Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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46 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW QUARTERBACKS was a true freshman given a finite role and package, so the dynamics became complementary and compatible. Nearly a decade later at Ohio State, Meyer experienced more of a problem when having to choose between Jones and Barrett. He began with Jones, but ultimately inserted Barrett in the second half of the season to establish a better overall attack. This is the balancing attack Kelly and his staff on offense have on their hands. They probably need to find one lane and stay in it — provided the efficiency is to their liking. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that since 1990, Notre Dame's two most prominent and successful seasons — 1993 and 2012 — saw it having at least a semblance of two quarterbacks utilized success- fully in the lineup. In 1993, after the graduation of No. 2 NFL Draft pick Rick Mirer, head coach Lou Holtz declared senior Kevin McDougal No. 1-A and junior Paul Failla 1-B at the end of spring. Regardless, popular opinion held that the job would be incoming freshman phenom Ron Powlus' in the fall. A broken clavicle in the preseason eventually sidelined Powlus, and McDougal went on to set a Notre Dame career record with his passing efficiency. Yet Failla was often inserted in red-zone situations — a la Tebow at Florida in 2006 — as was defensive back Jeff Burris (now a defensive analyst on the Irish support staff) at running back. Failla even started in place of a dinged up McDougal in the 31-13 victory over USC. That team finished 11-1 and No. 2. Nevertheless, in the 41-39 loss to Boston College and in the Cotton Bowl victory over Texas A&M, McDougal monopolized the action. Then in 2012, Kelly declared Golson, then a sophomore, the starter — but he was never hesitant to turn to the bullpen with junior Tommy Rees, who had 15 career starts entering the season. This wasn't so much about pass-run options like Leak-Tebow, but more about skittishness versus steadiness. Golson had stellar playmaking skills, passing for 2,405 yards and adding 298 rushing that season, but also could be mercurial. Three times at home Rees was called upon in clutch situations to provide a steady hand in one-score victories (Purdue, Michigan and Stanford), and in a fourth he started and guided a comeback win over BYU when Golson was injured. Rees completed 34 of 59 tosses for 436 yards that year. More importantly, he provided a highly valued safety net to the staff. Em- powering that team, and enhancing its overall chemistry, was Rees' acceptance of his role despite having far more game experience. Whether such models can be emulated and repeated in 2016 is bound to be in the forefront. ✦ When Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly referred to his "embarrassment of riches" at quarterback this spring, he was not merely alluding to junior DeShone Kizer and senior Malik Zaire. "We know Brandon Wimbush has arguably the best arm on the team, and he's ex- tremely fast," Kelly said this spring. His plan is to redshirt the sophomore Wimbush this season after briefly playing him in a couple of games last year, notably 92 rushing yards in the 62-27 blowout of UMass, highlighted by a 58-yard touchdown. Even if the 2016 plan is to preserve a fifth year of eligibility, Wimbush is well aware of how any quarterback better be prepared to be the "in case of emergency, break glass," option. Two years ago, Ohio State's No. 3 quarterback at the start of the season, Cardale Jones, had to step into the lineup for the Big Ten championship game and the two College Football Playoff contests. He helped direct the Buckeyes to the national title. Last year at Notre Dame, the No. 3 quarterback at the end of spring, Kizer, appeared destined for the football scrap heap before responding with a stellar debut campaign. "I prepare every day as if I'm going to be the starter," Wimbush said. "That's the only way I can go about my business, and I can control only what I can control." Such a statement is music to second-year Notre Dame quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Mike Sanford's ears. "You always want to be pushed by the other guys around you," Sanford said. "That's just something you should come to grips with as a quarterback … The biggest challenge is constantly keeping everybody process-oriented, and really not worry about the big picture — because it's going to be proven out over the course of time." The Teaneck, N.J., native Wimbush said he would find a redshirted 2016 season ac - ceptable to learn more, and he also recognizes how it will be difficult to overcome the big-game experience Kizer and Zaire possess. "Experience is huge, especially at this level," he said. "They have that over me, but I have to prove myself and what I can do and that I know the offense and build a trust be- tween myself and the coaching staff, and hopefully they'll be able to put me out there. "[Kizer] didn't know what the situation was going to be coming into the fall [in 2015] and he prepared and I saw how he prepared to be the starter, even as a third-string [player]. I take into that mindset and follow his footsteps in how he went about his business, and hopefully I'll have the same opportunity in the next couple years to show my abilities. "Preparing as if you're the starter is something you have to do from the day you step on campus, and I took great pride in doing that. And when I get my opportunity to shine, I think I will." — Lou Somogyi BY THE NUMBERS 1 Season out of six under Brian Kelly in which one quarterback started every game (2013). In the previous six seasons (2004-09), the only year in which one quarter- back didn't start every game was 2007. 258.8 Yards passing per game by Notre Dame in 2015, the fourth highest in school annals, with the 330.3 mark in 2005 the standard. But 2015 joined the 1970 team that finished No. 2 and the 1977 national champs as the only three to reach a 200-yard rushing and 200-yard passing average. 719 Combined yards rushing by Notre Dame's quarterbacks in 2015, led by De- Shone Kizer's 520. That is the third most in one season by its quarterbacks, behind 1989 (981) and 1988 (882), when including bowl games. Year Rush TD Pass TD 2006 2 37 2007 2 12 2008 0 25 2009 3 30 2010 4 28 Year Rush TD Pass TD 2011 1 21 2012 7 14 2013 1 27 2014 10 30 2015 11 25 TOUCHDOWNS BY IRISH QUARTERBACKS Wimbush flashed his potential against UMass last fall by rushing for 92 yards, which included a 58-yard touchdown scamper. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA BRANDON WIMBUSH: THE THIRD THREAT