Notre Dame Football 2012: How Irish Would Fare with Tommy Rees as QB

With Notre Dame in the midst of yet another heated quarterback controversy, I will be conducting a four-part series on how the 2012 season would turn out with each of the four quarterbacks on the roster as the starter. 

In the running for starting duties are junior-to-be Tommy Rees, junior-to-be Andrew Hendrix, sophomore Everett Golson and true freshman Gunner Kiel. 

In Part 2 of this four-part series, I will be featuring Tommy Rees.

Anyone who has legitimate interest in college football knows that the starting quarterback gig at Notre Dame is on an equal level of scrutiny to that of the United States' president.

Tommy Rees experienced that harsh reality during a 12-game span last season, and his time in the national spotlight has likely come to a much welcomed end.

As the starter during those 12 contests last season, Rees compiled a record of 8-4, elevating his career record as a starting quarterback to 12-4.

Don't let those numbers deceive you, though.

Each of those 12 victories has been largely supported by strong play on the defensive side of the football, as well as a handful of timely special teams scores (see George Atkinson's two kickoff return touchdowns this season, for example).

While it's certainly easy to demonize Rees for Notre Dame's underachievement last season, it's not fair to do so.

Rees reached the ceiling of his potential early on in the 2011 season. It would have been impossible for the junior-to-be to elevate his game any further. That's what makes Brian Kelly's decision to stick with Rees throughout the season so mind-boggling.

That's a conversation for a different day, though.

Purely for hypothetical purposes, let's suppose that Brian Kelly names Tommy Rees as the team's starting quarterback shortly before the season-opening game versus Navy in Dublin, Ireland.

Rees would likely throw an inadvertent interception, and possibly fumble the ball at least once. Yet those two costly turnovers wouldn't be enough for the Irish to lose the game. The Irish defense, led by Manti Te'o, would shut down Navy's triple-option attack, just as it did last season in a 56-14 domination.

The same script would be true against inferior opponents like Purdue, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Miami and BYU. Unfortunately, Rees' knack of committing turnovers in critical situations would be on display for all to see in prime-time games against USC, Oklahoma, Michigan and Michigan State.

Because Rees would fail to show any signs of improvement, the Irish likely suffer their way through another 8-5, or possibly 7-6 season, with another deflating loss in a meaningless bowl game.

Neither one of those potential records is what fans expect in an elite coach's third season at the helm of a high-profile football program.

And to think that Brian Kelly could avoid the hoards of fans calling for his firing by simply handing the keys of his offense to a more capable quarterback, whether it be Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson or even true freshman Gunner Kiel.

The very simple truth is that Tommy Rees is not the quarterback who will earn Notre Dame national respect or a desired spot in the BCS.

Your time has come and gone, Mr. Rees.