Notre Dame Spring Game: QB Tommy Rees Must Prove His Consistency

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Tommy Rees needs to prove that he has what it takes to be the starting quarterback at the 2012 spring game.

More specifically, he needs to prove that he can be a consistent starting quarterback.

This team needs an experienced player under center if they want to find the success that many have been predicting for them lately, and, like it or not, Rees gives them the best chance at that.

Rees is going to be a junior. He has two seasons of playing experience under his belt, knows the system and has shown flashes of being a good quarterback in the past.

While freshman Gunner Kiel may be the popular choice, and Andrew Hendrix and Everett Golson both have a fighters chance, Rees has to step up and prove that he's worth the starting nod.

With 3,977 yards and 32 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Irish, Rees would seem like the natural upperclassman choice to lead the team from under center, but those numbers don't tell you the whole story.

Rees has looked good at times, but he's been incredibly inconsistent and turnover prone. According to quotes from head coach Brain Kelly in Eric Hanson's latest piece on SouthBendTribune.com, that's the reason there is an open competition for the starting quarterback spot this spring:

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Junior-to-be Rees is 12-4 as a starter and 2-4 as a reliever, but his penchant for turnovers coaxed Kelly to start everyone this spring, theoretically, on even footing.

"We know he has the mental ability to play the game," Kelly said. "If Tommy didn't turn the football over at the rate he did last year, we'd be talking about this kid at the highest level. He did, though. That's why it's open competition. He's worked hard on that."

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Rees threw 14 interceptions in 2011. He only threw 20 touchdowns.

He needs to step up and prove that he can be consistent, and the sooner he does that the better for the Fighting Irish.

The 2012 spring game would be a good time to start.

Hope may spring eternal in the freshman Kiel, but Rees holds the short term success of this team in his hands. Don't get it misconstrued—this team needs an experienced and reliable quarterback under center if they want to compete on a national stage in 2012.

He's got a good arm, is a good athlete and, for all intents and purposes, has the skills to be a starting quarterback in college football.  He's shown that he can make the throws, but now he needs to prove that he can do so consistently and take care of the football.

This team has the potential to be good, but they will only go as far as their starting quarterback allows them to go.

Rees has to prove that he can be the guy, and there's no better time to do so than now.