Marcus Freeman Makes Honest Carson Beck Admission as Notre Dame Dealt Painful Reality

Notre Dame’s vaunted four-man defensive line, the same group that dominated opponents and powered last year’s championship aspirations, completely disappeared against Miami. The unit, which fans had raved about all offseason, was a shadow of its former self. Carson Beck enjoyed all the time in the world, as if it were a 7-on-7 practice, and the “relentless pressure” Marcus Freeman emphasizes never really showed up. Sacks were absent until late in the game. There was no disruption, and no edge. The plays were there, but they fooled no one. After just one game, the championship-caliber defense already feels like a legend that died under the Hard Rock Stadium lights.

Notre Dame’s defense, the team’s strength last season, struggled against Miami. They didn’t sack the quarterback until the fourth quarter and repeatedly lost at the line of scrimmage, especially during a long touchdown drive by the Hurricanes that ate up much of the third quarter. The secondary also gave up big plays, including a 28-yard touchdown and a spectacular one-handed catch. To their credit, the Irish did tighten up late, forcing punts and sparking a comeback.

But the inability to consistently pressure the quarterback or stop Miami’s running game proved costly, exposing defensive weaknesses for Marcus Freeman’s squad. Even Freeman himself acknowledged the issues. As Notre Dame’s insider Tyler Horka hits X with Freeman’s admission saying, “Marcus Freeman admits Notre Dame did not do a good enough job of getting pressure on Carson Beck with a four-man rush. The Irish only sacked Beck once. They were also only credited with one quarterback hurry as a team.” That regret makes sense. Worst part? After Notre Dame tied it, Beck led the Canes for Carter Davis’ game-winning 47-yarder. Game over!

Carson Beck, the Georgia transfer who had elbow surgery, started off the Hurricanes early. He connected with freshman Malachi Toney for a 28-yard touchdown, and then found CJ Daniels for an impressive one-handed score just before halftime. Beck finished 20 of 31 for 205 yards and two touchdowns, demonstrating chemistry with a rebuilt receiving corps that had been a concern all offseason. No more “inconsistent” tag for Beck. As the win improved Miami’s home opener record at Hard Rock to 18-0 and marked only their second victory against a top-10 opponent in the last ten years, both against Notre Dame.

The Irish defense, once a source of strength for Marcus Freeman’s team, faltered early. Miami controlled the ball for almost 10 minutes in the first quarter, and by halftime, the defense seemed worn down. The turning point was a risky pass from Carson Beck that should have been intercepted, but safety Adon Shuler didn’t go for the ball. Instead, CJ Daniels caught it one-handed for a touchdown, making the score 14-7. Notre Dame needed to make those kinds of plays. Instead, their defense let Miami control the pace, struggled with their four-man front, and allowed the Hurricanes to take over in the second half.

Then comes in the worst part as ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg lands him with more pressure. As he hits X with a warning for Freeman saying, “Marcus Freeman has lost a Week 1 or Week 2 game in three out of four years as Notre Dame’s coach. Will need to beat Texas A&M on Sept. 13 to avoid second 0-2 start as Irish coach.” But despite the misses and a tough loss there’s one guy who’s performance lit up the field.

Marcus Freeman gets real on CJ Carr

Although Notre Dame faced challenges, they almost pulled off a win late in the game, thanks to redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr. In his first career start, Carr had moments of inexperience but also showed impressive composure and resilience, keeping the Irish in the game. He threw his first touchdown, ran for a score in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 24, and even drew comparisons to Riley Leonard with his dual-threat ability. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock praised Carr’s determination, and Carr certainly lived up to it, refusing to give up when the Irish were down by two scores.

While Notre Dame fans hoped for another miraculous comeback, Miami had other ideas. The Irish rallied from a two-score deficit late in the fourth, and Carr nearly replicated a Riley Leonard-esque performance. He threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns and even tied the game himself with a gutsy seven-yard run. For a first start, Carr was unfazed.

This guy competed fiercely, kept throwing, and gave Notre Dame a chance to win, even when it seemed impossible just minutes before. And even Marcus Freeman couldn’t hold himself back from praising him: “He’s going to be a really good quarterback. Everything I thought he was going to be. His ceiling is so high… He’s a gamer, man. He performs when the lights are on.”

But with Carr’s progress here comes in the biggest issue: Notre Dame got dominated in the trenches. Jeremiyah Love, touted as one of the best running backs in the country, was held to just 33 yards on 10 carries. The Irish attempted to adjust with quick passes, but they were only effective in spurts. That’s not the identity of last year’s national title contender, and Marcus Freeman is aware of it. They were too passive early, too reactive, and too comfortable playing from behind. Now, let’s wait and see if all these early struggles come to an end against Texas A&M next week.