Notre Dame opens its 2026 season Saturday against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, and the conversation around quarterback C.J. Carr has already drifted toward the Heisman Trophy.
Last year, Carr completed a highly efficient campaign, throwing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns against six interceptions while posting a 168.1 passer rating, 9.4 yards per attempt and 228.4 yards per game.
Those numbers, plus the Fighting Irish’s playoff aspirations, have fueled early awards talk. Head coach Marcus Freeman, however, has made it clear he wants his quarterback’s attention elsewhere.
Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Aug. 31, Freeman said his role is to keep Carr grounded.
“I think my job is to continuously remind him of where his focus should be and that winning the Heisman is a reflection of a lot of different things,” Freeman said. “So he can either waste time focusing on winning the Heisman, or he can continue to focus on the things that will make him the best football player he can be. He does that, but we all need reminders, and that’s my job: To continuously remind him of what things are important.”
Freeman returned to the same theme when discussing the external pressure that comes with Heisman and national-title expectations.
“How do we take pressure off of [Carr]?” he asked. “When you think about winning the Heisman and winning national championships, that’s high pressure, right? It’s overwhelming. But when you think about I got to have a good Monday and I got to be the best teammate I can be and I got to encourage guys. I got to hold them accountable and I got to prepare, we can handle that and that’s where his focus has to be continuously.”
The coach’s message is consistent: process over prizes. On “The Triple Option” podcast the same day, Freeman praised the 21-year-old’s work habits and presence in the locker room.
“He comes in here and he prepares in a way I haven’t seen many people prepare,” Freeman said. “On the field, he does what it takes to lead his team. I always say this: a leader has to be aware of what his team needs. Sometimes it’s getting on your tail, and sometimes it might be encouraging. But, he has that trait. It does help you sleep a bit better at night knowing he’s the one running your offense, but actually is the leader of the team.”
Notre Dame’s schedule will test that leadership quickly. After Wisconsin comes a slate that includes a November meeting with Miami, a game Freeman and Carr both know could define the season.
For now the coach’s instruction is simple: treat Monday like the most important day on the calendar, stay accountable to teammates, and let the rest take care of itself.
If Carr does that, Freeman believes the individual hardware and team success will follow naturally rather than become a distraction.
