Notre Dame vs. Miami: Hurricanes Plan to Test CJ Carr’s Arm

Miami will load up to stop the Notre Dame running game. Can CJ Carr win the game through the air?

Apr 20, 2024; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (12) throws in the second half of the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame vs Miami: The Hurricane game plan is obvious

One doesn't have to be a football savant to know how Miami will try to defend Notre Dame in Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. Miami knows Notre Dame is breaking in a first-time starting quarterback who has never experienced this kind of environment. Miami also knows that the Irish will want to protect Carr with Jeremiyah Love and the run game as much as possible.

With this knowledge in hand, I fully expect the Hurricanes to sell out downhill and do all they can to refuse to let Notre Dame pound the rock in Hard Rock the way it would like to. In an ideal Irish world, Notre Dame would be able to have success in the run game even with extra Miami men in the box crashing downhill.

If the Irish can have success in the run game despite Miami going all out to stop it, it'd go a long way towards a Notre Dame victory. But whether this happens or not, CJ Carr will have chances all game to burn Miami downfield due to their aggressive run-stop first game plan that I'm sure they will employ.

Notre Dame WR Jaden Greathouse Since 2023:

☘️ 80 Targets
☘️ 1 Drop@NDFootball pic.twitter.com/ZVnH6hGq2O

— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 23, 2025

CJ Carr can be a star right away

CJ Carr's most natural football gift is his arm and ability to make every throw a great QB needs to make. The Miami matchup will give him every opportunity to show America why he won this starting job and was such a highly prized recruit.

Notre Dame has not had an electric and dangerous passing game in recent years. The Irish have not had an ideal WR roster and haven't featured QBs in the Freeman era as of yet, who offer downfield passing as a top dangerous option.

Combining this knowledge with the fact that the reviews on Carr's fall camp were mixed at best, Miami will dare Carr to throw the ball down the field; it's on him to make the Hurricanes pay for taking this approach.

Miami will enter this game showing little to no respect for the Notre Dame passing game. With decent offensive line protection and Carr doing what he does best, throwing to an improved WR unit, this could be a fatal mistake.

As CJ Carr progresses through his career and game film on him adds up, teams will defend him and Notre Dame differently. As of now, this film doesn't exist, and Miami doesn't believe the Irish can win through the air.

CJ Carr is more than capable of showing that this is dead wrong and making a splash in his first game as the starting QB.