With talk of Golson possibly leaving after graduation in May, I wanted to compare the high school ratings of ND's current QB's. Here are ratings from 3 of the services, with player name, followed by stars, followed by other numbers used by the individual services:

 

Rivals: Golson 3, 5.7; Zaire 4, 5.9; Kizer 4, 5.8; Wimbush 4, 6.0

Scout: Golson 4, Zaire 4, Kizer 4, Wimbush 4

247: Golson 4, 89 composite; Zaire 4, 93; Kizer 4, 91; Wimbush 4, 98

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Golson play at ND and hope he stays to play one more year. Amazing arm, tons of talent. If he leaves it will be a real loss for the 2015 team. However, there are clearly some good quarterbacks behind him, each of whom was rated more highly coming out of high school.

Edited February 6, 201510 yr by Kelly Gruene

I hope Golson comes back Too. I just hope we are good.

I don't WANT Golson to leave, but if he does, I'm not going to sweat it. I actually feel like for the first time in a looooooooong time that all the QB's could be plugged in and the offense would keep moving okay.

None of you have a problem with Golson reaching out to LSU, USC, and others on a possible transfer? I don't like it. Kid is clearly trying to be "the guy" somewhere. Everett's turnovers and not taking too well to CBK's coaching at all have me ready for something new. Just feel the kid thinks he's above a 2 qb set, which is what he would be looking at next year in South Bend.

As much as I agree with CKP.

 

I feel like it's time to move on. I am cursed with kindofa quitter mentality, and I'm sure the coaches are trying to get him to fight through it.

 

Since day one with EG I've received mix signals about the type of leader he is. He plays his *** off on the field, but he puts his head down way too much.

 

While many of Golson's turnovers caused by "pressing" can be attributed to our terrible OLine play, it's pretty clear our team plays differently with Zaire taking snaps.

 

I'm aware our blocking scheme was totally different against LSU, but when he was put in against USC, he had much more success against the same backups and conservative calls Golson was playing against later in the game..

 

I'll say let's open this up to a 3 horse race and simplify things so we can get Wimbush in the competitive mix if he's physically & mentally ready.

If Golson can be harnessed, he gives you the best chance to win next year.

 

However, we don't know that he can be harnessed.

 

So the question is, do you want the guy with the most upside, running the most explosive offense, but potentially giving the ball to the other team way too much.

 

Or the guy who would run a more simplistic, run based offense. Not as explosive, but not as apt to turn it over?

 

Basically, higher ceiling or higher floor? My gut says the defense should be much better next year and simply scoring 25-35, keeping the ball from the other team and not beating yourself should be more than enough to win 10+ games.

None of you have a problem with Golson reaching out to LSU, USC, and others on a possible transfer? I don't like it. Kid is clearly trying to be "the guy" somewhere.

 

I do not have a problem with it. If he has dreams of being a QB at the next level, he sure has a better shot of doing it as "thee man" somewhere else, rather than getting occasional snaps with us.

 

In terms of what else we have at QB (meaning those behind Malik and Golson if he stays), I'm as excited as I can be going by rating systems, high school stats and highlight reels. However you really have no idea what a kid is really made of till he shows you he can still be awesome in a much more complex offense, while playing in front of tens of thousand of more fans than he ever has. That separates the men from the boys.

If Golson can be harnessed, he gives you the best chance to win next year.

 

However, we don't know that he can be harnessed.

 

So the question is, do you want the guy with the most upside, running the most explosive offense, but potentially giving the ball to the other team way too much.

 

Or the guy who would run a more simplistic, run based offense. Not as explosive, but not as apt to turn it over?

 

Basically, higher ceiling or higher floor? My gut says the defense should be much better next year and simply scoring 25-35, keeping the ball from the other team and not beating yourself should be more than enough to win 10+ games.

 

My gut says we have the horses to run, so let's run.

If Golson can be harnessed, he gives you the best chance to win next year.

 

However, we don't know that he can be harnessed.

 

So the question is, do you want the guy with the most upside, running the most explosive offense, but potentially giving the ball to the other team way too much.

 

Or the guy who would run a more simplistic, run based offense. Not as explosive, but not as apt to turn it over?

 

Basically, higher ceiling or higher floor? My gut says the defense should be much better next year and simply scoring 25-35, keeping the ball from the other team and not beating yourself should be more than enough to win 10+ games.

 

I totally agree with you here but the thing I don't get is Golson can run too. I have no clue why we didn't run the read option with him more, he just has to keep it. We saw what he did against Northwestern or when he used his feet alot more earlier in the year.

 

Zaire is more of the run you over type of runner while Golson will make you miss. While Zaire is a better runner I still think Golson is a better passer and I think he was dealing with a shoulder injury late in the season.

 

At this point I don't care if Kizer somehow wins the job just protect the ball and make some plays. This also is the best depth we've had at qb in quite some time, for as long as I've been a fan forsure.

None of you have a problem with Golson reaching out to LSU, USC, and others on a possible transfer? I don't like it. Kid is clearly trying to be "the guy" somewhere. Everett's turnovers and not taking too well to CBK's coaching at all have me ready for something new. Just feel the kid thinks he's above a 2 qb set, which is what he would be looking at next year in South Bend.

 

Lol... USC would have no interest. He is not going anywhere of significance.

If Golson can be harnessed, he gives you the best chance to win next year.

 

However, we don't know that he can be harnessed.

 

So the question is, do you want the guy with the most upside, running the most explosive offense, but potentially giving the ball to the other team way too much.

 

Or the guy who would run a more simplistic, run based offense. Not as explosive, but not as apt to turn it over?

 

Basically, higher ceiling or higher floor? My gut says the defense should be much better next year and simply scoring 25-35, keeping the ball from the other team and not beating yourself should be more than enough to win 10+ games.

 

For the most part I agree with this other than the assertion that Golson gives us the best chance to win. Not so much. He hit his ceiling.

I totally agree with you here but the thing I don't get is Golson can run too. I have no clue why we didn't run the read option with him more, he just has to keep it. We saw what he did against Northwestern or when he used his feet alot more earlier in the year.

 

The thing about the read option is that it is a HORRIBLE play "if" the QB doesn't read he key and make the right choice. Calling a Read Option play with the decision already made is almost doomed to fail (which is what we saw with EG). The simple truth is that EG has been unable to read his key on these plays, and rarely made the right choice.

 

In other words, EG is not a very good Read Option QB...

None of you have a problem with Golson reaching out to LSU, USC, and others on a possible transfer? I don't like it. Kid is clearly trying to be "the guy" somewhere. Everett's turnovers and not taking too well to CBK's coaching at all have me ready for something new. Just feel the kid thinks he's above a 2 qb set, which is what he would be looking at next year in South Bend.

 

If your USC is the one in Cali, he would NEVER be allowed to transfer to a currently scheduled opponent...

The thing about the read option is that it is a HORRIBLE play "if" the QB doesn't read he key and make the right choice. Calling a Read Option play with the decision already made is almost doomed to fail (which is what we saw with EG). The simple truth is that EG has been unable to read his key on these plays, and rarely made the right choice.

 

In other words, EG is not a very good Read Option QB...

 

If EG is too stupid to read the read option then maybe he shouldn't be playing quarterback next year. That play is one Kelly likes to use and when it's used with Zaire it's used with pretty good success.

If your USC is the one in Cali, he would NEVER be allowed to transfer to a currently scheduled opponent...

 

USC would not want Golson, they have multiple qbs who are better.

I totally agree with you here but the thing I don't get is Golson can run too. I have no clue why we didn't run the read option with him more, he just has to keep it. We saw what he did against Northwestern or when he used his feet alot more earlier in the year.

 

Zaire is more of the run you over type of runner while Golson will make you miss. While Zaire is a better runner I still think Golson is a better passer and I think he was dealing with a shoulder injury late in the season.

 

At this point I don't care if Kizer somehow wins the job just protect the ball and make some plays. This also is the best depth we've had at qb in quite some time, for as long as I've been a fan forsure.

 

Golson seems more like a "scrambler" to me than a "runner".

 

He'll pick up some yards on a QB draw, or a broken play, but he just doesn't seem like the type you want to give 15 designated runs out of the read option to every game.

 

Golson is very elusive in the pocket and in the open field, I just have never felt he is a great pure runner like other QB's.

 

Zaire, as we saw vs LSU, is that kind of QB.

Golson seems more like a "scrambler" to me than a "runner".

 

He'll pick up some yards on a QB draw, or a broken play, but he just doesn't seem like the type you want to give 15 designated runs out of the read option to every game.

 

Golson is very elusive in the pocket and in the open field, I just have never felt he is a great pure runner like other QB's.

 

Zaire, as we saw vs LSU, is that kind of QB.

 

Yeah your right now maybe that's why Golson decided to hand them off all the time and to avoid injury also. You know Golson might actually be better suited for a different offense, the pieces we have in place are for a power run team.

 

I think Zaire is the qb this team needs and a guy who fits Kelly's offense much much better. Golson might be better off playing for a guy like Spurrier but think he would be a valuable backup next year and would suck to lose him.

Golson seems more like a "scrambler" to me than a "runner".

 

He'll pick up some yards on a QB draw, or a broken play, but he just doesn't seem like the type you want to give 15 designated runs out of the read option to every game.

 

Golson is very elusive in the pocket and in the open field, I just have never felt he is a great pure runner like other QB's.

 

Zaire, as we saw vs LSU, is that kind of QB.

 

You'd be out of your damn mind as a playcaller to give Golson 15 designated read or run plays every game. He is a china doll..

My gut says we have the horses to run, so let's run.

 

Show me a defense that will consistently slow down an offense led by the huge OL ND has. Luatua as a blocking TE. Zaire and Bryant/Folston in the backfield. Fuller to stretch the defense. Robinson to move the chains. Procise running in the slot.

 

You can't find one because it can't be done. For the first time in a while, ND has the pieces that the QB doesn't need to be the focal point, similar to 2012, but with more firepower.

 

The only way ND doesn't have a dominating, power spread offense this year is if Kelly keeps his head up his rear and doesn't allow it to happen.

 

If running up and down the field vs a bona fide top tier SEC defense (with a QB in his first real playing time) doesn't show him what type of team he can have, I don't know what will.

I do not have a problem with it. If he has dreams of being a QB at the next level, he sure has a better shot of doing it as "thee man" somewhere else, rather than getting occasional snaps with us.

Why would we want someone here though that clearly doesn't want to be here and rather play elsewhere? Is at ND for Everett or ND? The draft will take care of itself. Even if he plays some of the snaps in 2015 at ND, NFL teams will see him and draft him if they see it in him. Whether he plays partially at ND some in 2015 or starts somewhere else, NFL teams see everything.

 

He looked elsewhere and doesn't want to be here. Notre Dame should reciprocate his feeling.

Personally I want Everett back ...& think we are a better team with him.. I would lik to see a two quarterback system with Everett seeing about 60% of the load & Malik the other 40%..Kelly can run a two qb system he's had lots of success before...if Golson starts his fumbling again...it's time to throw him on the bench & plug in Wimbush as the backup and call it a day...As far as Everett wanting to leave. ...I think if he does he'll find if he keeps up the turnovers he'll be benched anywhere else too...Might as well stay IMO...Bottom line If Golson holds onto the Ball he's the starter...He's Heisman talk without the turnovers !