SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – Everett Golson is Notre Dame’s starting quarterback again.
The senior has reclaimed the post he held while leading the Fighting Irish to the national championship game two years ago, and before being suspended last season for academic impropriety.
The move was widely expected even though coach Brian Kelly said repeatedly that sophomore Malik Zaire was competing for the job. Kelly said Wednesday that Golson won the position because of his overall understanding of the offense, how he’s handled himself with the team and his leadership.
“He’s put himself in that position to get that opportunity to be our starter against Rice,” Kelly said. “There was competition and there will be competition. Everett’s the starter for Rice and we hope he’s the starter for the entire year. But we’re all in this merit-based situation. We’ve got to win.”
The Irish did that with Golson in 2012, posting their first undefeated regular season since winning the national championship in 1988 and being ranked No. 1 for the first time in 19 years. But defense, not offense, was the impetus behind that team. Kelly even spoke of that two weeks ago when he said “I would argue that Everett rode the bus to the championship.”