After much anticipation from fans, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly announced Thursday that sophomore quarterback Everett Golson will officially open the season under center for the Irish. The second-year signal caller, who was a four-star recruit according to Scout.com, has yet to throw a collegiate pass, but will bring needed athleticism to Kelly's new-look offense.
Everett Golson Officially Named Notre Dame’s Starting Quarterback
Though he beat out junior Andrew Hendrix and freshman Gunner Kiel for the right to kick off the season against Navy in Dublin, it's hard to imagine that an inexperienced player like Golson will have a very long leash in his first career game. Despite facing annual uncertainty with his quarterbacks since taking over in South Bend, Kelly told the Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton that he's fully planning on having Golson on the field for the entire game.
— Brian Hamilton (@ChiTribHamilton) August 23, 2012
#NotreDame HC Brian Kelly: "Everett is the starter. If things go the way were planning it, he'd play the whole game."
— Brian Hamilton (@ChiTribHamilton) August 23, 2012
#NotreDame HC Brian Kelly: "It was a tough decision, but Everett clearly won the starting job."
Aside from standing a mere 6-feet and 170 lbs, tossing Golson into the mix right away shows exactly what Notre Dame wants to accomplish this season, and it has everything to do with player development. Injuries are decimating Kelly’s roster before his eyes as camp draws to a close, and Golson is simply the best weapon the third-year coach can send out at the position right now. With the Irish set to face a number of top defensive units this year, it will be interesting to see if the inexperienced youngster will be up to the challenge.
Stay with this StoryStream for more coverage of Notre Dame’s quarterback battle, and check out One Foot Down for more Notre Dame football coverage. Also be sure to visit SB Nation’s NCAA football hub for more news from around the country.
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