Notre Dame Quarterback Commit CJ Carr Is Special

Recapping an impressive senior season start from elite signal caller CJ Carr

When you talk about the 2024 Notre Dame recruiting class, you can't get far into the conversation without mentioning star Saline (Mich.) High School signal caller CJ Carr. Since committing to the Irish back in June of last year, the Michigan star has been a beacon of hope for the future of the Notre Dame program.

So far this season, the senior has led Saline to an undefeated 7-0 start. Even with that fast start, the critics continue to try and poke holes in Carr, even ones that don't seem to be there. That criticism has left a lot of fans to wonder what they are missing with the Michigan star. 

THE DISRESPECT

The senior signal caller has had an interesting off-season. At every stop, whether it is a camp or the Elite 11, Carr has continued to impress.

For whatever reason, there are still the naysayers and doubters who keep dropping him in their respective rankings. For the most part, the recruiting services all rate Carr pretty highly. There is, however, one in particular that barely thinks the Michigan legacy is a top 200 player in the class, and only the No. 14 quarterback in the 2024 cycle.

In what is a deep and talented 2024 quarterback class, you would be hard pressed to find a more advanced passer than Carr. He has been extremely impressive so far as a senior, seeming to put together tremendous outings each and every week. 

Let’s dive into one of Carr's top performances of the year, Saline's 42-0 opening season victory over Brighton. Carr showed every trait needed for him to be an absolute star on the next level. The clips were all brought to you by the State Champs! Network on YouTube.

ON FILM

Carr put some very impressive throws on film so far this season. Two of the more impressive came on the same drive during the second quarter against Brighton. In both cases, Carr flashed his outstanding combination of accuracy and touch.

The first came on a rollout, where Carr connected with the outside wide receiver on a vertical route near the sideline. First and foremost, the placement of the pass was perfect. He was able to fit it into a very tight window for a big play to get the drive moving.

Even more impressively, Carr made this throw while rolling to the left. For a right handed quarterback, this is an especially difficult throw. He is rolling against his body and it can be tough to get enough into the throw. That isn’t an issue for Carr.

Later that drive, the Michigan star once again flashed outstanding ball placement. It also came on an outside vertical route down the left sideline.

There was obvious miscommunication in the secondary on this play. Carr was able to fit the football in before the single high safety could make a play over top. Perhaps the most impressive part of this play, however, is that Carr knew he could make this play with the safety in the middle of the field, showing his football IQ. He was able to see it very early on in this rep, and deliver.

Arguably the most underrated aspect of Carr’s game is his athleticism. While he isn’t a massive running threat, he gives you more than enough to keep a defense honest.

In the third quarter of the game, Carr kept the football off of a jet read and scampered down the sideline for a first down. You can see a good level of explosiveness and ability to bend it back to the sideline. There is more than enough juice for an occasional read to be a part of his repertoire.

The part of Carr’s game that his athleticism will pop most is as an extender in the passing game. This was arguably the biggest improvement in his game as a junior, and you saw it once again from him in the first game against Brighton.

On the play, Carr breaks the picket and scrambles to his left. There is nothing open so the playmaker in him breaks out, turning back inside to extend the play even longer. He is able to launch the football to a wide receiver working across the field away from him. This play also shows a really nice amount of arm strength, another underrated aspect of Carr’s game.

As a whole, it was a really impressive debut for Carr. He showcased everything that Notre Dame fans wanted to see.

WHAT TO MAKE OF THE PERFORMANCE

At this point, there isn't much more left to say about Carr. Despite the constant criticism, Notre Dame fans know what the talented signal caller can bring to the table. He has spent the bulk of his senior year playing outstanding football, and giving Irish supporters a glimpse into the future. 

Quite simply, CJ Carr is special. He is worth all of the hype. 

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