The Golson project.... BCS game in 2013

[JoeyGetherall]

So here's how I hope things pan out for our beloved Irish.

Golson wins the job this spring and is named the starter for the 2012 season. He will take his bumps and the learning curve will be steep with a brutal schedule but BK sticks with him all year and Golson shows glimpses of his abilities. But again it will be expected that he will struggle at times. ND will finish again 8-4.

2013 will be the break out year. Ishaq, Lynch, and Tuitt will be in their junior yr and Nix will be a senior equaling a dominant defensive front. Shepard and Darby will hopefully have a year of experience under their belt and have the secondary on lock down with Atkinson, Collinsworth, Wood and Brown in the mix. Linebackers will still have to figure out but look for Kendal Moore to be the leader of the group with Spond, Prince, and Nickolas to name a few. We don't know much about Davaris Daniels yet but hopefully he will develop quickly along with Greenberry and Atkinson. TJ and Koyack need to develop as well. Cierre will hopefully take his 5th yr and Mahone is a unknown but if he's 75% of what Jonas was this year I'll be happy. Not too worried about the online.

Hopefully 2013 will be Golson's break out year and he leads the Irish to a BCS game. With Oklahoma, and USC at home and the departures of Barkley, Jones and Robinson the big name teams on our schedule should be vulnerable at the QB position.

This is all more wishing than anything else but I think the future is bright and 2013 should be much anticipated season.

 

[ErieIrish13]

So basically none of this will happen since it's ND football lol?

 

[JoeyGetherall]

So basically none of this will happen since it's ND football lol?

LOL a man has to dream. It's all I've got nowadays.

 

[ErieIrish13]

LOL a man has to dream. It's all I've got nowadays.

Same here man. Same here

 

[jimmymac]

I actually really see this happening, but I think it will probably be a 7-6 finish with a win in a bowl game. The schedule next year is too rough, the one in 2013 however is very managable. Golson needs some experience next year to be able to star in 2013, but the d is looking very bright for the future.

 

[Sweetness34]

The key is for Kelly to stop being scared and play Golson. Go with win or lose and take next year as a rebuilding year and make it to a bowl game.

 

[rikkitikki08]

If ND finishes 8-4 next year i would be extremely happy. That schedule is deadly

 

[D-BOE34]

Oklahoma and USC. That is it. Sure we have a few tough games but I don't see us losing more than 3. Thats because we tend to blow one we shouldn't. Golson's growing pains can't be worse than the pain Tommy gives me! Golson running is what will make us 9-3 or 10-2. Tommy is what will make us 8-4.

 

[arrowryan]

I still dont understand why everyone thinks that next years schedule is so tough. Dont get me wrong, we have some tough games. I see us losing to OU and USC. I think we have a very good chance at winning the other games

 

[Ignats]

I still dont understand why everyone thinks that next years schedule is so tough. Dont get me wrong, we have some tough games. I see us losing to OU and USC. I think we have a very good chance at winning the other games

This, however I think Michigan St/Michigan will be the telling games. We should go into that game 2-0 and have a great atmosphere for the game after everything that they put into their game last year. If we lose that game, I'm on board with the 7-5 talk. If we win that game, we're suddenly looking at starting a season 4-0 or 3-1 under BK and a lot of confidence.

 

[indyron]

I hope Coach Kelly sticks with Golson if he does win out in spring. We need a qb who isn't looking over his shoulder. I agree with the 8-4 possibly 9-3 ...might be dreaming if we have a first year starter though

 

[STLcardz-NDirish]

kelly is our guy and if he fixes the QB problem we can be really really good with that front 7

 

[stlnd01]

I still dont understand why everyone thinks that next years schedule is so tough. Dont get me wrong, we have some tough games. I see us losing to OU and USC. I think we have a very good chance at winning the other games

This.
And like Irishfan said, as seems to almost always be the case, the MSU and Michigan games will determine the course of the season.

 

[GreatGolson]

i will be very dissapointed if kelly hasnt made his choice by the end of spring, our qb
needs to get more exclusive snaps, especially if it is Golson, as kelly has said, physically, golson is ready, its the mental/descision making part that needs the most attention. either way, im glad i got a #5 jersey for christmas

 

[NDPhilly]

i will be very dissapointed if kelly hasnt made his choice by the end of spring, our qb
needs to get more exclusive snaps, especially if it is Golson, as kelly has said, physically, golson is ready, its the mental/descision making part that needs the most attention. either way, im glad i got a #5 jersey for christmas

Are you going to wait until Golson is announced starter until you change your name back to GreatGolson or something like that?

 

[ClausentoTate]

I think being scared to start him and redshirting him are two entirely different things. He or Hendrix will start with the other one being 1b/next man in like he had going with Pike/Collaros at UC. There is no reason he can't create an explosive offense like he had there. Tommy doesn't have the arm strength to stretch the field, stares down receivers and can't extend plays. Nobody else has experience. We are so close to being an elite team it isn't even funny and 3/4 of our overall deficiency is at QB.

I am a huge Golson fan. Can't wait for him to see the field. He showed us a glimpse in the spring game and we'll see more of him in April. I hope he wins the job outright. I'm willing to bet some major vbucks (if I had any, that is) that he'll be the guy next year.

 

[notredomer23]

I think Golson was definitely the most talented QB on the roster this year, but a few things hindered him,

1. Academics in the spring semester hurt any real chance of significant playing time. It was more important he adjusted to college life, and he has done that. Academics are now in order.

2. Learning the playbook. Obviously Rees and Hendrix had a huge advantage over him, but I think him being in the Red Army this year definitely helped him pick up the pieces and could actually be very beneficial in the long run in making his own calls. This will not be a problem come the spring

3. Youth. Look at how OSU did. Yeah Braxton Miller didn't have much help on offense, but that's pretty comparable to how this year would have been with Golson at QB. That said OSU is gonna be awesome next year, and so is Notre Dame with Golson at QB. A year to develop in the weightroom and mentally is huge for a QB

 

[Patulski]

I hope Kelly completely rearranges his offense to be built around Golson. This would include (a) many more outside spread option running plays to take advantage of Golson's quickness and speed, with pitches to our RB's and Atkinson in the slot (b) many more rollouts to take advantage of Golson's quickness and speed in dual threat situations (c) many more reverses from the slot, and play action off fake reverses to take advantage of Golson's speed.

 

[irish0227]

I say throw Golson into the fire of the '12 schedule and if he manages a 8-4, or 9-3 record then he did a great job. Build the expirence for 2013 and let him be the best he can for his junior and senior seasons, hopefully his best is what can make us return to the national spotlight and maybe a crstyal ball.

 

[Irish Insanity]

So instead of 'there is always next year' now i have to wait 2? **** that. BCS next year.

 

[STLcardz-NDirish]

if tommy rees is the starter next year what would you do?

 

[rocket66]

if tommy rees is the starter next year what would you do?

Continue to scream at my tv during Irish games.

 

[Irish Insanity]

if tommy rees is the starter next year what would you do?

Cry. BK has always said he will do the best with the tallent he has been given that isn't traditional to his style of football. That the best players will always see the field and that he will make adjustments to fit them. I've supported Rees all year, but at this point I find it hard to believe that Hendrix/Golson next year, in the true BK system, would be worse than Rees in an adjusted system. Next year will be a decisive year considering he will have players available he recruited, and wanted. The schedule may be brutal, but I don't see a step back in record as acceptable.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

One thing I am sick of hearing is the grasp of the playbook of Rees over the others. Maybe Rees and BK should have QB's actually practice more on reading defenses instead of throwing it into flipping double coverage. Maybe learning what Cover 2 and Cover 3 is!!!!

Tommy and his great playbook knowledge didn't do him crap against FSU/USC/M/MSU/BC/Pitt

So, that doesn't hold water with me anymore. After seeing what the starting QB had such a great knowledge over the others and still folded like a cheap tent in big game defenses. Ride the kid, and never ever let Tommy see a snap again. Unless we are playing a bad team then Tommy can rack up his stats in wins and TDS like he always does.

 

[CoachB]

Are you going to wait until Golson is announced starter until you change your name back to GreatGolson or something like that?

How about Golson Ice?

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Manti did not come back for his senior year to go 6-6. Agree with most that if Kelly can't get this group of weapons to come together to put 9 wins or more on the board next year the "progress" many allege is mostly smoke and mirrors...

 

[johnnykillz]

How about Golson Ice?

Sounds like a great hockey theme for next year.

Of course, welcoming urnredshirt AA QB, Everett.

 

[returnofthemack]

if tommy rees is the starter next year what would you do?

1. Put a fist through whatever conveyed this terrible news to me.
2. Send vociferous hate mail to Brian Kelly
3. Cry incessantly, knowing that I won't be able to not watch the inevitable 4-8 season