One Major Concern, One Reason for Optimism in Notre Dame’s Texas A&M Prep

As Notre Dame prepares to host a top-tier program from the SEC in its second game of the year, I can't help but look back a few years to when a similar situation occurred.

The thing about history is that we use it as a guide point because it's not only what we're most aware of, but also tends to repeat itself.

This week, redshirt freshman CJ Carr is set to make his second career start as Notre Dame's quarterback, and my mind keeps going back to the early parts of 2017.

Flashback to Notre Dame vs. Georgia in 2017

Notre Dame hosting Texas A&M this week has me thinking more and more back to the 2017 game against Georgia, the closer we get to kickoff.

Like in 2017, this is Notre Dame's second game of the year, and it comes against an up-and-coming SEC program. Georgia was in its second season under Kirby Smart at that point, and Texas A&M enters Saturday in its second year under Mike Elko.

Although those similarities are obvious, its what Notre Dame's starting quarterback is doing that makes me the most interested - and concerned.

CJ Carr Set to Make Second Career Start

CJ Carr will be making his second career start for Notre Dame on Saturday, just like Brandon Wimbush was back in that 2017 Georgia game. Before I begin, I'll acknowledge that they are significantly different in style, but the following remains a fear of mine.

In what was Wimbush's second career start that night, against the then-15th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, he completed just 20 of 40 pass attempts for 210 yards, without throwing a touchdown pass. He also fumbled three times, losing two of them.

Notre Dame lost that game in the final moments, 20-19 while Georgia would go on to play for the national championship that year.

I'm not here to say CJ Carr is going to be Brandon Wimbush by any stretch of the imagination, but what I am here to do is acknowledge a general fear of mine regarding Notre Dame for this Saturday.

It may feel like Carr is battle-tested because he walked into a hostile road environment at Miami and helped guide the Irish to a late, game-tying rally in the fourth quarter. However, that's still just four quarters of football.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway

It may feel like the most pressure is off because that first game is out of the way, but progression isn't linear when it comes to college quarterbacks. My hope for Saturday is that not as much time has to be used to get Carr comfortable and confident, because we saw what the vast majority of those drives resulted in.

What level of comfort Carr shows early on Saturday night and how much offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has to tailor that will likely go a long way in determining if Notre Dame walks out with a 1-1 record.

The good news? Ian Book's second start (of the 2018 season and third overall) was a 38-17 victory over No. 7 Stanford in Notre Dame Stadium that was played under the lights.

So maybe just maybe, that sort of history could repeat itself Saturday night in South Bend instead of the Georgia one.