Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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The Incumbent And The Challengers it's very difficult to unseat a starting QB from the previous season in the following year's opener. The only time that occurred at Notre Dame the past 70 years was 1972, when sophomore Tom Clements supplanted Cliff Brown. Rees has engineered clutch go-ahead drives in the fourth quarter on the road versus USC in 2010 and Tommy Rees: Experience Matters Assets: Sixteen starts and a knowledge base superior to his competition are Rees' calling cards. Plus vertical passing attack has been extremely limited, thereby hindering how much the offense can stretch opposing defenses. Outlook: Until someone else can step forward and earn the job, Rees will be in the pole position. taking time, and even when Rees struggled, he still was unable to overtake him and saw limited action. He can't be rattled by interceptions, like the fourth-quarter pick that set up FSU's go-ahead touchdown in the bowl. Outlook: It's not just about finally overtaking Rees, but also holding off the challenges of Everett Golson and Gunner Kiel. This is a crucial crossroads campaign for Hendrix. totype size. Can he absorb hit after hit and maintain effectiveness and escapability while keeping turnovers at a minimum (his lost fumble in the Blue-Gold Game last year set up the winning score)? Outlook: The physical skills as a runner and passer school, a second spring in Brian Kelly's system and a full year of a college strength and conditioning program, Golson realizes his time might be coming. When in a flow, he has an electric quality. Concerns: At 6-0, 185, Golson does not possess pro- Everett Golson: The Intrigue Assets: With extensive spread experience in high (6.5 yards per carry) were the third best on the team last season. He played in meaningful game situations last year versus quality Stanford and Florida State defenses. The 77-yard TD drive he directed in the third quarter at Stanford was a clinic on how to run the spread, rushing and passing. Concerns: His overall grasp of the offense has been Andrew Hendrix: Now Or Never? Assets: Displays a big arm and his 165 yards rushing Michigan, Pitt and Wake Forest last year, efforts that cannot be undervalued. Concerns: Has he reached his plateau physically? He's not going to be a threat as a runner, and the Second-round pick Jimmy Clausen had 17 as a sophomore in 2008, 17-year NFL veteran Steve Beuerlein tossed 18 as the sophomore Irish QB in 1984, and even Super Bowl champion Joe Theis- mann threw 18 in his first full season as a college starter. Whether it's Rees or a new starter behind the throttle in 2012, the nega- tive plays must be cut significantly. "We threw way too many intercep- tions last year for me to be comfortable with," Kelly said. "I'm not used to see- ing that kind of turnover rate, and it certainly affected our win-loss record." are evident. "For me it's about accuracy, getting the ball out on time and obviously having good football intelligence," head coach Brian Kelly said. "Those are the areas that he'll continue to work on because there's no question about his footwork, and there's no questioning his arm strength. We've got to continue to work on those other three areas." Junior Andrew Hendrix is the most accom- plished rusher of the four candidates, but after two years under Brian Kelly he has yet to earn the coach's trust as a starter. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND specifically among his quarterbacks during the spring, Kelly didn't delve into exotics. It's about basic tenets. "The ball coming out in a timely When asked what he will evaluate SPRING GOALS quarterback from 1980-83) and shows a respected work ethic with hunger to learn. Concerns: Although a five-star prospect, he did not face stellar high school competition in Indiana. His Gunner Kiel: The New Gun Assets: Kiel is physically advanced for his age, has a good lineage (uncle Blair Kiel was the starting Irish knowledge base of the offense is understandably far less than the others. Outlook: If no one else seizes the quarterback throne, Kiel just might have the ability to wrest it in the fall. "He has something that the other three quarterbacks don't have — that's 6-foot-4," Kelly said of Kiel's height. "When you've got that size, it allows you to see some things. For him it's just understanding the language right now. That's a bit overwhelming for him, but when we can get him comfortable, he's got all the tools. "Now it's just going to be how much can he learn to get to the point where he can really be in there. … You can tell early on this is a guy that's going to spend the time on watching film and doing those things that are necessary." 30 APRIL 2012 — Lou Somogyi fashion, coming out accurately, and then good decisions being made with the football," he summarized. "The other thing is the ability to make plays outside the traditional call of the play — making a play here or there that is not the initial read." While reviewing tape of the 2011 season, Kelly said that when Notre Dame did not have a negative play with a drive, it scored more than 90 percent of the time. "When we had a negative play [pen- alty, sack, tackle for lost yardage, plus turnovers] … our effectiveness was de- BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED