THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI
F
ew things in football elicit more
debate or angst among its fan-
dom than a quarterback contro-
versy or a season-ending injury to a
starting signal caller.
At Notre Dame, the former was
avoided this May when Everett Gol-
son transferred to Florida State, and
the latter occurred when new starter
Malik Zaire was lost for the season in
game two because of a fractured ankle.
To many, that ended whatever huge
dreams the Fighting Irish aspired to-
ward in 2015.
Or did it?
Over the past eight years, if there
is one identity Brian Kelly has es-
tablished, it is that he is at his finest
when there appears to be doubt, if not
gloom-and-doom chaos, at QB.
Exhibit A was his 2008 Cincinnati
team that made it to the BCS while
four different quarterbacks had to con-
tribute. The next year, when starter
Tony Pike was injured midseason,
Zach Collaros stepped in ably to con-
tinue the 12-0 regular season before
Pike returned.
Entering the Sept. 19 game versus
No. 14 Georgia Tech, Kelly was 15-1
with the Irish when a true freshman or
redshirt freshman quarterback started
for him.
The week prior, an element of Holly-
wood in Notre Dame and sophomore
QB DeShone Kizer 's 2015 script was
added to complement the past:
• In 1966, there was no way Notre
Dame was going to weather trail-
ing at No. 2 Michigan State 10-0 and
then win at Pac-8 champ USC the
next week with diabetic, unheralded
backup QB Coley O'Brien (plus star
running back Nick Eddy, later reserve
back Bob Gladieux and center George
Goeddeke were also injured), but
somehow it won the national title.
• The 1977 national champs lost star
1,000-yard rusher Al Hunter before
the season to suspension, fell at Ole
Miss in week two and had to turn to
No. 3 QB Joe Montana when trailing
by double digits in the third quarter
Supporting Casts Often
Provide The Best Scripts
To achieve the 2015 goal of reaching the College
Football Playoff, Notre Dame will need to do so
without five injured starters, including junior quar-
terback Malik Zaire.
PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA
