Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/259072
THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI A n early peek at Notre Dame's 2014 schedule reveals that this is going to be "The Year of the Quarterback." The question remains on which side of the ball will the quarterbacks be more powerful or impactful: Notre Dame's or the opposition's? While the return of 2012 Fighting Irish starter Everett Golson from 2013 aca- demic exile is expected to be the No. 1 story at Notre Dame in 2014, the abil- ity of a rebuilding Irish defense to slow down the opposition under new coordi- nator Brian VanGorder might not be far behind. If head coach Brian Kelly could point to his greatest on-field bane in his four seasons at Notre Dame, it likely would be a quarterback situation that has usu- ally been in a hamstrung, proceed-with- caution mode. Graduated senior Tommy Rees was perhaps Kelly's greatest salvation from 2010-13 as one of the best firemen in Notre Dame annals. Conversely, Kelly believes for the first time in his tenure with the Fighting Irish, he can run the offense full throttle, including running "options" that can maximize its capa- bilities — unless Golson gets hurt, which creates more handwringing on an of- fense with three scholarship quarter- backs. That is why Kelly is taking over as the play caller again after relinquishing it for the first time in his head coaching career 2014: Year Of The Quarterback On Both Sides Head coach Brian Kelly believes he might be able to cut loose a little more on offense with a seasoned Everett Golson at quarterback. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND