Newsstand: Notre Dame QB CJ Carr named Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalist
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr landed on a short list of the best true freshmen or redshirt freshmen in the country on Wednesday. He’s one of 13 semifinalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award.
Carr has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 257.1 yards per game with 16 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He has a passer rating of 170.6, which ranks fourth nationally and would set the all-time Notre Dame single-season record. He’s also tied for fourth in the country with a yards per attempt average of 9.8.
By and large, Carr has exceeded all expectations and is a major reason why the Fighting Irish are the No. 10 team in the College Football Playoff rankings with a real shot to do damage in the postseason, just like they did with a much more veteran quarterback in Duke transfer Riley Leonard last year.
Here is the full list of 2025 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalists.
| Dijon Lee Jr. | Alabama | Cornerback |
| Bear Bachmeier | BYU | Quarterback |
| Micah Alejado | Hawaii | Quarterback |
| Zahir Mathis | Maryland | Edge |
| Malachi Toney | Miami | Wide Receiver |
| CJ Carr | Notre Dame | Quarterback |
| Drew Mestemaker | North Texas | Quarterback |
| Julian Sayin | Ohio State | Quarterback |
| Wendell Gregory | Oklahoma State | Edge |
| Brandon Finney | Oregon | Cornerback |
| Mason Heintschel | Pitt | Quarterback |
| Demetres Samuel Jr. | Syracuse | Quarterback |
| Ty Redmond | Tennessee | Cornerback |
| Braylon Staley | Tennessee | Wide Receiver |
Notre Dame social media posts of the day
Carr has been good. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, who is also on the freshman of the year semifinalist list, has been unbelievably sensational.
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The Irish added Auburn to their ever-growing, impressive list of future opponents. Read more by clicking here.
The Irish are heavy favorites in their remaining games.
Fighting Irish quote of the day
“Vanessa is a great player. She’s a great leader. Playing alongside of her, just us in the backcourt, I think it’s going to be very dangerous. She’s just such a smart player. She brings that seniority to our team. It’s what we really need.”
— Notre Dame women’s basketball guard Hannah Hidalgo on Duke transfer Vanessa de Jesus
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