'14 OH QB DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame Signee)

[Bluto]

Total hypothetical and way to early but let's assume Kizer plays well all season and ND gets to 10 wins. Is he then the starter next year? He will be the most seasoned QB on the roster by the end of the season.

 

[Cackalacky]

I hope he puts it together, the coaches give him some things to do well, and BVG doesn't hang him out to dry in a shootout.

Odds of all 3 of those things happening together are low.

 

[GoIrish41]

Total hypothetical and way to early but let's assume Kizer plays well all season and ND gets to 10 wins. Is he then the starter next year? He will be the most seasoned QB on the roster by the end of the season.

Good question. Probably premature to ponder such things, but if Kizer leads us to wins over SC, Clemson at GaT, it would be difficult to bench him.

 

[Irish YJ]

Good question. Probably premature to ponder such things, but if Kizer leads us to wins over SC, Clemson at GaT, it would be difficult to bench him.

Not sure if it's premature. Even if we only win 8 or 9, it's likely the fan base, team, etc. will be divided on the topic. I can see DK and BW both playing this year and looking good. Then we'll have a situation similar to OSU last year.... lol, oh, joy

 

[GoIrish41]

Not sure if it's premature. Even if we only win 8 or 9, it's likely the fan base, team, etc. will be divided on the topic. I can see DK and BW both playing this year and looking good. Then we'll have a situation similar to OSU last year.... lol, oh, joy

I think Wimbush has more upside than both Kizer and Malik, so if he can separate then so be it. A "best guy plays" scenario is not a bad thing. Three guys with on-field experience going into a season would give us all a bit more comfort when looking at the depth chart after spring ball next year. I suspect I could fall in line with any of those three at the helm.

 

[NDohio]

I don't think it was panic more of let him be or you need to go talk to your other coaches.

You may be right, but to me he seemed...

Yes, and he genuinely looked lost. He wasn't screeming pissed, just looked lost.

 

[NDohio]

Total hypothetical and way to early but let's assume Kizer plays well all season and ND gets to 10 wins. Is he then the starter next year? He will be the most seasoned QB on the roster by the end of the season.

The other part of this is the recovery for MZ. It is truly unfortunate, but fractured ankles are tough to come back from. Especially when his running is his biggest physical asset.

 

[tussin]

Who’s That Guy? Notre Dame’s New QB (and Savior) DeShone Kizer! «

Who is he? DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame’s new starting quarterback and Pope Francis’s likely successor.

Wait, what happened to Week 1 standout Malik Zaire? Don’t you pay attention to college football, you ignorant plebe? Zaire suffered a nasty, season-ending ankle injury late in the third quarter of Saturday’s game at Virginia, forcing Kizer into action.

Does this definitively prove that the luck of the Irish is a TOTAL MYTH? Between Zaire’s untimely demise, starting tailback Tarean Folston’s ACL tear in Week 1, and defensive tackle Jarron Jones’s MCL tear this preseason, it’s hard to argue otherwise. But then again …

What? The redshirt freshman1 did lead the Irish to a miraculous comeback victory over the Cavaliers, connecting with Will Fuller for a 39-yard go-ahead score with 12 seconds left in the game, so let’s call it even.


What a dime! Give this man a nickname. Fine, if you insist. How about “Kizer Permanente”? After all, his strike to Fuller was absolutely surgical, and it even rendered one Virginia fan comatose.


How did Kizer perform outside of that one pass, though? Not nearly as great. While his stat line was perfectly adequate — 8-for-12 for 92 yards and two touchdowns, with a QBR of 75.1 — Kizer seemed flustered, indecisive, and occasionally overwhelmed when he came in to relieve Zaire. Of course, it’s only natural for an untested redshirt freshman to experience some growing pains, especially on the road, but there’s no denying the simple fact he’s a significant downgrade from Zaire.

So are Irish fans pining for Everett Golson right now? They’ll never admit it publicly, but yes, they most certainly are, even after his subpar outing for Florida State against South Florida in Week 2. However, when Golson commits four wacky turnovers against Boston College on Friday night (or whenever; you can bet your ass it’s happening at some point), they’ll remember why he was usurped by Zaire and then transferred to FSU in the first place, and will eagerly count their blessings.

Should Domers give up on this season already? Maybe hold a candlelight vigil or something? Watch Rudy and reminisce about the 1983 Liberty Bowl? OK, that’s probably not necessary … yet. Kizer should look better on Saturday against Georgia Tech after a week of first-team snaps in practice, and I don’t think he’ll have much trouble dispatching Week 4 opponent UMass. (God help him if he does.) For Kizer, the real test will come in Week 6’s matchup with Clemson in Death Valley. A win would reestablish the Irish as legitimate playoff contenders, but a loss would effectively extinguish their championship hopes, especially if they’ve already stumbled against the Yellow Jackets, who always challenge opposing defenses. The Clemson game, which happens to pit Kizer against Deshaun Watson, will double as a battle to determine the best alternate spelling of “DeSean,” so there’s going to be a LOT on the line.

Does Brian Kelly still think his team can enjoy a successful season? You bet your ass butt he does!


In all seriousness: Shout-out to BK for avoiding the H-word there. He doesn’t get enough credit for being well-mannered. Such a spectacular role model for the kids.

What was Kizer like in high school? The Toledo Central Catholic product was a consensus four-star recruit who received offers from just about every college in the country, including Alabama, LSU, and Michigan State. One notable exception: Ohio State, which refused to join the scholarship party. It’s a good thing Kizer didn’t end up becoming a Buckeye, though, or else he may not have seen the field until, like, 2019, as a grayshirt senior.



How did Kizer approach his game-winning drive? With blindingly simple and utterly irrefutable logic.
It was time for Kizer to play football — not hockey, wrestling, badminton, curling, competitive eating, or race walking, but football. So don’t knock his thought process here. It remains to be seen if he can maintain this sort of rigid focus for the rest of the season and put it to good use. But we’ll have an answer soon enough.

 

[palinurus]

The next Cardale Jones? Notre Dame’s fill-in QB may be real deal | New York Post

 

[Big23Head]

This is my own opinion from following DeShone's recruitment and time at ND. He grew a ton as a senior once he started to focus more on football. He really cleaned his technique up and became a leader. He competed well at the Elite 11 and had the tools. He learned the playbook as a freshman. I remember watching an interview where he very nonchalantly and confidently said he knew the playbook completely. This spring he clearly grew further and he has gotten even deeper into the playbook. I expect a nice, steady growth from him just like the past few years. Intelligent, poised, size and ability. It may be bumpy here and there but I really believe in him for some reason.

 

[SoIll]

awful break for Malik, and wish him nothing but the best, but I am excited to see how DeShone plays saturday. The kid has been through alot in the recent years, really mature young man. While also being mature, he's VERY confident and one could say cocky at times, and I absolutely love it. Only thing I worry about is his progressions, he locked onto Fuller a few times Saturday, If he can stand in the pocket long enough and get to his second and third looks, he'll be dangerous. If he gets happy feet, thats when it'll get tough

 

[phork]

The next Cardale Jones? Notre Dame’s fill-in QB may be real deal | New York Post

I love the posts top 10 which excluded ND and keeps Auburn.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Nice run down, Bogs.

It definitely looked like Kelly has formed a good bond with Zaire, one that he never really had with Everett. Maybe Kelly is affected by Malik's energy too, who knows. His words in the press conference definitely seemed to come from the heart, he's going to miss that leadership just like the team will.

I am a bit down that we lost Zaire, was really excited for him to start this year, but I'm completely in Kizer's court right now and I know he can do great things for us. I honestly feel really good about all 3 of our top quarterbacks on the roster, I can't remember the last time I've been this high on a quarterback group. I know there was a lot of hype about the talent at QB in 2007, and that group of QBs turned out horribly aside from Clausen (Well, 2 of the 4 transferred anyway, and the other was the infamous Evan Sharpley). I feel much better, top to bottom, about the 3 QBs we have right now in comparison to any other hyped QB group we've had in the last 20 years or so.

The really interesting thing about the quarterback conversation hasn't garnered a comment. You began it, (at least in my imagination), with your post.

Yes, I am a DK fan, and have been for about four or five years. In those days I didn't see him as going to ND. But as he grew, no doubt.

The following can all be subjects of great conversation :

1. Starting with Brian Kelly's comment about having a quarterback depth chart that he wouldn't trade anyone with; just remember that EG was still on the roster at that time. So, if DK can jump into a starting role, and win, I guess there was some real substance to Kelly's comment; it wasn't just coach speak as many wanted to laughingly attribute it.
   
   
   • Interesting that the depth chart comment resonated so loudly at the Ohio State University; because Urban Satan Meyer couldn't get his foot in the door with Zaire, Kizer, or Wimbush. Or he foolishly passed on them.
   • Each player was amenable to playing in Columbus before they chose Our Lady.
   • Did USatanM make overtures to all three late or was it just two?
   
   In any case he was rebuffed by the majority of our quarterbacks, and interestingly two came from Ohio and one came from New Jersey, which is a state the Bigot has recruited in fairly effectively. Talk about things that make you go, hmmmm?
   
   
2. And talking about past ND quarterback classes. [Full disclosure : I am not a big Clausen fan, mostly because of his off the fields - head - attitude in life - personality; but I respect the world out of the job he came in and did here. Starting with no offensive line, burned by a recruiting hole a mile wide left by Ty Golfingham, and having to play for what obviously was one of the sickest coaching experiments in the history of College Football *]
   
   But objectively, I don't think ND has had the all around skill and raw tools at quarterback since fairly early in Lou's tenure.
   
   
   • Kizer and Wimbush are really big kids with some elite tools.
   • Zaire is a really stout kid with phenomenal intangibles.
   • Comparing 'arms' among the three is as silly as debating how many angles can dance on the end of a pin! All three have howitzers and can make most throws without question.
   • Zaire has speed, Wimbush has elite speed, and Kizer has enough, and deceptive speed.
   • All of them have killer attitudes, they are willing to put their opponent away, and they will all put their asses on the line without flinching for their teammates.
   • You all will find that Kizer, above almost any quarterback his age, has an uncanny genius for the game. After about three plays in the game, Kizer saw what Zaire didn't, how Va., was laying back on the routes. (Something that obviously wasn't accounted for in game planning.)
3. Maybe not so much for Malik Zaire, but Brandon Wimbush and DeShone Kizer have something no successful ND quarterback has had since at least Brady Quinn. The are big enough, and have a field of vision to see the whole field unfold on a given play from almost anywhere. Yes, Clausen was close. But these guys are really, really good at it.
   
   So to take this point further, I think Kizer has the vision, the smarts, the calm and cool attitude and enough skills, with experience and good coaching management, to take this team as far as they want to go.

* After Kansas and the steaming, radioactive mess Charlie left it in, it is clear that he is one of the worst College Head Coaches ever given headphones, and a director's chair. (Not just my words.) The fact that he did well at first at ND was clearly, now, due only to the resources made available to him. I mean it is one thing hiring a head coach like Faust, with no collegiate experience, whatsoever, but to hire a coach with no college or head coaching experience???

 

[koonja]

Bogs, are you Deshone's father?

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Is bogs the new Jojo?

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Bogs, are you Deshone's father?

Greg Dempsey, DeShone Kizer's high school coach has made me laugh my ass off at his public comments since this weekend's game!

It isn't what he said; his comments were respectful, well stated, and appropriately humble. But I can tell you, they don't match his private ones! OMG!

No one on the inside of Central's program has any doubt about what this kid can do, regardless of who is or isn't in the picture. Just FYI.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Is bogs the new Jojo?

Actually, you hit it on the head, JoJo and I are brothers! That is the connection!

 

[dublinirish]

#NorthernOhioMafia

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Some people just speak the truth!

 

[#1rish]

[*]Maybe not so much for Malik Zaire, but Brandon Wimbush and DeShone Kizer have something no successful ND quarterback has had since at least Brady Quinn. The are big enough, and have a field of vision to see the whole field unfold on a given play from almost anywhere. Yes, Clausen was close. But these guys are really, really good at it.

Great point, I was thinking about this the other day. Haven't had the ideal "QB size" since Crist. Rees was 6-2 but IMO didn't have the skillset of either Kizer or Wimbush.

 

[Irish Glory]

The really interesting thing about the quarterback conversation hasn't garnered a comment. You began it, (at least in my imagination), with your post.

Yes, I am a DK fan, and have been for about four or five years. In those days I didn't see him as going to ND. But as he grew, no doubt.

The following can all be subjects of great conversation :

1. Starting with Brian Kelly's comment about having a quarterback depth chart that he wouldn't trade anyone with; just remember that EG was still on the roster at that time. So, if DK can jump into a starting role, and win, I guess there was some real substance to Kelly's comment; it wasn't just coach speak as many wanted to laughingly attribute it.
   
   
   • Interesting that the depth chart comment resonated so loudly at the Ohio State University; because Urban Satan Meyer couldn't get his foot in the door with Zaire, Kizer, or Wimbush. Or he foolishly passed on them.
   • Each player was amenable to playing in Columbus before they chose Our Lady.
   • Did USatanM make overtures to all three late or was it just two?
   
   In any case he was rebuffed by the majority of our quarterbacks, and interestingly two came from Ohio and one came from New Jersey, which is a state the Bigot has recruited in fairly effectively. Talk about things that make you go, hmmmm?
   
   
2. And talking about past ND quarterback classes. [Full disclosure : I am not a big Clausen fan, mostly because of his off the fields - head - attitude in life - personality; but I respect the world out of the job he came in and did here. Starting with no offensive line, burned by a recruiting hole a mile wide left by Ty Golfingham, and having to play for what obviously was one of the sickest coaching experiments in the history of College Football *]
   
   But objectively, I don't think ND has had the all around skill and raw tools at quarterback since fairly early in Lou's tenure.
   
   
   • Kizer and Wimbush are really big kids with some elite tools.
   • Zaire is a really stout kid with phenomenal intangibles.
   • Comparing 'arms' among the three is as silly as debating how many angles can dance on the end of a pin! All three have howitzers and can make most throws without question.
   • Zaire has speed, Wimbush has elite speed, and Kizer has enough, and deceptive speed.
   • All of them have killer attitudes, they are willing to put their opponent away, and they will all put their asses on the line without flinching for their teammates.
   • You all will find that Kizer, above almost any quarterback his age, has an uncanny genius for the game. After about three plays in the game, Kizer saw what Zaire didn't, how Va., was laying back on the routes. (Something that obviously wasn't accounted for in game planning.)
3. Maybe not so much for Malik Zaire, but Brandon Wimbush and DeShone Kizer have something no successful ND quarterback has had since at least Brady Quinn. The are big enough, and have a field of vision to see the whole field unfold on a given play from almost anywhere. Yes, Clausen was close. But these guys are really, really good at it.
   
   So to take this point further, I think Kizer has the vision, the smarts, the calm and cool attitude and enough skills, with experience and good coaching management, to take this team as far as they want to go.

* After Kansas and the steaming, radioactive mess Charlie left it in, it is clear that he is one of the worst College Head Coaches ever given headphones, and a director's chair. (Not just my words.) The fact that he did well at first at ND was clearly, now, due only to the resources made available to him. I mean it is one thing hiring a head coach like Faust, with no collegiate experience, whatsoever, but to hire a coach with no college or head coaching experience???

ND only lists Wimbush at 6'1", whereas Clausen was listed at 6'3". Do you mean seeing the field as in good awareness or physically being able to see the field?

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Great point, I was thinking about this the other day. Haven't had the ideal "QB size" since Crist. Rees was 6-2 but IMO didn't have the skillset of either Kizer or Wimbush.

I didn't include Crist because he never got untracked. And I wasn't just talking about size; what I was trying to get to was having size and being able to use it, if that makes sense. He actually may have otherwise had it; but with his injuries and other problems, we will never know.

I didn't include Tommy or Jimmy because they had little kids first names. No, seriously, Tommy didn't have enough mobility, and Jimmy didn't seem to have enough speed and that 'escapability' quotient. He was great in his drop back. He could side step. But he was a pro style quarterback, and I am not sure he would have done well in a spread.

And I believe between TR and JC the fastest was about a 5.1 or 5.2 forty, neither having elite quickness. All three guys on the roster now have phenomenal acceleration.

 

[Blaise]

Kizer gets first crack but if he struggles these next two weeks... I am curious if Wimbush starts getting a look in practice.. I doubt they throw him in against Clemson, but after that I wouldn't mind seeing a change if Kizer can't get it done

 

[Monk]

Kizer gets first crack but if he struggles these next two weeks... I am curious if Wimbush starts getting a look in practice.. I doubt they throw him in against Clemson, but after that I wouldn't mind seeing a change if Kizer can't get it done

By "if Kizer can't get it done", I assume you mean we lose the games. If we lose the games I don't believe it would be a good idea to through Wimbush in and take away his redshirt just to finish the season with 2 loses at best. In the long run of ND football I believe that extra year is important especially since we don't have a commitment from Hunter or another big name QB for the 2016 class.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

By "if Kizer can't get it done", I assume you mean we lose the games. If we lose the games I don't believe it would be a good idea to through Wimbush in and take away his redshirt just to finish the season with 2 loses at best. In the long run of ND football I believe that extra year is important especially since we don't have a commitment from Hunter or another big name QB for the 2016 class.

Kelly is not in the business of winning next year. He'll do whatever it takes to win games in '15. There are no bonus points for saving a redshirt year if someone can contribute but I'm hopeful that Kizer can get it done for us.

 

[Emcee77]

Oh, I think Kelly said at some point this weekend, either Saturday post-game or in his Sunday teleconference, that we are taking the redshirt off Wimbush.

They can still redshirt him next year, assuming Malik makes a full recovery, so there is no risk. I assume Kelly will throw Wimbush in in garbage time (if we get any) to get him some game reps, just as he did Kizer against Texas.

 

[Monk]

Oh, I think Kelly said at some point this weekend, either Saturday post-game or in his Sunday teleconference, that we are taking the redshirt off Wimbush.

They can still redshirt him next year, assuming Malik makes a full recovery, so there is no risk. I assume Kelly will throw Wimbush in in garbage time (if we get any) to get him some game reps, just as he did Kizer against Texas.

Well that makes sense if he can redshirt next year.

 

[irishfan]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish playoff hopes will remind CFP committee of Ohio State Buckeyes

Some quotes here from current Houston HC Tom Herman (who is quite good) who was Urban's OC when they were evaluating Kizer.

Herman said Ohio State's quarterback story is "still very surreal," but so is the fact he knows Kizer and recruited him.

"Hopefully he's ready," Herman said. "Mental makeup, he's certainly capable of it; it's just going to be a matter of has he been preparing all season as if he was going to be the starter and has been preparing to be ready when his number is called?

"He's a tall, long guy, kind of a long release, but still pretty efficient, and he can run a little bit -- not a great runner -- but at least he can get out of trouble with his feet, and the biggest draw to DeShone was his leadership and competitiveness. ... His high school coaches raved about the kind of kid and leader he was. Those are the things I remember."

 

[Bogtrotter07]

ND only lists Wimbush at 6'1", whereas Clausen was listed at 6'3". Do you mean seeing the field as in good awareness or physically being able to see the field?

Yes!

I believe they are both closer to 6'2", anyway.

Regardless, Wimbush has an incredibly explosive first step and ELITE speed.

 

[LoveThee]

If Kizer wins the starting role next year, I think it's almost a sure fire bet that we lose wimbush and Zaire to transfer