Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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IN THE TRENCHES ANDREW OWENS caller even bumped into sophomore right guard Steve Elmer for a four-yard loss on the penultimate play. On fourth-and-11 from the Stanford 23-yard line, Golson valued patience over panic. He extended the play by escaping the pocket to his left and de- livered a 23-yard touchdown strike to senior tight end Ben Koyack in the back of the end zone. "That's big-boy time," Golson said. "I try to live for moments like that. I know people may not realize, but I was happy for the moment. Just fac- ing adversity, having the half we did before and still being in it and having a chance to win it at the end, that was big for me. I just embraced the oppor- tunity." And Golson's teammates embrace their leader 's calm under fire in the biggest moment of a season to date. "That brings everyone a sense of peace," sophomore wide receiver Corey Robinson said of Golson's de- meanor in the huddle. "It's a big-time situation. Everett can definitely bring that kind of control and let us know, 'We're going to make this play. That's what we're going to do.'" It's not something Notre Dame did in 2012 when backup Tommy Rees had to relieve Golson to lead the Irish to victory three times, including the dra- matic 20-13 overtime win against Stan- ford when the sophomore departed with an injury. Without a security blanket, Golson knows this team is his. "He's better," head coach Brian Kelly said. "There's no question. It's the ma- turity and the development, and he's the guy that's got to do it. We're not going to the bullpen. Tommy Rees is not coming in. He is our guy, and he's got to come through. When he gets in this situation, I think he's going to be even better than he was today." With upcoming trips to Florida State, Arizona State and USC, it's likely Gol- son will be called upon again to win a game in the closing minutes. It could be the difference between a College Football Playoff berth, a New Year 's Day bowl or a disappointing finish to a season with growing expectations. "He's a winner," Kelly said. "He's 15-1 as a starter. And I don't know how many games he lost in high school, but he didn't lose many. The kid's a winner, and he keeps compet- ing and he keeps playing. "And he has a bunch of winners around him. So you never feel like you're out of it. You just keep playing and keep giving it a shot, throwing the ball down the field." Even with a September that brought his name into the Heisman conversa- tion, Golson has yet to put forth his best — and even most consistent — ef- fort of the season. "I see big moments more as an op- portunity rather than pressure," Gol- son said. The biggest yet might still be in the future, for Golson and for Notre Dame. Its 2014 fate is inextricably linked to its quarterback and the poise he demon- strates in defining opportunities. ✦ Andrew Owens has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since August 2013. He can be reached at aowens@blueandgold.com