Notre Dame lose Quarterback Golson for the Season
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish enjoyed their best season in nearly two decades during 2012, but is regrouping following the announcement that last season’s starting quarterback Everett Golson will miss the entire upcoming 2013 season after being placed on academic suspension by the school.
Golson said on Sunday that he would miss the 2013 Notre Dame football season due to being academically ineligible, but said he plans to return for the 2014 season. The school released a statement on Sunday regarding the status of Golson that said the team’s starting quarterback from last season was suspended for “poor academic judgment.â€
Golson said that the school had informed him that he was suspended for the fall term of 2013 for his poor academic judgment. He accepted full responsibility for the poor choices he made and insisted he would do all it takes to regain the trust of family, friends coaches, teammates and the entire community at Notre Dame.
The young quarterback knows people might question his integrity, but he wanted to reassure all the team’s supporters that because of this experience he would return as a better person and student athlete.
A school official confirmed that Golson was not enrolled at the school for the fall semester, but due to federal law, no other specifics could be discussed publically.
During the 2012 season, Golson helped lead Notre Dame to an undefeated regular season and to the BCS national title game were they were routed by Alabama 42-14. His departure will likely open the door for Tommy Rees to become the team’s starting quarterback. The rising senior, substituted for Golson on several occasions last season.
Golson was the starting quarterback in 11 of the team’s 12 games. His completion percentage was nearly 59% for 2,405 years with 12 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Rees played in each of the 12 games for Notre Dame last season.
In April, during the annual spring game, Golson completed 6 of 13 passes for 98 yards but had one intercepted. He was sacked in the game three times.
Head Coach Brian Kelly now has a question mark in the position that he was expecting to get the most improvement from for next season. The team’s offense struggled for a large part of the season last year, with Notre Dame finishing their season 54th overall in total offense in the nation, including a passing offense that was a dismal 71st.
Over the past month, Wes Lunt, the former quarterback at Oklahoma State has received interest from the Irish, and now he might be an option for the team for the future. On Tuesday, Lunt visits the University of Louisville. Lunt cannot play in the upcoming 2013-14 season.
Gunner Kiel who played last season for the Irish transferred last month to Cincinnati. On Sunday, he said he was committed to the program and coach Tommy Tuberville, after speculation arose that he might try to return to South Bend.
