“WARNING SIGNS IN SOUTH BEND: CJ Carr’s Readiness, Injury Woes, and Weak Pass Rush Raise Red Flags Ahead of Notre Dame’s 2025 Campaign”
Notre Dame enters the 2025 college football season with immense expectations, bolstered by another top-tier recruiting class and a program-wide belief that Marcus Freeman is on the brink of transforming the Irish into perennial championship contenders. However, behind the curtain of optimism are mounting concerns that could threaten to derail the season before it ever finds a rhythm. The spotlight naturally falls on the highly touted freshman quarterback CJ Carr, whose readiness—or lack thereof—is one of several pressing issues as fall camp gets underway. Add to that a roster plagued by injuries and a defense struggling to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and suddenly the path to the College Football Playoff looks more daunting than promising. What was once viewed as a season of potential breakthrough now teeters on a razor’s edge, where the Irish must address significant deficiencies or risk squandering yet another year of elite-level promise.
CJ Carr was always expected to be the future of Notre Dame football, but the original plan didn’t call for the future to begin this soon. The early departure of presumed starter Riley Leonard due to recurring injuries and NFL aspirations thrust Carr into the QB1 competition prematurely. The Michigan native possesses the arm talent, football IQ, and pedigree that made him one of the most celebrated recruits in recent Irish history, but flashes of brilliance can’t conceal the inexperience he brings to the most critical position on the field. During spring practices and early fall sessions, Carr has shown command at times, but he’s also been inconsistent under pressure, struggled with timing on intermediate throws, and occasionally held the ball too long—inviting unnecessary contact and disrupting offensive rhythm. Coaches remain cautiously optimistic, but there’s an unmistakable hesitance in fully endorsing Carr as the starter, signaling deeper concerns about whether the offense can flourish with a true freshman under center in a pressure-packed environment.
Even if Carr’s development accelerates in time for the season opener, Notre Dame’s issues extend well beyond the quarterback position. The injury bug has not only bitten—it has ravaged the depth chart across multiple key areas. Veteran offensive lineman Joe Alt is recovering from offseason surgery and is unlikely to be at full strength before October. Star linebacker Jaylen Sneed, a defensive anchor and tone-setter, has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that limited his summer training. Wide receiver Jaden Greathouse, expected to be Carr’s primary weapon, has missed time with a high ankle sprain. The list doesn’t end there. Tight ends, corners, and even special teams contributors have all missed portions of training, severely limiting the coaching staff’s ability to develop cohesion and execute competitive scrimmages. Injuries are part of football, but when they’re widespread and persistent before a snap has been played, they raise valid concerns about both depth and durability.
Notre Dame’s defensive blueprint under Freeman has always centered around physicality, discipline, and suffocating pressure. That blueprint, however, only works when the pass rush delivers—and right now, it isn’t. In recent seasons, the Irish have leaned heavily on individual talent along the defensive line to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Isaiah Foskey and Howard Cross III were dependable forces who could be counted on to wreak havoc. With those names now gone, a void has emerged, and the new crop of edge defenders have yet to show they’re capable of filling it. Practices have exposed an alarming lack of explosiveness from the defensive ends. Sacks are scarce, quarterback hurries even more so. The interior line has held up respectably against the run, but without consistent edge pressure, opposing offenses will have time to expose weaknesses in Notre Dame’s secondary—especially with young corners still growing into their roles. Unless the pass rush can be reignited, the Irish defense could struggle to replicate the dominance that defined them just a season ago.
It’s not all gloom in South Bend. The talent is there. The roster still boasts All-American caliber players, from running back Jeremiyah Love, who continues to impress as a do-it-all playmaker, to safety Xavier Watts, whose leadership and range in the back end provide a vital stabilizing presence. The offensive line, even if banged up, is deep and experienced, anchored by returners who have played meaningful snaps in big-time games. The coaching staff has grown more cohesive under Freeman’s leadership, with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock implementing creative schemes designed to mask youth at quarterback and maximize mismatches with tight ends and slot receivers. Yet, the margin for error in today’s college football landscape is razor-thin. Notre Dame’s 2025 schedule is a brutal gauntlet that includes matchups with Ohio State, USC, and Clemson—all teams capable of exposing any crack in the Irish foundation.
What makes this particular moment so precarious is the paradox of potential versus preparation. On paper, Notre Dame is a top-five team. In reality, they are still sorting through too many questions. CJ Carr might become a generational quarterback—but will he be ready by September, or will his growth come at the cost of early-season losses? The injuries might heal—but will the lack of summer reps slow chemistry and stunt development across position groups? The defense might adjust—but if the pass rush can’t consistently get home, will it matter against elite quarterbacks with time in the pocket?
Marcus Freeman is now entering the most critical stretch of his young coaching career. He’s recruited at an elite level, rejuvenated the energy surrounding Notre Dame football, and laid the groundwork for long-term success. But all of that means little without results on the field in 2025. Irish fans are desperate for more than 10-win seasons and New Year’s Six bowl appearances. They want a championship. They believe this team, this staff, and this moment should be the one that finally delivers it. And that belief turns to anxiety when signs suggest the foundation may not be as stable as hoped.
There’s still time for Notre Dame to right the ship. Fall camp is fluid. Players get healthy. Freshmen grow rapidly with the right coaching and repetition. Sometimes pass rush solutions emerge from unlikely places—a position switch, a breakout rotational player, or schematic tweaks. But the urgency must be acknowledged. The Irish don’t open with a cupcake schedule that allows for experimentation. Week 1 brings Texas A\&M. That’s not a game where a freshman quarterback can afford early jitters or where a defense can get by without putting the quarterback on his back. And it certainly won’t be a forgiving environment if key offensive playmakers are still limping through limited snaps.
For Notre Dame, 2025 is both a challenge and an opportunity. The program is stacked with raw talent, momentum from back-to-back strong recruiting cycles, and national respect. But all of it hinges on whether the current vulnerabilities are addressed decisively. CJ Carr doesn’t need to be perfect—he needs to be protected, supported, and coached with urgency. The injury situation demands smarter load management and improved training protocols to ensure players are available when it matters most. And the pass rush needs an identity—a spark, a leader, or at the very least, a strategic reboot.
Every championship team faces adversity. The difference between contenders and pretenders is how those challenges are handled in the crucible of preparation. Notre Dame has a window, perhaps a short one, to transform concern into confidence. But make no mistake: the warning signs are real. If ignored, they won’t just cost the Irish games—they could delay the program’s long-awaited return to college football’s mountaintop.
