Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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event is nothing more than a glori- fied scrimmage and a great fund- raiser for college football programs around the country. No grand assessments or clear answers were expected when Notre Dame took the field for its annual spring game. But because of the un- certainty at quarterback, the chal- lenge of better ball protection from last season, and a pivotal third year for head coach Brian Kelly, the 2012 Blue-Gold Game brought plenty of interest and curiosity, just not many answers to those top storylines. F or the most part, reading much into a spring football game is a dangerous endeavor. The annual With all eyes this spring on the four quarterback candidates vying for the starting duties on opening day, we still have no clarity or hierarchy after 15 spring practices and one scrim- mage game, at least not publicly. Juniors Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix each threw interceptions in the Blue-Gold Game, as did early en- rollee freshman Gunner Kiel. None of the three did much to turn any heads with their play, or become the offseason frontrunner for starting du- ties. Sophomore Everett Golson — the spring game star from the last two years — stayed turnover free and threw two touchdown passes, but Kelly still wasn't pleased with Golson's game management and said afterward that his shifty quarterback gives him cause for a heart attack at times. Without all the data in but the QUARTERBACK CONFUSION So Much To Do, So Little Time UPON FURTHER REVIEW TODD D. BURLAGE To try and draw any comparisons between these two eras is a lengthy stretch, at least to this point. Much of what Kelly has done at Notre Dame needs to be recognized. Kelly's ability to land top recruits can't be understated, he's been mas- terful at keeping star players such as Michael Floyd, Tyler Eifert and Manti Te'o around for four years, and his staff is committed to building a dominating defensive team, rather than trying to outscore everybody. That said, the first two years have Junior Andrew Hendrix's mobility, arm strength and size make him a good fit for the spread offense, but like his competitors he has yet to distinguish himself in the race for the starting quarterback job. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND needs to be showcased in some spe- cialty offensive packages, at the very least, to add an explosive dimension to the Irish offense for which oppo- nents must account. All four quarterbacks have a been one step forward and one step back — an impressive win one game, then a difficult upset the next game. And that's been the source of equal parts frustration and hope through Kelly's first two years. "If you own stock in Notre Dame football," Kelly said during his pre- sentation, "you're going to start see- ing some dividends." Hopefully the payoff comes in the form of more than eight wins. unique and valuable skill set, but one of them needs to separate from the quarterback pack this summer and through the fall and seize the starting job, not win it by becoming the least of the four evils. Kelly offered a peculiar sound bite during a presentation April 13 at the Notre Dame Club of Chicago's 54th Rockne Award Banquet. "We think we can win eight or THREE'S A CHARM? spring season completed, Hendrix seems like the best option to start in the fall. He has the experience after being a steady backup to Rees last season. His mobility, arm strength and size make Hendrix the best fit for the spread offense. And let's face it, Kelly would be open to unimagina- ble scrutiny if Rees started on open- ing day and made the same mistakes as last year when he finished near the bottom of the NCAA heap in quarter- back efficiency with his 19 turnovers. Hendrix may be the best starting option, but no matter who takes the first snap on opening day, Golson 4 MAY 2012 more football games this year," Kelly said. "And if that happens, it would be the first time in 18 years that Notre Dame teams have won at least eight games in three straight seasons [1991-93]." Perhaps I'm nitpicking here, but to celebrate eight wins as a third-year coach at Notre Dame seems like a low bar, and rhetoric for an under- achieving football program. The Lou Holtz teams Kelly referenced and is hoping to replicate actually won at least nine games six years in a row (1988-93) with at least 10 wins five times, one national title in 1988 and a legitimate case for a second champi- onship in 1993. ball control, the last thing any Notre Dame follower wanted to see in the Blue-Gold Game was more comedy of errors, but that's what they got — six turnovers. Three lost fumbles and three in- After the follies of last season in TACKLING THE TURNOVERS terceptions rekindled some familiar feelings, even as the Irish coaches pledged that improving ball control was the top priority for the spring season. Notre Dame ranked No. 118 out of 120 teams last year in turnover margin, a statistical failure not even an elite program could overcome. And with a 2012 schedule that in- cludes defensive stalwarts Michigan State, Miami, Oklahoma and USC, turnovers will lead to losses, losses will lead to a disgruntled fan base, and a disgruntled fan base will bring much misery to South Bend. To borrow and butcher a line from a popular DirecTV advertisement, "Don't bring us much misery … hold on to the football." ✦ Todd D. Burlage has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 2005. He can be reached at tburlage@blueandgold.com BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED