Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Fighting Words Everett Golson’s Debut Goes Off Without A Hitch By Wes Morgan There was no pain or pressure in Brian Kelly’s chest Saturday in Dublin, Ireland. The only fatigue the third-year head football coach experienced was the lingering effects of jet lag. Any indigestion would have been linked to Irish cuisine. He wasn’t dizzy or sweaty, nor did he deal with any shortness of breath. He avoided the big one. Following the Blue-Gold Game this past April, sophomore quarterback Everett Golson was one of two players Kelly pointed out (the other being sophomore running back George Atkinson III) as having the potential to do great things in 2012 … and that might give him a heart attack. Golson could be electric. He could also start a fire. But instead of clutching his chest at Aviva Stadium in front of 48,820 fans, Kelly paced the sideline with it proudly puffed up while the Fighting Irish finished off Navy, 50-10. Golson completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown, with one interception as the only blemish in his career debut. It wasn’t a performance that will win the 6-0, 185-pounder any awards, but it was enough to fully earn his coaches’ and teammates’ trust. “I think we all were [waiting to see],” senior running back Theo Riddick said. “He handled it like the champ he is. To see him out there and do well was the best thing to see.” Maybe not for junior quarterback Tommy Rees, who has 16 starts under his belt but was back in South Bend serving a one-game suspension after an alcohol-related arrest in May. Kelly said Rees would have an opportunity to climb the depth chart once preparation begins for the team’s next game against Purdue. The ceiling for Rees appears to be the No. 2 spot. In between the spring and Saturday’s opener, Golson figured a few things out — most importantly that he’s surrounded by enough talent not to feel as if he must win games on his own. “We knew what we were going to get with Everett,” Kelly said. “This wasn’t something where we didn’t know what was going to happen. There is always going to be some learning, and he’s going to continue to learn all year. We would not have put him out there unless he had a good grasp of the offense. “This was really just getting live snaps and experiencing the flow of the game. He’s going to be a much better player each and every week; today was just the start. He’s going to have to look at the film, and we’ll evaluate it. I’m sure he’ll find there are a lot of things he can improve on.” Most of what the world saw from Golson Saturday is already an improvement compared to 2011, a season that opened with a home loss to South Florida due in part to three combined interceptions by 30-minute starter Dayne Crist and Rees, who added a fumble. Golson was assaulted on the blind side by Navy linebacker Keegan Wetzel for a sack on Notre Dame’s opening drive but held on to the football and shook off the violent hit. He delivered passes in stride, taking advantage of senior tight end Tyler Eifert’s size and savvy on a fade for a short touchdown pass early in the second quarter and displaying nice touch over coverage to sophomore DaVaris Daniels for a 33-yard gain on the same drive. Even at the postgame press conference, when an overeager reporter interrupted Golson mid-sentence, he didn’t flinch; he just smiled. Golson’s interception in the second quarter, a pass intended for Eifert in the red zone that was telegraphed and thrown far too late, didn’t derail the rookie. He regrouped following the team’s only turnover. It didn’t hurt that Kelly also kept his composure. “I think I was comfortable,” Golson said. “Part of that is due to the coaches. Coming into this game, the main thing was everybody is going to make mistakes, but you just have to relax. You’re going to make mistakes, but make them going full speed.” Speed is a basic tenant of Kelly’s spread offense. Golson has physical speed, but it’s the pace at which he processed information in a game situation for the first time that was perhaps most impressive. The calls got in and communicated on time, keeping the offense moving at a good clip. “He did an awesome job,” fifth-year senior center Braxston Cave said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better in his first start. He handled all the situations very well. We’re excited with what he has going on.” Most Notre Dame fans felt that way before the Myrtle Beach, S.C., native stepped foot on foreign soil and ushered in a new era at quarterback. Expectations will surely be stratospheric after his opening performance. Riddick called Golson a “surgeon.” Kelly’s just happy he didn’t need one. Assitant Editor Wes Morgan has been with Blue & Gold Illustrated since February 2011. He can be reached at wmorgan@blueandgold.com