If the Notre Dame football team is as good as so many analysts believe it will be, CJ Carr will be a big reason why. It might seem obvious why the quarterback is vital to a CFP-contending team, but ESPN analyst Greg McElroy laid out why Carr could drive the team all the way to the top in a recent episode of his Always College Football podcast.
"Why is 2026 going to be different?" McElroy said about the Irish really contending to win it all this fall. "Well, it's because it feels like for the first time in eternity, Notre Dame isn't starting a new quarterback. I mean, we've seen the Sam Hartmans. We've seen the Riley Leonards. We've seen talented guys. But in many ways, they're kind of mercenaries, one-year rentals."
"Well, CJ Carr is the program. I mean, he's a guy that... is a homegrown guy. That has taken the throne, had an outstanding year last year as a redshirt freshman, had a near 170 passer rating, top five in the country."
"While other teams are installing new terminology and feeling out their new portal quarterbacks, CJ Carr and Denbrock, they'll be playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers."
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) February 4, 2026
The continuity of the @NDFootball offense has @GregMcElroy HIGH on the Irish in 2026 ☘️… pic.twitter.com/p7YWat6Jbi
How CJ Carr and Mike Denbrock give Notre Dame a rare continuity advantage
"He's got the it factor. He's got an NFL arm. And most importantly, he's got Mike Denbrock. Back with another year of trying to figure it out...So while other teams are installing new terminology and feeling out their new portal quarterbacks, CJ Carr and Denbrock, they'll be playing chess while everyone else is still playing checkers."
McElroy then dropped a nugget that should have Irish fans very excited.
"He's not just managing this offense— he's going to be weaponizing it"
CJ Carr and Notre Dame have a lot of believers and McElroy hit the nail on the head as to why ND fans should be extremely hyped up for the 2026 season.