CJ CARR

“CJ Carr makes more explosive plays than anyone in college football.” – Ahmed Fareed

Freshman quarterback CJ Carr continues his campaign as one of the best quarterbacks in college football, named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and a semifinalist for the 2025 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

One of the nation’s top quarterbacks, and one of the best freshman players in the country, Carr ranks fifth nationally in passing efficiency (168.1), sixth in yards per pass attempt (9.35) and sixth in passing yards per completion (14.06). 

Nationally, Notre Dame ranks fifth in scoring offense (41.8), fifth in team passing efficiency (168.61), 10th in passing yards per completion (14.11), 17th in passes had intercepted (6), 18th in total offense (458.5), 18th in third down conversion percentage (0.481), 18th in rushing offense (203.4) and 20th in completion percentage (0.672). 

Carr now has 12-straight games with a touchdown pass, which is the longest streak by a Notre Dame quarterback since Everett Golson from 1/7/2013 – 1/22/2014. Carr finished the regular season with 24 touchdown strikes, tying Sam Hartman and DeShone Kizer for the most passing touchdowns in their first 12 career Notre Dame starts since 1966.

Game-by-Game:

• at MIAMI (8/31): Made first-career start… completed 19 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns… longest pass of the game went for 65 yards… rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown… ran up the middle for a seven-yard touchdown run to tie the game in the fourth quarter
• TEXAS A&M (9/13): Started at quarterback… completed 20 passes for 293 yards and a TD… longest pass of the game went for 43 yards… threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to RB Jeremiyah Love in the second quarter
• PURDUE (9/20): Started at quarterback… completed 10 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns… threw a 66-yard touchdown on the first offensive play from scrimmage… tossed a 48-yard touchdown in the third quarter… helped the Irish record 535 yards of total offense
• at ARKANSAS (9/27): Started at quarterback… completed 22 passes for a career-high 354 yards and four touchdowns… posted most first-half passing yards (294) by an Irish quarterback since 2008… threw 21-yard and 34-yard touchdown passes in the second quarter… his four touchdowns are tied for the second-most ever by a freshman quarterback at Notre Dame…was named Manning Award QB of the Week, Manning Award Star of the Week, Davey O’Brien Great 8 and Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week for his performance.
• BOISE STATE (10/4): Started at quarterback for the Irish… completed 15 of his 23 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns… threw a 19-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and a six-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter… longest pass went for 24 yards… also ran three times for career-high 25 yards
• NC STATE (10/11): Started at quarterback for the Irish… completed 19 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns… longest completion went for 42 yards… both touchdown passes came in the third quarter… became first Notre Dame quarterback since 2021 to throw for multiple 300+ yard passing games… his 1,622 yards through the first six games are the most by an Irish quarterback since the 2014 season
• USC (10/18): Started at quarterback… completed 16 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown… threw a six-yard touchdown in the third quarter… had a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put Notre Dame up 10
• AT BOSTON COLLEGE (11/1): Started at quarterback for the Irish… had 18 completions for 299 yards… was a perfect seven-of-seven passing for 189 yards and two touchdowns in the second quarter alone… opened up the scoring in the second quarter with a 40-yard touchdown pass to WR Malachi Fields… Tossed a 44-yard touchdown to WR Will Pauling late in the second quarter to extend the lead to 12… rushed twice for 12 yards
•  NAVY (11/9): Started at quarterback… completed 13 passes and completed over 81% of his passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns… longest pass went 52 yards, which was his eighth pass of 40-yards or more of the season, which is the most in a season by an Irish freshman quarterback… threw a five-yard touchdown to WR Jordan Faison with under two minutes left in the second quarter… tossed a 34-yard touchdown to WR KK Smith and a four-yard touchdown to TE Ty Washington in the third quarter
• at PITTSBURGH (11/15): Started at quarterback for the Irish… completed 21 passes for 212 yards… recorded two passing touchdowns, both to WR Malachi Fields –a 25-yard pass completion in the second quarter and a six yard pass completion in the third quarter… added a five-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the win
• SYRACUSE (11/22): Started at quarterback for the Irish in the 70-7 win, helping the Irish score the most points in program history since 1932… completed five passes for 49 yards and a touchdown… threw a six-yard touchdown to WR Will Pauling on the first play of the second quarter to put the Irish up 42-0… longest pass went for 14 yards to WR Jordan Faison on a touchdown drive in the first quarter
• at STANFORD (11/29): Led the Irish to a 49-20 win over Stanford to close out a 10-2 regular season effort… completed 17 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns, also rushing four times for 15 yards, all in just three quarters of play, as Notre Dame’s backup players entered the game in the fourth quarter… His long pass of the day came on a 54-yard bomb, perfectly placed, to Jordan Faison, to then set up a Faison touchdown reception a few plays later.