Notre Dame Football: What the Loss of Everett Golson Means for the Irish

A shocking report from WNDU.com's Kevin Lewis and Angelo Di Carlo claims to have confirmed that Notre Dame star quarterback Everett Golson is no longer enrolled at the university. 

The Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton reports that two sources claim Golson's dismissal was the result of a residential life violation, although the university will not confirm or deny the rumors, citing federal and school privacy laws

The university—according to Di Carlo and Hamilton—also declined to comment on whether Golson will be eligible to re-enroll at some point. The prevailing belief, according to Hamilton, is that the former starting quarterback will not play in the 2013 season, leaving the Irish in a bad position.

So who will the Irish turn to?

Former Rivals.com 5-star ranked quarterback Gunner Kiel recently transferred to the Cincinnati Bearcats—the previous home of Irish head coach Brian Kelly. That leaves Notre Dame with interception-prone veteran Tommy Rees and impressive inbound recruit Malik Zaire. 

Rees will most likely be the starter this fall, but if Zaire—who had a good showing in Notre Dame's Blue-Gold spring game—is able to prove himself, we may see him start later in the season. 

If Zaire is not ready for football at the next level, you can expect to see Andrew Hendrix play second-string to Rees. Let's hope Zaire is up to the challenge, though. 

What does this mean for the 2013 Irish team?

In a nutshell, it means that everyone better pray that Rees has elevated his game. He was solid last season on several key plays when he stepped in for Golson, and he looked good in the spring game. However, only time will tell if he has improved enough to helm a championship-caliber team. 

All is not lost, though; Notre Dame still has the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation according to Rivals, and the defense is expected to be very strong this fall, with several 2012 starters returning.