‘Was His Fault. Dude Still Balled Tonight’: NFL Fans Leave Talking About CJ Carr After He Proves in First Start That He’s More Than Ready

The vibe around Notre Dame’s 2025 season-opening match against Miami yesterday night centered around CJ Carr, the redshirt freshman quarterback, who is stepping into the spotlight for the first time as a starter.

He took the reins in a high-stakes matchup at Hard Rock Stadium. In what marked the renewal of the historic Catholics vs. Convicts rivalry, absent from the schedule since 2017, he delivered the kind of drama that keeps fans wanting more.

The Fighting Irish under head coach Marcus Freeman ranked No. 6, faced off against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes in a matchup that ended 27-24 in a defeat for the Irish.

Regardless of how the match ended, Carr’s performance sparked conversations across social media, with many pointing to his composure as a sign of bigger things to come.

The grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr had only appeared briefly in one blowout last season, without attempting a pass. Still, with the limited experience, the narrative changed against Miami as he completed 19 of 30 throws for 221 yards, tossing two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.

Also among his notable moments is an interception that proved costly, but the way he bounced back gives hope. Early on, the offense finds it challenging to find footing with just short gains on initial drives. Leaving Miami struck first with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Carson Beck to Malachi Toney, putting Freeman’s side in a hole.

Carr responded by making a no-look throw to Micah Gilbert after scrambling out of trouble near the goal line, which resulted in his first collegiate touchdown pass, tying the score at 7-7 late in the second quarter.

Proceeding in the game, Miami built a lead on a strong rushing attack that outgained the Fighting Irish 119-93 on the ground; with consistent pressure, sacking Carr multiple times, including twice in a row, to seal the win.

In the fourth quarter, Carr connected with Jordan Faison on a 1-yard touchdown pass to cap an 11-play, 64-yard drive, narrowing the gap.

Later in the game, he punched in a 7-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 24-24 with a few minutes remaining, leaving the Irish without enough time for a final push as Miami answered with a 49-yard field goal to clinch the victory.

In postgame comments reported by ESPN, Carr took the blame, saying, “I need to continue to get a better feel for what our offense needs at the moment. A lot of the time, it’s going to be Jeremiyah Love. On the pick, I should have just given him the ball. It cost us.”

Fans Leave Talking About CJ Carr After He Proves in First Start That He’s More Than Ready

Shortly after the game, Notre Dame football recruiting insider Mike Singer, who had initially downplayed the quarterback’s pick, later posted on X: “Update: was his fault. Dude still balled tonight.” With fans echoing similar remarks, a few of the comments are these:

Update: was his fault. Dude still balled tonight.

— Mike Singer (@MikeTSinger) September 1, 2025

Silly risky – Never throw side-to-side near your opponent’s end zone. Go vertical downfield when your back’s against the wall.

— James (@Jamesmetrics) September 1, 2025

Another;

What? The defender had already blown up Greathouse and was in Faison’s lap! The defender was already there when CJ threw the ball…it’s ENTIRELY on CJ. A terrible decision.

— Chip (@Pittston1968) September 1, 2025

And finally;

Everyone calling for Denbrock’s head… sure, bad game, bad gameplan. If they don’t adjust after this game, then they should start looking for someone else that can do the job. Carr has looked legit tonight, just a bad scheme so far

— Ian Baumgarner (@phyrxianmnadrk) September 1, 2025

Freeman praised his performance at the end of the game, noting, “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.”