Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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8 JANUARY 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI AND MATT JONES U nlike at the start of the 2016 football season, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly should not have much in- decision or controversy about who his starting 2017 quarterback will be. Despite two years of college eligi- bility remaining for junior DeShone Kizer and a fifth year on the table for senior Malik Zaire, both have opted to use their skills elsewhere in 2017 for different reasons. Projected as a potential first- round pick in the NFL Draft next spring, Kizer announced Dec. 12 in a Bleacher Report-produced video that he would forego his senior season at Notre Dame to turn professional. Shortly after the Nov. 26 season finale at USC, Zaire bade farewell to Notre Dame — from where he is scheduled to receive his degree this month — and will pursue a graduate transfer waiver at another school. That means sophomore Brandon Wimbush, who redshirted this sea- son, is next in line at quarterback. For the seventh consecutive year, Kelly will start a different quarter- back than the one from the previ- ous year: Dayne Crist (2011), Everett Golson (2012), Tommy Rees (2013, after Golson was academically sus- pended), Golson (2014), Zaire (2015) and Kizer (2016). MOVING TO THE NEXT LEVEL Although ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both rec- ommended in early December that Kizer return for his senior season to hone his skills — especially accuracy — the reality is that in a relatively weak quarterback draft class, Kizer could be an early selection. Named Notre Dame's team Most Valuable Player in 2016, the Toledo, Ohio, native completed 212 of 361 passes for 2,925 yards with 26 touch- downs. He also rushed for 472 yards and eight scores. Kizer finishes his two-year run as a starter with 5,809 passing yards, 47 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. In the video, Kizer thanked the Notre Dame fan base, teammates and coaches. He then states, "NFL bound." Shortly afterward, Kizer re- leased a statement via Twitter. "Three years ago, I made a deci- sion to attend the University of Notre Dame," he noted. "I found a second home and a second family. I made many connections, on and off the field, that changed my life in a positive manner. I'm truly grateful and blessed for everything that I've received. "I have an opportunity to continue my football career in the NFL. My family and I have taken the last cou- ple weeks to collect all the necessary information to make a decision that will impact our future. After discuss- ing with my family and coaches, and weighing the pros and cons of re- maining at Notre Dame, I believe it's time to change my path. "I've decided to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft. I'm ready to accept this challenge. "I want to thank the University of Notre Dame, its fans, my teammates, my coaches and the entire football staff for standing beside me and be- lieving in me throughout my career. I'm a better person today because of this support. "I will forever be Irish at heart." Head coach Brian Kelly released a statement on Kizer 's decision on Notre Dame's website. "DeShone is an extremely gifted quarterback that was faced with a dif- ficult decision," Kelly said. "He could return as a senior captain at Notre Dame — a place that he loves, and with a program that respects him im- mensely. Or, he could begin the next chapter in his life and accept the op- portunity that likely awaits in the NFL. "While he chose the latter, the type of leadership DeShone displayed this past season will benefit our program moving forward. He'll certainly be missed on and off the field, but we're very happy for him and his family. DeShone will always represent this university with the utmost profes- sionalism and class." MOVING ON Meanwhile, Zaire will become the sixth Notre Dame quarterback in Kel- ly's seven seasons to finish his college career — mainly fifth year — else- where. The others were Crist at Kan- sas, Nate Montana at Montana and West Virginia Wesleyan, Gunner Kiel at Cincinnati, Andrew Hendrix at Mi- ami (Ohio) and Golson at Florida State. Among the potential landing spots for Zaire are North Carolina (where the Irish play Oct. 7), which he planned to visit. Per ESPN, other schools in- clude Florida, Michigan State (where the Irish play Sept. 23) and Wisconsin. A previous former Notre Dame quarterback who transferred and then started in a defeat of the Irish was Zach Frazer, who helped direct UNDER THE DOME QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire depart, leaving Brandon Wimbush as the heir Kizer still had two years of college eligibility remaining, but decided to head to the NFL. PHOTO BY RICK KIMBALL