Notre Dame Spring Game: Throw-by-Throw Quarterback Breakdown

Spring football has come to an end with the conclusion of this year's Blue-Gold Game, with the defensive Gold team prevailing.

In a spring game, the final score is truly meaningless. What is of supreme importance is the play and development of key players and position groups.

This year the focus is on the inexperienced depth lacking cornerbacks, and the presumed four-headed monster that is the quarterback competition.

The cornerbacks are more of an enigma to me, having spent the entirety of my football playing days on the offensive side of the ball wearing a single digit, so I'll leave that position breakdown to someone with more of an eye for tight hips and pursuit angles.

The quarterback position is one with which I am more familiar and spend most of my energy studying.

For the Irish, possibly the season and the coaching tenure of Brian Kelly depends upon this competition. The winner of the battle will be most responsible for the success or failure of the Kelly era at large, following back-to-back 8-5 seasons that find Kelly's Irish yet to turn the corner.

The spring game did show that whomever the QB is, he will be surrounded by talent. The backfield will be populated by a trio of potential game-changing players in Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick and George Atkinson. Tyler Eifert, Ben Koyack and Alex Welch look certain to continue the trend of monster tight end play.

The receivers are thin, but DaVaris Daniels and T.J. Jones are talented, and Robby Toma and John Goodman are excellent route-runners with good hands.

Plus, expect to see Eifert and Riddick playing out of the slot or spread wide many snaps a game.

There is enough offensive talent to give defensive coordinators many sleepless nights provided that the quarterback selection can prove an equal threat.

Coming into the game, Kelly promised that no decision would be made prior to August, so the only thing that can truly be judged is the progress and current status of each player.

The first thing that is clear is that the four-way race is most likely a three-way race.

Gunner Kiel looks destined for a redshirt, as he did not join the first-half quarterback rotation and instead played the full second half of "fast clock" play.

He also looked like a high school kid playing in a college game. While displaying all the physical tools in the world, he was not making reads, seemed confused of formation and checks,and often threw into coverage.

He did demonstrate a ton of upside, a cannon for an arm and the desire to be coached, but also clearly showed that he is fourth on the depth chart.

Tommy Rees

The first quarterback in was everybody's favorite Tommy Rees.

Rees' first pass came on the game's first play. Irish lined up in their base spread formation, a pair of receivers to each side, single running back to the wide side. First-and-10. Rees threw right sideline for DaVaris Daniels on what was supposed to be a quick hitch, but the ball was high and incomplete.

0-of-1

The second throw came from a formation using two receivers right, one left, tight end left, single back. Second-and-10. Rees completes a quick swing pass to Riddick for a gain of nine.

1-of-2, 9 yards

Rees' third offering came from the base formation with a flexed H back right. Third-and-1. Rees rolls right, throw is incomplete, wide of Ben Koyack on an out route. Good coverage, thrown into traffic.

1-of-3, 9 yards. Drive stalls. Punt.

Rees' second possession began with a delay of game penalty and followed with his fourth attempt. Coming from a trips right, tight end right, single WR left, empty backfield Rees' 1st-and-15 pass is batted down.

1-of-4, 9 yards.

After a one-yard run, Rees audibles, moves Cierre Wood from right to left for blitz pickup across the base spread formation. Rees overthrows a well-covered John Goodman and is intercepted by the Cover-2 free safety. He missed Robby Toma coming clean on the clear-out crossing route, which would have had a chance to pick up the first down.

1-of-5, 9 yards, INT. Drive stalls, turnover.

Rees' third possession begins from the base spread formation and is a solid connection to Riddick on a shallow out from the slot for a gain of eight.

2-of-6, 17 yards, INT

Following an eight-yard run Rees finds Eifert out of the base spread formation on a sideline checkdown pass for three yards and a first down.

3-of-7, 20 yards, INT

Rees' next throw comes from a formation that Notre Dame is calling "California," more than likely an homage to Stanford, a 21 personnel formation with a tight end on each side of the formation and a single running back and the quarterback under center.

From this new favorite set, Rees connects on 4th-and-4 to Riddick on a short out route for six yards and a first down. Good checkdown, good read and throw.

4-of-8, 26 yards, INT

Next Rees throws out of the same set, but drops into shotgun position. He under throws an end-zone fade intended for Daniels, who had his defender beat to the deep pylon. Bad throw.

4-of-9, 26 yards, INT

On the 3rd-and-goal play in the series, the Irish line up with a pair of receivers into the boundary left, one right, and a tight end right. Rees throws another short fade intended for Daniel Smith. Lo Wood probably interfered with the receiver, but nonetheless the ball was thrown short and inside. 

Rees missed Tyler Eifert open for a score on a slant out of the slot on the same side.

4-of-10, 26 yards, INT. Drive stalls, field goal attempt is no good.

Rees' fourth possession begins with the best throw I've ever seen him make. From the base spread formation, Rees places a perfect outside shoulder fade to Daniels over good coverage by Austin Collinsworth for a first-down gain of 29 yards.

5-of-11, 55 yards, INT

Next, from a twin-receiver right, single slot left formation Rees finds Atkinson on a checkdown. Atkinson shreds the defense for a gain of 18.

6-of-12, 73 yards, INT. Atkinson fumbles the option pitch on the next play. Drive stalls, turnover.

Rees' final possession begins with a swing pass to Atkinson from the base spread formation good for 11 yards.

7-of-13, 84 yards, INT

Rees' final attempt was another end-zone fade that ended up short.

From the "California" formation with Rees in the shotgun, Rees threw short right for Goodman in tight coverage. Goodman bobbled the ball falling out of bounds.

7-of-14, 84 yards, INT. Cierre Wood scores on the next play. Possession ends in touchdown.

Rees was, well, very Rees-like.

He did a few things that make you think he could develop into a quality quarterback.

Still, more often than not, he missed reads, forced throws, and contributed to a pair of turnovers.

Andrew Hendrix

Next into the game was the only other quarterback on the Irish roster with actual game experience, Andrew Hendrix.

Hendrix's first attempt comes out of a trips right, single left formation. The ball's batted down at the line.

0-of-1

After several strong runs put the ball at the 25-yard line, Hendrix throws again from the same formation. This time he catches Austin Collinsworth cheating up and showing blitz. He throws a laser to Tyler Eifert, who caught the ball in stride before the over safety could close, outrunning him to the end zone for a 25-yard score.

1-of-2, 25 yards, TD

Hendrix's second possession begins with another throw from the same formation as his first two. This time he throws wide of a diving John Goodman.

1-of-3, 25 yards, TD

Next Hendrix throws out of the base spread, overthrowing an open Alex Welch on a third-down wheel route.

1-of-4, 25 yards, TD. Drive stalls, punt.

Hendrix's third possession begin with several running plays before he finally gets to throw. On a first-down play Hendrix rifles a laser to Daniels on a skinny post through an NFL-tight window. A big-time arm displayed on a big-time throw for 25 yards.

2-of-5, 50 yards, TD

Atkinson fumbles on the next play. Drive stalls, turnover.

The final drive for Hendrix begins out of the "California set," firing a well-placed deep seam for Eifert, who turns inside, rather than outside, and falls awkwardly, losing the ball at impact. The prettiest incompletion of the game.

2-of-6, 50 yards, TD

Next out of a trips stack right, with a single receiver to the left, Hendrix completes to Theo Riddick for no gain. Apparently a missed signal, as Goodman took off, abandoning his block, leaving a free defender to stomp Riddick. Kelly gave Hendrix an ear full following, so it was most likely on the QB.

3-of-6, 51 yards, TD

The final throw of the afternoon for Hendrix is also his worst. Out of the base spread formation he drops, and quickly delivers a strike to Ishaq Williams. Unfortunately, Williams plays outside linebacker for the defense.

It looked like Hendrix was staring down Eifert on a shallow cross. Eifert recognized the deep Williams and broke the cross off and went vertical where the safety had shaded outside to double the left side wide out. Hendrix threw as if Eifert were continuing the cross, never seeing Williams.

3-of-7, 51 yards, TD, INT. Drive stalls, turnover.

Hendrix is the biggest enigma on the team. He shows so much potential but is wildly inconsistent. He made a couple of simply brilliant plays and equaled them with simply terrible throws. He is big, athletic, strong, fast and intelligent. There is no reason to believe Hendrix can't yet harness his potential and grow into a solid player.

Everett Golson

Coughing up the traditional No. 5 so that Gunner Kiel could honor his late uncle Blair by donning his old number, Everett Golson took his turn as the third Irish signal-caller in rotation wearing No. 1.

The number change may in fact be foreshadowing for a depth chart change to follow, but we'll have to wait until August for any confirmation.

Golson's first offering comes from the base spread formation, connecting with T. J. Jones on a multiple read throw. He also had Tyler Eifert open to the left side, but throws to Jones on the right sideline for seven yards.

1-of-1, 7 yards

Next was one of the many flanker screens that Notre Dame ran on the day out of a triple stack to the wide side of the field. Simple quick throw, basically a running play. Good for four yards.

2-of-2, 11 yards

Out of the base spread Golson correctly reads the coverage dropping into a two-deep zone with press coverage on the outside. He throws for Riddick out of the slot. Riddick, who is open with running room, drops the well thrown ball.

2-of-3, 11 yards

Golson's next throw comes from an unknown formation thanks to Alex Flannigan's interview of Michael Floyd, but Golson is flushed right, extends the play to the sideline, then at the last second finds Riddick with a pinpoint throw on the chalk. The Houdini-esque pitch and catch is good for 13 yards and a first down.

3-of-4, 24 yards

Following a good scramble for eight yards, and a dumb delay-of-game penalty, the snap on what looked like an end around bounces off Riddick's helmet and is recovered by the defense.

Drive stalls, turnover

Golson's second possession begins with another flanker screen out of the trips stack formation. The easy toss goes for nine, and may have later been counted as a lateral and a run. Still, for this article we'll call it a pass.

4-of-5, 33 yards

Next Notre Dame adds another man to the trips stack formation, making a quad left formation with a single receiver wide right. Again complete to Riddick, but a high throw that makes him jump negates yardage. Eight are gained on the second-down play that nets a first. 

5-of-6, 41 yards

From the "California" package with Golson under center, he stumbles executing the play action, and having broken rhythm throws wide of an open Goodman on the left sideline. In the miss, he still shows off his very live arm.

5-of-7, 41 yards

After a bad snap that Golson scoops and runs for a gain of three, and a timeout to avoid another delay penalty, the Irish offense sets with twin receivers right, one left, and a tight end left.

Golson fires a strike to Eifert on a skinny post out of the left slot. Great read, great throw, easy 30-yard gain setting up a red-zone chance.

6-of-8, 71 yards

After a couple of runs and a timeout to avoid another penalty, Golson throws out of bounds over No. 87 (don't have a name for that number!) on 3rd-and-goal from the base spread formation.

6-of-9, 71 yards. Drive results in field goal.

Golson's third possession begins from the base spread formation. He goes through his progressions, then checks down to Robby Toma on the left sideline for a gain of 11. The throw highlights that Golson has a ton of arm strength, as he threw the ball falling backward across his body.

Of course it also demonstrates that he lacks discipline in mechanics that could limit his ceiling.

7-of-10, 82 yards

From a twin left, single right look, Golson looks off two reads and sticks a deep out to Alex Welsh for 15 yards on 2nd-and-8.

8-of-11, 97 yards

Then from the "California" set under center, which Notre Dame had been running from all day, Golson connects on a play-action pass to Ben Koyack for 10 yards. Well-ran dig route nets another first down.

8-of-12, 107 yards

Out of a trips, left single right formation Golson shows nice touch throwing a deep fade for Daniels. The pass falls incomplete, either overthrown or Daniels got hung up with Atkinson in coverage.

8-of-13, 107 yards

Again out of the "California" set, Golson executes a nice play fake, then finds Koyack running an out route two yards deep in the right front corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

9-of-14, 116 yards, TD

Golson's final possession comes following the Hendrix interception, netting a short field.

His first pass of the possession came from trips left, single receiver right. It was another flanker screen, and again high. The throw forced Riddick off his feet and he was easily tackled for no gain.

10-of-15, 116 yards, TD

Golson's final throw was a strong back shoulder fade to Riddick out of the base spread for a 19-yard touchdown.

11-of-16, 135 yards, 2 TD

Golson had far and away the best day of the Irish signal-callers.

Throughout spring it had been reported that he was struggling with mid-level accuracy and was not advancing with the other two in the competition.

None of that was evident Saturday.

He showed poise in the pocket, pinpoint accuracy and athletic quickness that makes offensive coaches drool and defensive coordinators weep.

There were issues with signal recognition, and there were an issue or two with snaps.

Still, it is hard to find much fault in Golson's game.

Of his five incompletions, three were in a receivers' hands. He displayed arm strength, as well as nice touch.

He has to be considered a serious contender in the quarterback competition.

The same cannot be said, however, for Tommy Rees.

Rees makes all the right pre-snap reads. He repositions the protection perfectly. He audibles into better running plays that net larger yardage.

Then he throws an interception.

When he gets into trouble the wheels come off.

And no one believes he is a threat to run the zone read.

If there was a loser Saturday, it was Rees.

Although he made some very nice throws, he made some simply terrible ones as well. Most of his passes are targeted inside of 10 yards and rely on space to run after the catch.

As we saw last year, once it is established that your game relies totally on short-timing throws safeties and linebackers suddenly clog those lanes and there is no where to go with the ball.

Rees as the starter is just not sustainable.

Hendrix was most short-changed by the number or running plays called while he was in the game.

He, much like Rees, was also very inconsistent. Never really finding rhythm, he seemed out of sync with his receivers most of the day missing on several timing routes.

Hendrix did show off his cannon of an arm, as well as his punishing running style.

With Hendrix or Golson at the helm, the offense takes on a new, meaner style, featuring zone read options and designed quarterback runs that are simply impossible with Rees at the helm.

Going forward, I would expect no public backing of any of the three likely quarterbacks by Brian Kelly. He is in no hurry whatsoever to finish this. He knows that much is at stake. It has to worry him that his quarterbacks threw three interceptions and were part of three lost fumbles.

Privately, he has to be thinking that the easy choice is Rees. Rees has the experience and is the least damaged if he has to be pulled. However, playing musical quarterbacks can ruin the players' confidence, as well as divide the team. Rarely does the easy choice prove the smartest.

Hendrix is the safest choice. Everything about the kid says that it will work. There may be some growing pains, and maybe there will always be some roughness around the edges, but the intangibles are all there.

Golson is the best choice. He is small and inexperienced, but his arm is lively, his legs are quick, and he makes all the right reads. He looked amazingly accurate and was able to deliver a Favre-like laser or a Montana-esque tear drop.

It remains unclear as to whether Golson will reclaim his No. 5. It may be more appropriate for him to continue wearing No. 1.