Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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but now that Golson's feet are wet Kelly is put- ting them to work. The coach also said he held back because of Golson's propensity for fumbling the ball. He lost the ball once against Miami and put it in a dangerous position near the goal line on another play. Eventually, though, the upside of an extra ance would loosen up the sophomore. "My main motive to- night was just to have fun," Golson said after the game. He did. Coaches and teammates both said they saw the carefree attitude and confidence that won Golson the starting job this summer return on Soldier Field. love — basketball. Gol- son ran the point for the Myrtle Beach team. He won a state champion- ship on the court, too. When he's at his best on the football field, extending plays with his legs and dishing to teammates, Golson is as much of a point guard in shoulder pads as a quarterback. "I THINK IT ADDS ANOTHER DIMENSION FOR OUR OFFENSE." GOLSON ON RUNNING THE ZONE READ rusher on the field out- weighed the risk. "We were just get- ting him out on the field and getting him playing and enjoying the expe- rience," Kelly said. "We want somebody who is smiling and having fun and enjoying it, but also disciplined and get- ting with us in the right place and make the right choices." Golson didn't fit either Golson has always felt most comfortable once he gets on the run, ac- cording to high school coach Mickey Wilson. Wilson was Golson's of those descriptions in the quarter and a half he played against Michigan before the bye week. He was tight and indecisive and threw two inter- ceptions before Tommy Rees took his spot. Kelly hoped the increased role in the running game during his next appear- offensive coordinator when he took over as Myrtle Beach's quarter- back in the second game of his freshman year and his head coach when he led the Seahawks to a pair of 3A state titles. "We didn't want him ball mentality," Wilson said. "He has great vision and is aware of where ev- erybody is." Putting the first-year "He's got that basket- taking any licks so we tried to keep him away from as much contact as possible, but he always wanted to [run]," Wil- son said. "He always thought he was a run- ning back for some rea- son." Perhaps it goes back to the quarterback's first starter in motion only helps Golson feel more at home. It gives the Irish offense, one that was decidedly dull dur- ing the first month of the season, a new edge. Notre Dame will need that to continue as the competition level contin- ues to escalate. The Irish defense set the bar for BCS aspi- rations at a reachable height during the first half of the year, but they'll need the offense to improve to clear it in the second half. That starts with Golson. ✦