Which Notre Dame QB Needs a Bigger Spring, Everett Golson or Malik Zaire?

Here's what we know about Notre Dame's quarterback competition between Everett Golson and Malik Zaire: Barring an injury or some unforeseen circumstance, it will rage on into preseason camp. 

This Saturday's spring game on April 18th isn't going to change that, either. Spring games are essentially glorified scrimmages that the public sees. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, on the other hand, has been closely monitoring Golson and Zaire for weeks on end. He knows what they're capable of doing. 

That said, Golson has to be feeling the pressure to have the better spring. He has one more year of eligibility remaining and has been the subject of transfer rumors, namely to LSU, which he's denied on his Twitter account. 

Spring drills provide an opportunity to bounce back from disappointments and block out distractions. Whether you're talking about an early-enrollee freshman or a fifth-year senior, everyone for the most part starts with a new slate.

Even though Golson is a longtime starter, that's just what he needs. 

According to J.J. Stankevitz of CSNChicago.com, Golson has been battling hard with Zaire for the No. 1 spot. Golson could transfer at the end of spring and be eligible to play right away next year. However, his actions actually indicate he's working hard to be the best player he can be for Notre Dame, despite conjecture to the contrary. 

"If I sensed (Golson eyeing a transfer) at all, I would pull the plug on it myself because we’re wasting our time,” Kelly said via Stankevitz. "I’m not going to jeopardize our program, our staff, our livelihood, what we do, if somebody’s not bought in and 100 percent committed. So that’s the most honest answer I could give you from that standpoint."

For example: Golson hasn't spoken to the media in months and was scheduled to speak last week, according to The Associated Press. However, a school spokesperson said Golson opted not to instead: 

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Notre Dame spokesman Michael Bertsch said Golson decided against talking with the media, saying he wants to focus on football and school. Bertsch said Golson is aware that some people will speculate about what his decision not to talk to the media means. When he receives his degree he is eligible to go to another school and play immediately.

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Yes, people will take Golson's silence as a sign of his commitment—or lack thereof. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller has also been quiet when it comes to media availability, which has only fueled similar transfer rumors over the past few months. 

But that doesn't mean those are the correct assumptions. 

The past two years have been filled with more downs than ups for Golson. He missed the entire 2013 season because of an academic issue and had ball-security issues last year. He was benched in the Irish's final regular-season game of '14 against USC, and Zaire got the start in the Music City Bowl against LSU. 

This is Golson's last chance to make an impact, to finish on a more positive note. If football and school are his biggest priorities as Kelly has indicated, then that's where he needs to put his focus. Kelly is willing to give him that, as he said via Stankevitz: 

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He doesn’t want to talk about it, he doesn’t want to do media and stuff like that because he’s focused on his academics and graduating and I’m OK with that. I’m fine with that. He’s had his share of living in the bright lights of it.

Now in the fall, he’s going to have to do what everybody else does in the fall and when it’s media time, he’s going to sit in front of you guys and answer questions. We’ll give him his space.

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That makes sense. Kelly and Golson have worked together for a long time. At this point, Kelly should know what his quarterback needs and what will make him successful. Critics can wonder why a senior still hasn't found the right balance of on-the-field success, academic success and media success, but it doesn't always click the same way at the same time for everyone. 

What matters is that Golson is concentrating on the things that are important. If anything, that should tell you he's committed to turning things around at his current school. 

If Kelly was to announce a starter after the spring game, publicly or privately, it would make sense to fuel the Golson rumors. As long as it's an open competition that will carry on for another few months, it means Golson has a chance. It's not a guarantee, but it's not nothing, either. 

That's all Golson needs. And it doesn't sound like he cares one bit if anyone says anything to the contrary. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football.