Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/651219
BY LOU SOMOGYI T here is no such thing as a lack of quarterback drama under Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. In each of his previous six seasons with the Fighting Irish — and even dur‑ ing his time at Cincinnati from 2007‑09 — Kelly and Co., have found signal‑ caller stability to be evasive. • In 2010, when five‑star quarterback Dayne Crist — projected to be the starter from 2010‑12 — suffered a season‑end‑ ing knee injury during a 4‑5 start, fresh‑ man Tommy Rees calmly stepped in and directed a 4‑0 finish. • In 2011, Crist began the season again as the starter, but was replaced after only one half by Rees during an 0‑2 start. By the end of the season (an 0‑2 finish), Rees' classmate Andrew Hendrix began seeing action and was a potential heir to the position because of possessing better mobility than Rees. • During the 2012 run to the BCS Na‑ tional Championship Game, sophomore Everett Golson was named the starter and enjoyed moments of brilliance, but Rees started a game and came off the bench four times to earn the save in comeback conquests. • In 2013, Golson was sidelined be‑ cause of an academic violation — after five‑star recruit Gunner Kiel already opted to transfer to Cincinnati. That left Rees as the stand‑by again, but inhibited 9‑4 Notre Dame from running its full gamut on offense because he was not a threat as a runner. • Golson returned in 2014 and was a top‑five Heisman Trophy candidate during a 7‑1 start — and then lost his starting position during a turnover‑ plagued 0‑4 finish. In the 31‑28 upset of LSU in the Music City Bowl, dual‑threat Malik Zaire was named MVP. • With the competition declared open by Kelly in the spring of 2015, Golson and Zaire vied for No. 1 — un‑ til Golson opted at the end of spring to announce he would use his fifth season of eligibility at Florida State. Zaire picked up where he left off with a masterful performance (19‑of‑22 passing for 313 yards with three touch‑ downs) in a 38‑3 drubbing of Texas in Two Are Better Than One The quarterback position takes center stage again this spring, but with a more positive slant