CJ Carr's record-shattering season cements his status as a Heisman hopeful. PFF ranks him the No. 5 returning quarterback, poised to lead Notre Dame's offense.
For the first time since 2020, Notre Dame has a returning starting quarterback. Rising redshirt sophomore CJ Carr won the No. 1 spot last offseason and went on to have a really, really good season for the Fighting Irish in 2025. He was amongst the national leaders in passer rating at 168.1 which shattered a program record and was No. 4 in the country in passing yards per completion at 14.06.
Now, Carr returns as the Bonafede starter in South Bend and has generated a lot of offseason hype. He's one of the preseason favorites to win the Heisman Trophy and has been named a top returner in the country by several outlets. PFF has ranked the Saline, Michigan native as the No. 5 returning quarterback in the country ahead of the 2026 season and he has an argument to be higher.
"Carr is currently tied with Arch Manning as the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy (+750) on DraftKings Sportsbook," Max Chadwick of PFF explained. "That's due to a strong redshirt freshman campaign, where he tied for 14th nationally with an 83.5 PFF passing grade. His 6.5% big-time throw rate was also sixth in the Power Four. With star running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price off to the NFL, Carr will be expected to Carry the offense much more as a redshirt sophomore."
Chadwick isn't wrong. With Love and Price headed off the draft where both will potentially be taken in the first round, the role for Carr in the 2026 offense has grown immensely. Last season, he made some spectacular plays and didn't wait long to burst onto the national scene. His first collegiate touchdown pass was a no-look pass to fellow redshirt freshman Micah Gilbert in the rain, on the road against a Top 10 team in the Miami Hurricanes.
Carr's impactful performances didn't end there. He threw for 293 yards and one score against Texas A&M the following game at home. Then, he recorded a 254-yard, four-touchdown performance two weeks later against Arkansas on the road. The week prior, Carr completed 83.3% of his passes, threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns against Purdue at home. We knew Notre Dame had found their quarterback and the month of September hadn't even come to a close.
His 'worst' statical performance of the year came on Senior Day against Syracuse where he only threw for 49 yards and one touchdown. But when you're up 21 points in the first quarter before your offense takes the field, I don't know of many teams that will be airing it out the remainder of the game. There's a reason Carr is considered a Top 5 returning quarterback in the country and last season's performance leaves many, myself included, excited for the immediate future in 2026.
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