CJ Carr’s first weeks at Notre Dame show two different sides. Passing game? Good enough to execute within Marcus Freeman’s offense. The freshman has completed 49 of 74 throws for 737 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Nothing to stress about. But the run game from a quarterback standpoint is non-existent. The former 5-star QB carried the rock 16 times so far this season, and somehow only managed to rush for a net positive of 1 yard. That’s 0.1 yards per carry. Outside of a short rushing touchdown against Miami, defenses have shut him down every time he takes off.

On September 23rd, Notre Dame insider Mike Horka reported that offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is already considering changes. Denbrock admitted Kenny Minchey could see the field in certain spots to give the Irish some legs at quarterback. “Whether that be short yardage or whatever,” Denbrock said. “We’ve talked about exploring some of those. We’ll see where it goes.”

Notre Dame’s system has always leaned on quarterbacks who can create with their legs, and Carr hasn’t shown that ability yet. Tony Rice is the clearest example that comes to mind. He wasn’t a stat-padder through the air, but his ability to run the option and pound defenses on the ground carried the Irish to a national championship in 1988. His mobility gave Lou Holtz some flexibility to call the plays.

Carr hasn’t come close to Riley Leonard’s rushing production, and that changes how defenses play him. Right now, opponents know they can sit back and defend the pass without worrying about a QB run. That makes Notre Dame’s offense easier to scheme against. To compare, in 2024, Leonard logged 124 carries for 721 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. That’s nearly 11 carries and 60 yards a game. Numbers that gave the offense another dimension and made red-zone trips easier. Without that element, the Irish lose a key part of their identity.

CJ Carr is more of a gunslinger, while Kenny Minchey is a run-first QB. Last season, Minchey rushed for 12 yards on just 2 carries, averaging 6 yards per carry. That looks impressive, but he was the QB3 and only saw limited snaps. By hinting that Kenny Minchey could come in for short-yardage or running situations, he admitted the offense does not trust Carr to handle that role yet. It does not mean Carr is not the future as a passer. But it does mean the staff feels they need another option on the ground until he develops more mobility.

Marcus Freeman praises CJ Carr

Notre Dame’s offense played really well in their first win of the season against the Boilermakers. Carr showed he can lead the team and make plays by throwing the ball. Against Purdue, he completed 10 of 12 passes, averaged over 22 yards per throw, and scored two touchdowns. Their running game was rolling too. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 231 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. Something that Notre Dame struggled with in their first two games.

Coach Marcus Freeman said Carr is getting better at reading the defense and making decisions on his own. “I saw a couple of times he went like this [hand up], I got it. Made a check, one to Faison, I got this, bam, bam. Good throw, good catch,” Freeman said. He added that Carr can now put the offense in the right position without waiting for the coaches to tell him everything.

Freeman also said the team’s success comes from practice and experience. “It’s intentional work. The players know the system. All those things are helping our offense do well,” he said. Notre Dame will try to keep the momentum going as they take on Arkansas, a team that struggles to stop both the pass and the run. Might even bring in Kenny Minchey for rotational snaps to run the football. Carr and the Irish offense will play Saturday at noon in Fayetteville, aiming to continue their strong, balanced attack.