TL;DR
- CJ Carr, Notre Dame's new starting quarterback, is a redshirt freshman with significant award nominations.
- Carr is a semifinalist for The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and on the Manning Award Watch List.
- He comes from a prominent Michigan football family with a Hall of Fame grandfather, Lloyd Carr.
In 2024, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were one victory away from a national championship, and their championship ambitions persist into 2025. This season, a new quarterback, redshirt freshman CJ Carr, is at the helm.
Having served as Riley Leonard's backup last season, Carr's outstanding play in his first year as a starter has drawn the attention of prominent college football award committees, leading to several significant nominations and accolades. He's now a semifinalist for The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, given to the country's top college quarterback. Furthermore, Carr was added to the Manning Award Watch List midseason and was previously honored as part of the Davey O'Brien Great 8, indicating his strong candidacy for the sport's most esteemed individual awards.
Though he's a new starter, Carr possesses extensive knowledge of college football. Discover Notre Dame's QB1 and delve into the extensive football legacy within his family.
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Who is CJ Carr?
Carr is a redshirt freshman quarterback at Notre Dame.
Originally from Saline, Mich., he was recognized as the 48th-best prospect in the 2024 high school graduating class, per 247Sports. Carr opted for Notre Dame, turning down scholarship opportunities from prominent schools like Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Penn State.
Carr made his first appearance on the field for his college debut in Notre Dame's overwhelming victory against Purdue in Week 3 of the 2024 season. Despite it being his college debut, Carr recorded no statistics during the 59-point triumph.
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CJ Carr family
Carr comes from one of Michigan football's royal families.
Lloyd, CJ's paternal grandfather, is a Hall of Fame head coach. He coached the Wolverines for 13 seasons, which included their 1997 national championship year. Additionally, he guided Michigan to five Big Ten championships.
Tom Curtis, CJ's grandfather on his mother's side, was a varsity football player for Michigan between 1967 and 1969. A safety, Curtis earned All-Big Ten honors twice and was a unanimous All-American in 1969. He set the school's interception record with 25 and is also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Jason, CJ's dad, was a football player for Michigan between 1992 and 1995. He didn't start any games but participated in 20 contests across four years, with 11 of those coming during his second year.
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CJ Carr age
Carr is 20 years old. He was born on May 26, 2005.