Everett Golson Transferring From Notre Dame

ESPN and 247 Sports reported on /4/7 that Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Everett Golson is transferring.

Everett Golson is transferring from the University of Notre Dame. 

ESPN college football reporter Brett McMurphy first broke the news on /4/7. He says Golson already graduated this past semester and wants to spend his last NCAA season at a different school “without sitting out a year.”

Golson is still undecided where to transfer. However, McMurphy reported on Thursday he might go to Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU or Texas. 

A follow-up report from 247Sports.com’s Clint Brewster reveals Golson has whittled down his choices to either South Carolina or Georgia, two unviersities close to his hometown of Myrtle Beach, S.C. 

THIS JUST IN: Notre Dame QB Everett Golson will transfer from Notre Dame. (via @McMurphyESPN) pic.twitter.com/KscBJM34oo— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) /4/7, 2015

Golson issued a statement on his impending transfer, per ESPN:

“I would like to thank everyone at Notre Dame for the opportunity to compete at the highest level of college football but most importantly to obtain my degree from one of the finest universities in the country.

“To all the Fighting Irish fans I want to thank you for for the support over the past four years and let you know I truly love Notre Dame! To my former teammates, who I will miss tremendously, I wish much success in the future and will be your biggest fan from afar.

“I will have no future comment at this time and ask that you respect my time as I figure out this life-changing moment. God has a plan for each of us and I ask for your prayers as I move forward in this new journey in my life.”

Should Golson decide to move to an SEC school, he needs a pre-approved waiver from the SEC commissioner, per McMurphy.

“A waiver is possible, but not easily granted,” McMurphy’s source said. 

Since Everett Golson graduated from ND, he /4/play his final season at a new school without sitting out a year. pic.twitter.com/2ACRaQheQX— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) /4/7, 2015

In Jan. 2015, a sourced told ESPN around “two dozen schools” were interested in Golson should he decide to leave Notre Dame. This includes six SEC universities. 

Notre Dame suspended Golson in 2013 for “poor academic” judgment. As a result, he did not play that year. McMurphy stresses he might not meet the SEC’s fourth graduate transfer rule, 14.1.15.1d:

“The student-athlete has not been subject to official university or athletics department disciplinary action at any time during enrollment at any previous college institution [excluding limited discipiine applied by a sports team].”

Notre Dame director of football media relations Michael Bertsch posted a statement from head football coach Brian Kelly on Twitter thanking Golson and revealing Malik Zaire will take over as the Irish’s starting quarterback in the fall:

Statement from @NDFootball @CoachBrianKelly on Everett Golson pic.twitter.com/7GsJOrlqd0— Michael Bertsch (@NDsidBertschy) /4/7, 2015

Kelly earlier told NDInsider.com’s Mike Vorel during the spring he expected Golson to return to Notre Dame:

“I couldn’t tell you for certain. He’s fully engaged in everything that he’s doing. It’s the best that I’ve seen him do the things that we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here.

“I expect him to be here and help us win games in the fall.”

Vorel says the Irish have sophomores DeShone Kizer and Montgomer VanGorder to back up Zaire at quarterback next season. The Irish will also welcome freshman quarterback Brandon Wimbush of Hackensack, N.J. this fall. 

Brewster notes both the South Carolina Gamecocks and Georgia Bulldogs are in dire need of an experienced passer to orchestrate the offense. Golson could be the one to fill that void. 

A report surfaced in January that Golson “reached out” to LSU (http://t.co/b8KE1jhLD1). Golson is set to graduate in May.— Dr. Saturday (@YahooDrSaturday) /4/7, 2015

The Gamecocks are expected to start sophomore Connor Mitch while the Bulldogs most likely will lean on Brice Ramsey at the starting quarterback position, per 247Sports.com. 

Golson threw for 5,5850 yards, 41 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his two seasons with the Irish, per McMurphy. According to Vorel, he started 23 games in all for Notre Dame.

Golson led the Irish to an undefeated season in 2012 before losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the BCS National Championship Game. He got Notre Dame off to a 6-0 start in 2014 before the Irish went 1-5 in their next six games. 

Golson finished the 2014 NCAA season with 22 turnovers. Kelly benched him in the Music City Bowl game against the LSU Tigers for Zaire, who accounted for 192 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the 31-28 Irish victory. He eventually won MVP honors, per Vorel.

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