Notre Dame
Notre Dame

Notre Dame Team Report

Updated: April 25, 2012 10:29 EST

Your quarterback, sir?

Not so fast.

The Fighting Irish ended spring ball the same way they went into it, with four players fighting for the starting job in the fall.

Tommy Rees, Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson, Gunner Kiel. The four are still one.

Why do we get the feeling Brian Kelly might use all four in a single game?

OK, perhaps that's an exaggeration. But this is something that will have to be watched as the Irish head toward the season opener against Navy in Ireland.

"There were some strides made, but clearly we're not there yet," Kelly said after looking at all four in the spring game. "We've got a lot of work to do with all the quarterbacks to get them to the level that we want."

Says Rees, who is 12-4 as a starter but has shown the penchant for making the big mistake: "You've got to approach it as the starter. You've got to have that mentality and be a leader out there and do everything you can."

Earlier, Rees said, "You have to stay level-headed. You have to stay calm. You can't get too caught up in things that happen day to day, you have to look at the big picture. You can't focus on one throw here and there.

"It's a long process. It's a long time before the season starts."

But this will be talked about until a decision is announced, and will continue to be talked about as soon as the winner makes his first mistake of 2012.

"It also can give me an advantage because I should be the most comfortable," Rees said. "There are enough areas last year where I felt I could be better. I'm happy to compete. I'm happy to try to earn this job back."

Hendrix showed flashes in relief stints of Rees, with Kelly sending the more-mobile Hendrix in create something new for the defense to worry about.

The Fighting Irish have had two straight 8-5 seasons under Kelly, falling short of their goal last year because of too many mistakes. This year, you'd have to think the team needs a definite starter at quarterback to have a true shot at winning more games and getting back to a BCS bowl.

--DE Aaron Lynch, who led Notre Dame with 5.5 sacks as a true freshman last year, has transferred to South Florida in a move to be closer to home. He will be eligible in 2013, unless the NCAA grants an immediate waiver that would allow him to play in the fall.

"With Aaron originally being from Florida, we're very familiar with the kind of player he is," South Florida coach Skip Holtz said in a statement. "Aaron had a great freshman season at Notre Dame and we're excited to welcome him into the Bulls family."

--CB Tee Sheppard was supposed to be coming to South Bend with his cousin, five-star wide receiver Deontay Greenberry, but Greenberry headed for Houston in a late change. Sheppard also had a change of heart and left Notre Dame.

"Tee is a special person and it's unfortunate it didn't work out here," said coach Brian Kelly. "Everyone at Notre Dame wishes him all the best in the future."

--AD Jack Swarbrick on Notre Dame's role in the ongoing BCS talks: "The goal and priority is to remain independent (in football). What the postseason becomes is the linchpin. There's still one chapter to come as far as conference realignment, and that will come after these BCS discussions.

"These are an important 3 1/2 days (of meetings) this next week in Florida (in late April). (The result) will have a significant impact on us one way or another."

--The Irish are currently slated for three night games in 2012, a home game against Michigan, a game at Michigan State and a Soldier Field (Chicago) date with Miami.

--This is the 125th year of Notre Dame football and the season will feature a series of "Strong and True" events, with former ND greats returning for festivities. The school also unveiled an impressive logo for the occasion.

--High school wide receiver Corey Robinson, the son of former Navy and NBA basketball star David Robinson, has committed to Notre Dame for the 2013 season.

"There was something about it. I can't explain it," Corey Robinson told Irish Illustrated. "Me and my dad and my mom, we were just praying about it. We just felt that the Lord gave us a lot of peace when we went on that campus, peace about Notre Dame. I did not see a reason to wait if I had that peace about it."

--WR DaVaris Daniels' dad, Phillip, played 15 years in the NFL as defensive end and is director of player development for the Washington Redkins.

"Every time we talk, there's a part about football," the younger Daniels told the South Bend Tribune. "Football is his life, just as much as it is mine."

--Coach Brian Kelly is 16-10 in two years at Notre Dame, 69-32 in his career, which started at Central Michigan and continued at Cincinnati. He is 3-2 in bowl games.

--The Irish open their season Sept. 1 in Dublin against Navy.

SPRING MOVERS:

RB George Atkinson III -- With Cierre Wood set to get the bulk of the carries and receiver Theo Riddick moving to running back, Atkinson, entering his second year showed his ability (and his weakness) in the spring game. He ran for 124 yards on 15 carries and gained 54 more on three catches. But he also fumbled the ball twice, which drives coaches crazy.

"I showed the coaches what I could do with the ball," said Atkinson, who had two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season. "The difference from last year, I was thinking too much. I'm still not where I want to be at as far as plays and personnel, but I plan on getting better over the summer."

WR DeVaris Daniels -- With the Irish having lost Michael Floyd, there is playing time there and Daniels had a good spring.

LB Ishaq Williams -- You gotta love a 6-5, 255-pound kid from Brooklyn, right? This guy was highly rated coming out of high school and his development is a key to the 2012 Irish.

OT Christian Lombard -- He hopes to be the starting right tackle in the fall, telling the Chicago Tribune, "It's definitely my time to prove to everyone that I can be relied upon. That's really important to me. Just getting the experience with the (first team) and playing confident is something I'm really trying to focus on. It just kind of kept going. I guess it's kind of a groove you get, a good feeling. And then you just roll with it."

--The four quarterbacks -- There had to be some movement in the minds of the coaches after watching the four guys continue to battle it out, but coach Brian Kelly said he wasn't close to a decision on a starter.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "All of them are going to need work. The guy that really commits to the details this summer is probably one of the guys that's going to start." -- Coach Brian Kelly on his four-man quarterback situation.

2012 OUTLOOK: The Fighting Irish did some good things in 2011, but not enough good things to make it to a major bowl or even win the Champs, where mistakes cost them in the game against Michigan State. Now, as they look ahead toward taking the next step, some key figures are gone and four players were battling it out for the starting quarterback job. That in itself makes it hard to predict what is going to happen, but this team is loaded with talent.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Notre Dame was combining the wide receiver and running back positions in its offense, getting more use out of players like Theo Riddick and George Atkinson III. But not having a true starting quarterback can only hurt the process. If having two No. 1s means you have ONE, what does it mean to have FOUR players battling for the position. Wide receiver Michael Floyd will be sorely missed, but tight end Tyler Eifert's decision to stay another year can only help, regardless of who wins the QB battle.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The good news was linebacker Manti Te'o saying he was NOT going to the NFL. But the bad news is the Irish suffered some serious losses in the secondary, where younger players will have to step in. The defense made great strides after the fourth quarter of that Michigan game last year and has to keep building off what it did at the end of the season. Losing defensive end Aaron Lynch as he was about to enter his sophomore season won't help.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Atkinson III was only a freshman last year, but his two kick returns for touchdowns made him a reason to watch every return. The punt return game was non-existent. Kicker David Ruffer is gone and Nick Tausch will be a senior in the fall.

TOP NEWCOMERS

QB Gunner Kiel -- The Irish needed a quarterback and some thought Kiel was the best high schooler in the country. He is already enrolled and the spring jump could help him.

"When you talk about Gunner, first of all, I think you have to appreciate the fact that he comes from a family of quarterbacks," said coach Brian Kelly. "They grew up playin' the game of football."

DL Sheldon Day -- ND has some prime young talent on the front line and this should be nice addition. Also in early, which helps.

"The thing we love about him is not only his personality and who he is, but incredible motor, a great work ethic," said Kelly. "He is already here and we have gotten comments back from our strength and conditioning staff and Coach Longo about his work volume and his work ethic and enthusiasm for what he is doing. He's a dynamic player, one of the best defensive linemen in the country, and he will immediately, like all of our freshmen, be expected to come in and complete right away."

RB Amir Carlisle -- The transfer from USC was granted the right to compete immediately for the Fighting Irish, adding depth to the position. He suffered a broken ankle before the start of spring ball but should be ready for for the fall.

ROSTER REPORT:

--QB Tommy Rees was 7-for-14 for 84 yards and an interception in the spring game. The others battling for the spot? Everett Golson was 11-for-15 for 120 yards and two touchdowns, Andrew Henrix 4-for-9 for 51 yards and a score and Gunner Kiel 5-for-10 for 57 yards and an interception.

Rees has started more games as a freshman and sophomore than any quarterback in Notre Dame history other than Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen.

--C Braxston Cave has recovered from foot surgery but was held out of the spring game. Also missing were linebacker Prince Shembo (foot surgery), wide receiver Luke Messa (torn ACL) and transfer running back Amir Carlisle (broken ankle).

--Offensive lineman John Montelus, a four-star recruit from Everett, Ma., became the 13th member of the 2013 recruiting class when he chose ND, reportedly over Florida, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State.