CJ Carr Expects Big Season from Notre Dame Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

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CJ Carr is entering his second season as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s starting quarterback. He was solid in 2025, completing 195-of-293 passes for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 168.1 passer rating.

While putting together strong numbers on the field is important, the signal-caller is becoming a reliable presence in the locker room. Head coach Marcus Freeman said, “I think he’s a natural-born leader,” during an appearance on the “Always College Football with Greg McElroy” podcast.

As one of Notre Dame’s leaders, it is Carr’s job not only to set expectations, but also to hold his teammates accountable.

Going into the 2026 season, the Fighting Irish are hoping for some breakout stars, and Carr believes one of those can be linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa. While talking to Rivals’ Wilson Alexander, he praised the defender.

“I think Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is going to have a year that won’t shock anyone around Notre Dame,” Carr said. “He’s one of the best defensive players in the country, in my opinion. He has battled through an injury with the ACL, but he’s a really good football player.”

Coming out of high school in the 2024 cycle, Viliamu-Asa was a five-star recruit, the No. 2 linebacker, the No. 2 player in California and the No. 19 player in the nation, according to Rivals. He chose Notre Dame over the USC Trojans, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks and Miami Hurricanes.

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Appearing in 11 games in 2025, he was productive, accumulating 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception and two pass deflections. He suffered a torn ACL in Notre Dame’s final home game against the Syracuse Orange on Nov. 22.

While working toward a recovery, he has full support from his teammates. With Carr aiming to bring a national championship to South Bend, he’ll need full hands on deck. If Viliamu-Asa can return to full strength, he could be a key piece to making that happen.

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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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