If any college football player deserves to have a song written about him, it’s Austin Carr.
At Northwestern’s Meet the Team event before the 2016 season kicked off, the wide receiver from Benicia, Calif., expressed his desire to sometimes “just belt out the classics, like ‘New York, New York.'”
Those words seem prescient now, as Carr will play his final collegiate game Wednesday when the Wildcats (6-6) take on Pittsburgh (8-4) in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium (1 p.m., ESPN). Given the vulnerability of the Panthers defense, which ranks 127th out of 128 teams nationally in passing yards allowed, expect Carr and the NU offense to have a big day.
It’s a golden opportunity for Carr, who has NFL aspirations, to perform before a national audience.
And “perform” is definitely the operative word when referring to just about anything involving Carr. The senior caught the singing/acting bug as a child when he saw “The Lion King” in his native Bay Area. He later landed the lead male role in his high school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
“There’s a special place in my heart for musical theater as I was involved in it all throughout high school,” Carr said.
The winner of the Richter-Howard Wide Receiver of the Year award (Big Ten’s best wide receiver), he was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy (nation’s best player who began as a walk-on) and the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s best receiver).
There are even parallels to be drawn between Carr and “Hamilton,” the musical sweeping the nation. Most of the blockbuster is set in New York City, and Alexander Hamilton’s former home is about a mile from the bowl game site.
Carr is quite familiar with the music of “Hamilton” already—”My Shot” is his favorite song in the book. It’s the most apt tune possible, as it’s about having huge ambitions despite long odds.
“When I came here, I was a no-name who wanted to earn a scholarship, and the dream has come true, so to speak, and it’s been a real honor,” Carr said of the team’s success this season.
To borrow a line from the first musical he attended, it’s the circle of life.
Carr entered this season with just 23 career catches. But he exploded in 2016, leading the Big Ten in receptions (84), receiving yards (1,196) and receiving touchdowns (12). Pro Football Focus tabbed him as the top slot receiver in the nation.
Not bad for a former walk-on.
“I’ll be honest with you, no, I didn’t picture this happening two, three years ago when I wasn’t able to play or contribute much,” said Carr, who had eight catches for 158 yards against College Football Playoff-bound Ohio State on Oct. 29. “I always knew I could be a guy to add value to the team, but it’s just been a byproduct of hard work and having a great family around me on this football team of brothers who truly care about me and who I care about.”
The NU football atmosphere is very fraternal indeed, with many players having earned creative nicknames. For example, linebacker Anthony Walker, the Wildcats’ defensive captain, is known as “The Franchise.”
Along those lines, receiver Andrew “the Bull” Scanlan said Carr’s moniker is “A.C. Butterknife” thanks to an incident his freshman year at training camp. Carr accidentally cut himself with a butter knife in the cafeteria. The wound required surgery, keeping him out of action for weeks.
The nickname stuck, and it’s ironic given how intelligent Carr is. He has already earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy major and is working on a master’s in management studies.
“He’s the definition of a Wildcat man, and that’s why he was named captain—[it was for] all his accomplishments, this year, and off the field as well,” Scanlan said. “He’s just an awesome, special guy. You can write all day about [Carr’s talents].
“I don’t know if many people know this, but every away game he finds the nearest piano in the hotel and he’ll just play. That’s his Zen, so to speak. It’s where he gets his mind right, and he’ll play for hours and hours and that’s how he gets into his A.C. mode.”
In addition to playing the piano and singing, Carr also writes songs and can play the guitar.
“He’s a pretty good singer, I’ll give that to him,” said fellow receiver Solomon “Solo” Vault, adding that Carr often sings in the locker room showers. “I know he sang the national anthem at a couple [Northwestern] sporting events.
“He loves John Legend, and if someone asks, ‘Hey Austin, sing something,’ he’d probably sing ‘Ordinary People.’ That’s his favorite one.”
Case in point: His freshman year, Carr won the student-athlete talent show when he performed “Ordinary People.”
Knowing all this, no one would be surprised to learn Carr has his sights set on a performing arts career once his football-playing days are behind him.
“At the talent show last year, he made his own song and performed it [in] front of the student-athlete body, so that was pretty cool,” Wildcats running back Justin “Bread and Butter” Jackson said. “I think he can do whatever he wants [in life]. He’s a very talented guy, a very dedicated guy, so whatever he puts his mind to he’s pretty good at.”
Paul M. Banks is a RedEye contributor. @paulmbanks
