaked it all in,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said of the freshman who joined the team out of high school in mid-December before Notre Dame’s Sun Bowl. "I guess you’ve got to give credit to his high school and his development from dad and grandpa that are pretty knowledgable about this game of football.”

Those who follow Notre Dame closely know Carr’s background. He is the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr and the son of Jason Carr, who was a quarterback at Michigan in the early ‘90s. Those who don’t follow Notre Dame closely will know those details soon enough when Carr makes his TV debut (cut the photos of CJ in Michigan gear when he was young and Lloyd in a Notre Dame ball cap after his grandson’s commitment to the Irish). 

"He came in and he did’t say much,” Freeman explained. "He just soaked it in. He was a sponge and now as you see him through spring, he’s progressing and getting better and every time I walk by (quarterback) Coach (Gino) Guidugli’s office he’s in there and that’s how you improve. Can you retain the information that your coaches are trying to give you so you can go out and do it when it matters the most? For different people to retain that information it takes different things. But that’s what you see out of CJ Carr and a lot of these young guys is that, ok they’re wanting to learn it. Like, how do I figure this thing out and process it so now when it’s out there in the stadium I can go out there and perform. He’s really done a good job.”

Carr was a little late with a handful of early reads but he put that behind fairly quickly while working with the No. 3 offense. He connected with Williams on a 21-yard post for the touchdown pass. His arm talent, both with accuracy and strength, was on display throughout the afternoon. It’s something Guidugli has taken note of at practice this spring. 

"I had to warm up with him a little bit because Riley (Leonard) was out,” Guidugli said recently. "You go in there and he’s one of those guys in warm-ups where it’s like … buckle up. He’s going to be shooting at you pretty good.”

Carr was unfazed under pressure in the pocket on a day when all of Notre Dame’s offensive tackles showed their inexperience while edge rushers shined. He showed the willingness to test the Irish secondary downfield with his arm. His incompletions downfield were overthrows that only his receivers would have a chance to snatch. 

Leonard spent the scrimmage on the sideline due to his recent foot surgery. That gave all the quarterback reps to rising junior Steve Angeli, rising sophomore Kenny Minchey and Carr. The youngest signal-caller of the group showed veteran moxie on another play when he looked to his left and motioned to Williams, who was near the left sideline, to come back to him so he could hit him for a 17-yard gain. 

"I think he benefited tremendously from being here for Bowl Prep,” Guidugli explained. "I think that got him accustomed to the workout schedule, the locker room, his teammates, just a lot of things you have to get out of the way to come back in January and now he’s learning a new offense, but he got a taste for what the speed of the game is going to be during that process and now it’s just him going out there and executing. I think, as a true freshman, you’d never look out there and think ‘Okay, this guy just got here four months ago.’ He can really throw the ball. I think he has a chance to be a really special player.”

Carr and the rest of the Irish will cap their spring with the Blue-Gold Game this Saturday afternoon. The 93rd annual spring-ending game starts at 1 PM ET at Notre Dame Stadium.