'12 IN QB Gunner Kiel (Cincinnati Transfer)

[Emcee77]

Hendrix is pre-med. I doubt he'd forgo medical school to play as a third string safety valve. I could see Tommy getting a 5th for depth. He is a fantastic back-up and will only be improving as time goes on.

Well, lots of people don't go to med school right after graduating, I don't think that's the issue; it's that Hendrix wants to play that 5th year, whether at ND or elsewhere. Definitely wouldn't be surprised if he transfers to play somewhere else, but would be kind of surprised if he forgoes the 5th year entirely.

Tommy doesn't have a 5th year, unless he redshirts next year. That seems very unlikely to me.

 

[BobD]

WTF I leave for a few hours and you guys lose Gunner while I'm gone? Geez.


Oh well I guess someone was gonna take off. Good luck Gunner!

 

[anarin]

you are forgetting the DRIX

Oh I forgot how much of a factor he was/is

 

[BGIF]

You can't see any scenario where a starting QB plays all the snaps for his team during a season? Really? Can't see ANY scenario where that happens even though that's the case for dozens of teams every single season?

No. Really.

Quinn didn't play every down in a season nor did Jones, Clausen, Crist, Rees, Hendrix, and Golson.

I don't recall any ND QB taking all the snaps in a season.

 

[dublinirish]

quitting before spring practice leads me to believe Kiel felt like he would not get a chance to compete for the starting job. Basically either BK said EG is the starter period and/or Kiel would be behind Rees and perhaps Hendrix also.
It happens plenty that QB's will leave before spring ball like this once they learn what kind of reps they will likely be getting.

Anyone think Kiel might drop down a division and play straight away?

 

[Me2SouthBend]

The *ss hats at the mothership with their typical crap. Did you know Gunner is transferring AGAIN? I didn't know verbal committment changes constituted a transfer. Good thing you don't have to sit out a year between "verbal transfers" prior to your freshman year.

Gunner Kiel to transfer from Notre Dame Fighting Irish, source says - ESPN

 

[dyrtdogg]

Good luck, Gunner. Wish he would have gone through spring practice, but it's his life. Hope everything works out for him.

 

[EddytoNow]

Gunner, we hardly knew ya.

 

[kmoose]

No. Really.

Quinn didn't play every down in a season nor did Jones, Clausen, Crist, Rees, Hendrix, and Golson.

I don't recall any ND QB taking all the snaps in a season.

Maybe George Cartier.................. maybe!

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Best of luck to Gunner. I personally hope he ends up at IU or UT.

With that said, I'm not concerned about depth. If we get through this year w/o Tommy playing, I'd be in favor of him getting a 5th year. Mainly because no other player on this team knows the offense as well as him. He wants to get into coaching after his college career? This would be his chance.

2013: EG, TR, AH, MZ...I'm ok with this for one reason: The offense is clearly getting better and has multiple play makers who can take the pressure off the QB. If EG can't play for some reason, I have no doubt the others can't fill in considering the talent around them.

2014: EG, MZ, Coach Tommy at 3rd string, then the freshman (whomever it may be). I actually love the idea of this. Good call, LAX on hoping for a 5th year for TR. I'm on board w/ that.

 

[arrowryan]

I'm sure we all expected this. He wasn't even guaranteed the #2 spot on the depth chart.

 

[rocket66]

Does anyone truly believe Zaire was the tipping point here? He has looked so good already that Gunner saw the writing on the wall?

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

True. What bums me out is that Gunner has decided to transfer before spring practice. Who knows what might have happened this spring? EG could even get hurt, God forbid. I really wanted Gunner to get a chance to show what he could do this spring, and if he wanted to transfer after that, best of luck. Sorry it won't work out that way. Gunner came and went without anyone really getting to see what he can do.

I thought the same. Go through spring and see what happens. Oh well...

 

[Patulski]

Just read the SBT this morning. Here's Kelly's response to the rumors to the media."

Sounds like he expected Kiel to compete instead of quitting. We'll see what happens.

ND head football coach Brian Kelly was not available for comment Thursday night, but on Thursday morning -- before the two sides met -- Kelly had this to say about the Kiel transfer rumors and the former five-star prospect's future at Notre Dame:

"It will all shake itself out this spring," he said. "And I say that because (Kiel) really hasn't been given an opportunity. He came in as an early enrollee and had the spring to just run around there with very little knowledge base of the college game and understanding protections. He just did things because he's a big, strong athlete.

"We gave him a little bit of a sniff of it in preseason camp, but not a lot really, quite frankly, because again there was a learning curve there and we needed to hit the ground running. So this spring is going to be, quite frankly, his opportunity to show himself.

"So he may transfer at the end of spring, He may be the starter at the end of spring. I think the question is fair, but I really couldn't tell you how to answer those questions other than this spring will definitely determine his place within the program."
available for comment

Edit: I find it interesting that ISD wrote the story saying Kelly wasn't "immediately available for comment. He was available later in the day. Why not just wait? There may or may not be any other controversy at this point, particularly if Kiel believes he has a fair shot to win the QB position and wants to compete.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

So wait....

Is he transferring, or is he staying?

 

[ThePiombino]

Does anyone truly believe Zaire was the tipping point here? He has looked so good already that Gunner saw the writing on the wall?

Nope. This is all about EG and GK IMO, and nothing to do with MZ.

 

[Patulski]

So wait....

Is he transferring, or is he staying?

It's strange: The ISD article says " One source claims Notre Dame would leave the door open for Kiel possibly changing his mind and sticking it out in South Bend. ".

However they hadn't talked to Kelly, who before the two sides met later in the day said ""So he may transfer at the end of spring, He may be the starter at the end of spring. I think the question is fair, but I really couldn't tell you how to answer those questions other than this spring will definitely determine his place within the program."

So, clearly Kelly believed he was staying and was going to compete before the meeting.

Kiel and Kelly should step up and say what he's going to do. Otherwise, it's all "sources".

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

It's strange: The ISD article says " One source claims Notre Dame would leave the door open for Kiel possibly changing his mind and sticking it out in South Bend. ".

However they hadn't talked to Kelly, who before the two sides met later in the day said ""So he may transfer at the end of spring, He may be the starter at the end of spring. I think the question is fair, but I really couldn't tell you how to answer those questions other than this spring will definitely determine his place within the program."

So, clearly Kelly believed he was staying and was going to compete before the meeting.

Kiel and Kelly should step up and say what he's going to do. Otherwise, it's all "sources".

Gunner met with BK yesterday afternoon and told him of his intentions to transfer. He's leaving.

 

[Patulski]

Gunner met with BK yesterday afternoon and told him of his intentions to transfer. He's leaving.

Until I hear it from Kiel and Kelly, I could care less who says that's the situation.

 

[Patulski]

I'm sure we all expected this. He wasn't even guaranteed the #2 spot on the depth chart.

I didn't. I don't think anybody should be guaranteed any spot and I expected him to compete. If he leaves because he didn't want to compete, I'll be glad he left.

 

[NDohio]

With the way Golson was playing the second half of the year, I do not believe Kiel was going to take over this team at QB.

It'll be intersting to see where he ends up. I wish him luck, but this is probably the right choice on his part.

 

[NDBoiler]

The only reason to transfer is because you know you are not going to be the starter. If the kid who can not beat out our starter wants to transfer to play at the QB position, that's fine with me.

Those type of kids won't be an asset on the bench if they are that impatient and seemingly so unconfident in their abilities that they can not foresee beating out a QB for the next 3 years, especially one that is certainly prone to injury.

Hate to knock the kid, but in terms of this being labeled a disaster: Give me a Tommy Rees supporting Everett and the team over a Gunner looking out for #1 anyday.

We have an electric Sophomore QB who has one loss as a starter coming back along with two veteran, capable backups, and a young dynamic understudy redshirting. We are more than fine.

^This, and particularly the bold part. Maybe our friend the Mad Hatter was a little more accurate with his take on Gunner than we thought. It may not be the entire reasoning behind it, but I think that this at least played some sort of a role in this decision. I know many of us have mentioned on here the fact that the team needs "competitors" at every position, not the least of which is at QB, so if you're waivering at the possibility of having to compete hard for playing time, then this decision was probably the best for everybody. I certainly don't wish Gunner any ill will though, he seems like a good kid and I wish him all the best wherever he goes.

 

[Cackalacky]

Does anyone truly believe Zaire was the tipping point here? He has looked so good already that Gunner saw the writing on the wall?

I think so. This is my opinion and is no way based on knowledge of the situation. I really like what Malik has to offer. I think EG made huge progress during the year in some big games. Hopefully he continues to do so. I never thought Gunner was gonna stick at ND. He created a log jam we he signed after what could only be called a wishy-washy recruitment and then we got Zaire after him, who I think will be better than EG.

Plus if EG stuck he would be riding the bench for three years.

 

[Kingbish01]

Unfortunately, this is a great problem to have. Especially at the QB position. If you go good luck Gunner!

 

[scUM Hater]

I guess Les is right, he doesn't have the chest for it

 

[stlnd01]

I didn't. I don't think anybody should be guaranteed any spot and I expected him to compete. If he leaves because he didn't want to compete, I'll be glad he left.

Absolutely. And this is what I don't get.
He'd apparently rather sit out this spring than practice with a championship-level team and prove he deserves a spot on the two deep?
Even if he transfers immediately, which it may be too late in the semester to do, depending on where he goes, is he going to see the field in spring practice? Doubtful. Plus he'll have all next year to sit and learn the offense. Why not see how spring goes and transfer over the summer?
I totally get not wanting to sit behind Golson for three more years, but a lot can happen even between now and the Temple game, and it seems like he's not even giving himself a chance. Makes me wonder if Les was right.

 

[dudesthisisthebest]

No. Really.

Quinn didn't play every down in a season nor did Jones, Clausen, Crist, Rees, Hendrix, and Golson.

I don't recall any ND QB taking all the snaps in a season.

It is plausible that Hendrix is the backup QB next year. Its not like he was that much worse than Tommy when he played

 

[NDFan4Life]

All that work for nothing:

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/639306-post12.html

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/639663-post14.html

 

[ResLife Hero]

I won't go so far as to refer to him having the "chest" or not, but I do see this as giving ND a raw deal.

We could have used that scholarship last cycle when numbers got tight, and if he wasn't even going to stick it out for spring ball, why tie up a scholarship?

 

[Patulski]

It is plausible that Hendrix is the backup QB next year. Its not like he was that much worse than Tommy when he played

Rees arguably won three games for us in 2012. Purdue, Michigan and Stanford. What did Hendrix do? Nothing of consequence. My guess is that he's going to have to take a gigantic leap up with his passing game-and the confidence Kelly has in him- if he's going to unseat Rees.