"It's Going to Happen": Marcus Freeman Makes Massive Notre Dame Claim as He Confirms CJ Carr's Biggest Advantage

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Notre Dame has spent nearly four decades chasing a national championship that hasn’t come since Lou Holtz guided the Fighting Irish to glory in 1988. There have been playoff runs, top-10 finishes, and plenty of close calls, but the one thing the program craves most is still missing. Head coach Marcus Freeman knows it and isn’t pretending otherwise.

Speaking to WNDU 16 News Now, Marcus Freeman clarified that he isn’t interested in adding a personal milestone to his resume. Instead, the head coach wants to do right by Notre Dame, and he’s pretty confident about his chances. In fact, Freeman doubled down on the fact that South Bend will witness national championship glory again.

“For me personally, it would be the opportunity to give this place something it so much deserves,” he said when asked what it would mean to him to win the first national championship in 37 years. “This isn’t about me. This is about getting Notre Dame its 12th national championship, and we’ve got a lot of work to do that, but it’s going to happen at some point. At some point, Notre Dame will get its 12th national championship.”

Marcus Freeman has compiled a 43-12 record since taking over Notre Dame and led the Irish to the CFP National Championship Game during the 2024 season. His confidence comes from what he believes he has inside the building, starting with QB CJ Carr. When asked how valuable it is to have his starting QB returning for the first time during his tenure, Freeman didn’t hesitate.

“I think it’s a big advantage because not only is he a great player, but the familiarity he has with our offensive coordinator,” he said. “Quarterback is just a natural leadership position. Now you have somebody returning that doesn’t have to earn the trust of the people that he leads. He’s earned it last year.”

Carr flashed in real moments last season, from the Miami comeback to the Texas A&M game, where he showcased a 293-yard passing performance, and that kind of early proof changes how a team listens to its quarterback. Now, with former star RBs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price gone, the offense belongs to him. That’s why the expectations around him are sky-high now.

A lot of people see CJ Carr as one of the best in the country heading into 2026. The Athletic put the Notre Dame QB in its top QB tier before the season, grouping him with the game’s biggest names and genuine Heisman contenders. Marcus Freeman also made it clear that the Irish aren’t planning to hold him back. With Mike Denbrock calling the plays, he’ll have even more freedom to run the offense and make decisions at the line.

“Coach Denbrock is as creative as any mind I’ve been around,” he said. “We’re going to give CJ a lot of ability to put us in a position to have success… We’ll put him in a position to lead our offense in the right way. We’ll let him be the best version of himself. And I think when we do that, we’ll have success.”

That trust is the point. CJ Carr already knows the system, has the respect of the locker room, and now has the freedom to change plays before the snap. Whether Notre Dame finally reaches championship No. 12 will be decided over a long season. If they get over the top, Carr is the reason Freeman believes the climb will finally end.

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