Gunner Kiel: 5-Star QB Will Put Notre Dame in BCS Next Season

Gunner Kiel has been going through colleges like Kim Kardashian goes through husbands. Leaving behind Indiana and LSU, the five-star quarterback has enrolled at Notre Dame, according to Bryan Fischer of CBS Sports.

This is a major coup for Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish, and one that will pay immediate dividends. 

The two biggest problems that Notre Dame had in 2011 were turnovers and inconsistent quarterback play. Kiel will be an immediate upgrade over Tommy Rees. He will need time to develop to the speed and physicality of the college game, but if he is as good as everyone says he is, that shouldn't take too long. 

Despite those problems, this team was still able to win eight games and made it to the Champs Sports Bowl where they lost to a talented Florida State team. 

Now, this team has a quarterback capable of running the kind of offense that Kelly wants with playmaking receivers and running backs that can take pressure off Kiel if he gets overwhelmed early. Losing Michael Floyd will hurt, but gaining a quarterback like this makes it easier to take. 

Some of the top teams in the country in 2011, like Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon, Boise State and Wisconsin, are going to take some steps back next season. There will be plenty of teams fighting over those coveted BCS spots. 

Notre Dame is poised to take a big step forward thanks to an improving defense, solid offense and quarterback. You need to have a big-time playmaker under center if you want to be a successful program, and Kiel would be the answer that the Irish have been looking for. 

Looking at their schedule for next year, there are some difficult games on the road against Michigan State, Oklahoma and USC, but if they catch a break or two in those games and take care of business in their home games then they will become BCS eligible. 

One thing that would have me concerned is Kiel's constant flip-flopping and inability to decide where he wants to play. A lot of recruits do this kind of thing, but he has switched schools three times in the last three months. 

He has to be willing to commit himself fully to whatever school he wants to play for. As of right now it is Notre Dame, and it couldn't be happier to welcome him aboard. 

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