The Notre Dame football backup quarterback battle behind CJ Carr is about far more than a depth chart listing for the 2026 season.

Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish coaching staff are quietly laying the groundwork for what could be a critical transition at the most important position on the field. That is life after Carr.

Carr, the 6-2, 215-pound redshirt sophomore, is coming off a tremendous redshirt freshman campaign where he threw for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing over 66% of his passes and throwing just six interceptions. The star signal caller has generated so much buzz this offseason that many, including some around league circles, are projecting Carr could have a decision to make after the 2026 season.

If he puts together a big campaign, the 2027 NFL Draft is a potential decision that could be in his future.

The competition behind Carr

For Freeman, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, and quarterback coach Gino Guidugli, the focus today is on preparing for the 2026 season. But part of this offseason had to be dedicated to the long-term future of the Fighting Irish offense. You hope CJ Carr will be around past the 2026 college football season, but you have to prepare for the possibility that he won’t be.

That preparation is a big reason why Notre Dame brought in both Noah Grubbs and Teddy Jarrard during the 2026 recruiting class. Jarrard was initially a member of the 2027 group before reclassifying. Bringing in two quarterbacks as true freshmen while also having redshirt freshman Blake Hebert returning was by design.

Notre Dame understands the long-term picture is not a certainty with Carr, and in that preparation, the staff wants to get as many talented quarterbacks in the room as possible to begin developing behind the starter.

The goal is twofold: identify the 2026 backup and determine the next step after Carr. There’s a possibility Hebert serves as the backup this season, barely plays because Carr will take the majority of snaps barring injury, and then faces a compelling quarterback competition after the year when one of the youngsters rises to the top. That future group could also include 2027 quarterback commit Champ Monds, who entered the conversation after his senior season.

Why fall camp matters so much

The future at quarterback is somewhat murky today.

The next several months, including fall camp, will be a huge indicator for what lies ahead at the position. There’s a chance Jarrard or Grubbs shows he’s the next guy. Perhaps Hebert takes a massive step forward this season. Maybe Monds comes in and becomes one of those rare true freshman quarterbacks who can make an easier transition.

All of those possibilities are out there.

If none of those things come to fruition, or if everyone develops more slowly than hoped, that’s where the dreaded conversation enters the picture: should Notre Dame pursue a transfer portal quarterback after the 2026 season? We are obviously a long way from having that deeper discussion. We need to see how things play out, what happens with Carr, and how the young quarterbacks develop behind him.

That reality puts into perspective just how important the next few weeks of setting the foundation for these young quarterbacks truly are. While the on-field spotlight won’t shine on the backup battle as much, behind the scenes, the development work with Denbrock and Guidugli could prove to be among the most consequential storylines of fall camp.

One or two of these younger quarterbacks need to show they can be the next guy after Carr heads off to greener NFL pastures.