The Fighting Irish Experienced Quarterbacks Bring Promise In 2016
By Walt Kosin
As Notre Dame football fans look forward to National Signing Day, the Spring game and next season, there is reason to be optimistic about the 2016 Fighting Irish.
In 2016, the Fighting Irish lose a lot of great players – Jaylon Smith, Sheldon Day, Ronny Stanley, C.J. Prosise, Will Fuller among others, but they return many great players. The Irish will also play their usual difficult schedule. But, this Fall, there is a factor advantageous to the Irish. At least half of ND’s opponents have first year quarterbacks starting for them. They are Navy, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and most importantly Michigan State, Stanford, and Southern Cal. Let’s take a look at who these teams will be losing.
Notre Dame has had its problems with Navy starting quarterback Keenan Reynolds. This four-year starter has run the triple option tremendously and he ran like a running back. Reynolds just set an NCAA record of 64 career rushing touchdowns, the most by a quarterback in NCAA history. For his career, he ran for 4,415 yards and passed for 3,875 yards with 30 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. With Reynolds no longer quarterbacking Navy’s offense, a new quarterback will have to run the complex triple option this season and that is to Notre Dame’s advantage.
Notre Dame plays an away game early in the season against North Carolina State. They were led for two years by Jacoby Brissett, a one-time Florida recruit who transferred to N.C. State in 2012. This past season, Brissett passed for 2,662 yards along with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. For his career, Brissett threw for 5,268 yards with 43 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.
Notre Dame’s last home game will be played against Virginia Tech. They were quarterbacked by Michael Brewer, who last year threw for 1,703 yards with 13 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. They return most offensive starters in 2016, but will start a quarterback with only five career starts. Playing at home against an inexperienced quarterback will be very helpful to the Fighting Irish.
The most difficult teams the Fighting Irish should face in 2016 are Michigan State, Stanford, and Southern Cal. And, yes, all three teams will have new quarterbacks starting.
First with Michigan State – they lose one of the most decorated quarterbacks in their history, Connor Cook. Cook has been a three year starter for the Spartans. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award this past season as he passed for 3,131 yards with 24 passing touchdowns and only five interceptions. He was the MVP in MSU two Big Championship games (2013 & 2015). He has the second most wins by a quarterback in FBS (34) and is first among FBS in winning percentage (.895). The Fighting Irish play the Spartans at home their third game of the season, meaning whoever is Cook’s replacement will have played in only two games.
Stanford is losing three year starter Kevin Hogan who won three PAC championships. This past season he threw for 2,867 yards with 27 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Also, he rushed for 312 yards. For his career, Hogan passed for 9,385 yards, 75 touchdown passes, and 28 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,175 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. He was first ahead of Connor Cook with 35 wins. Hogan also beat Notre Dame twice and who can forget this past season when Hogan lead Stanford 50 yards in 30 seconds where Stanford won on a last-second field goal.
Lastly, there is Cody Klesser of Southern Cal. Kessler has also been a three year starter during which last season he threw for 3,536 yards with 29 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. For his career, Kessler passed for 10,339 yards, 88 touchdown passes, and 19 interceptions. In 2014, he passed for six touchdowns in Southern Cal’s victory over Notre Dame. It is the most by any opposing quarterback in Fighting Irish history.
Notre Dame returns many great players this coming season, but it is great to know that at least half of Notre Dame’s opponents will have inexperienced quarterbacks, especially what looks to be the three toughest teams on the schedule. Just looking at the career stars of Michigan State’s Connor, Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, and Southern Cal’s Cody Kessler and the production that will be lost by those teams is a motivating factor for the Fighting Irish.
If defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder can find replacements for players that are leaving and provide sound defensive schemes, Notre Dame can have a tremendous advantage against half of its opponents. Also, the Fighting Irish have not one, but two experienced quarterbacks in Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer, which will pose difficult assignments for opposing defenses. With everything considered, this coming season can be a magical one for the Fighting Irish and its fans.