by Leprechaun Express & Steve Welsh
Fighting Irish Football student-athletes QB CJ Carr, CB Leonard Moore, RB Jadarian Price, and LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa speak with reporters after their 28-7 victory over Boise State in the annual “Irish Wear Green” game on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
“… And now the deal gets real and the lights get bright, and the only conventional tangibles Wimbush has on his college résumé are five passing attempts and seven runs spread over two cameos two years ago. Are we there yet? The college football world is about to find out. …”
“… Wimbush has been the talk of this team ever since DeShone Kizer declared for the NFL in December. In one of his first meetings with reporters earlier this year, Wimbush called last year’s 4-8 season ‘unacceptable.’ Buzz surrounding him [sic] is that he’s the right guy to take on one of the most scrutinized jobs in college football. He’s in the process of learning a faster-paced offense being installed by new offensive coordinator Chip Long, and quarterbacks coach Tom Rees has said Wimbush has the physical tools and maturity to execute it. …”
“… Inconsistent decision-maker. Showed dreadful lapses in judgement that lead to interceptions. Too willing to make off-balanced heaves. Benched against Stanford. Had at least one interception in 15 of his 23 starts. …”
“University of Notre Dame junior quarterback DeShone Kizer has decided to forego his final two years of eligibility to make himself available for the 2017 National Football League Draft. ‘DeShone is an extremely gifted quarterback that was faced with a difficult decision,’ Irish head coach Brian Kelly said. ‘He could return as a senior captain at Notre Dame — a place that he loves, and with a program that respects him immensely. Or, he could begin the next chapter in his life and accept the opportunity that likely awaits in the NFL. While he chose the latter, the type of leadership DeShone displayed this past season will benefit our program moving forward. He’ll certainly be missed on and off the field, but we’re very happy for him and his family. DeShone will always represent this University with the utmost professionalism and class.’ …”
“#NotreDame quarterback #DeShoneKizer declared for the #NFL draft Monday, giving up his senior season and opening up the Fighting Irish’s starting job next year for #BrandonWimbush. Kizer put together a solid junior season …. He threw for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns, and rushed for 472 yards and eight touchdowns. … Earlier this month, Malik Zaire … announced he was transferring … as a graduate student.”
“Malik Zaire’s days as a Notre Dame quarterback are over. The school granted his request to be released from his scholarship and to seek a transfer …. Zaire … has one remaining season of eligibility … expected to graduate in December and would be eligible to play next fall as a grad student. … Florida, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin are among the potential destinations …. Michigan State had been on that list, but Notre Dame reportedly would block him from transferring there or to any other school on the 2017 schedule except for North Carolina. …”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “…. ‘I talk mostly about Notre Dame, and where does he want to be as it relates to the Notre Dame quarterbacks?’ Kelly said. ‘Most quarterbacks are judged by not their numbers, but by their wins. And we’re all, right now, 3-6.’ ….”
… #DeShoneKizer remains one of college #football’s most highly regarded prospects in scouting circles. … an NFC executive views the redshirt sophomore as a top-10 draft choice. ‘Pocket passer with a very good arm, has the athletic ability to get out and make plays with his feet,” the executive [said] …’All the tools are there. He’s struggled a little bit over the last month but was excellent on film last year and the beginning of this year.’ Kizer will be eligible for the 2017 #NFL Draft if he applies for and is granted early eligibility after the season. As a redshirt sophomore, however, his draft year could also be 2018 or even 2019. …
…. Kizer, who has ascended to the top of most NFL draft analysts’ lists of the top draft-eligible quarterbacks next spring, went 23-for-35 and threw three touchdown passes in the win. His 465 passing yards was the third-highest single-game mark in program history —J oe Theismann holds the record of 524—and the 6-foot-5, 235-pound signal-caller rushed for another score too. … [Kizer] threw for 356 yards in the Irish offense’s 30-point outburst in the first half. But Irish coach Brian Kelly was more impressed with Kizer’s second-half performance …. ‘I thought what I liked about him in the second half is he dropped the ball down, took the easy completions, made the smart decisions and I think he needs to continue to do that. …’
“It should be little surprise that quarterback DeShone Kizer is the Notre Dame player whose name appears near the top of most NCAA offensive statistical leader lists. Kizer’s had a hand in 20 of ND’s 25 touchdowns this season and leads an offense that has averaged nearly 40 points and 495 yards of offense through five games this season.”
Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer reacts to the team’s 50-33 win over Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016.
“The 6-4, 230-pounder has all the physical tools NFL teams salivate over when it comes to quarterback prospects.”
Blue and Gold Illustrated reports on Notre Dame’s defensive improvement against Syracuse, following a change in defensive coordinators.
… though the 50-33 #NotreDame win over Syracuse … featured plenty of room for improvement on defense, it was a step in the right direction. Syracuse’s high-powered offense started fast …. But some halftime adjustments proved crucial, and the Irish limited the Orange to just six second-half points. … Kelly fired third-year defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder before preparation for Syracuse’s uptempo offense started. He was pleased with the team’s response. …
Meanwhile, Notre Dame quarterback Deshone Kizer had a strong first half, but Brian Kelly looked for improvement in some of Kizer’s situational decisionmaking.
Offensively, junior quarterback DeShone Kizer had another career day for the Irish. … 23 of 35 passes for a personal-best 471 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. … though Kizer put up huge numbers en route to a 33-27 halftime advantage — he had 170 yards and two touchdowns through the game’s opening period — Kelly said he liked his quarterback’s second-half performance even better. ‘He has a tendency to want to do too much,’ said Kelly. ‘He puts too much pressure on himself. He’s got to stop doing that. What I liked about him in the second half was he dropped the ball down, took the easy completions, made the smart decisions, He needs to continue to do that.’
…. The younger Wimbush indeed is having to wait for his shot. After seeing the field as a true freshman last year, the 6-3, 215-pounder was told by Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly in the offseason that he’d redshirt this year. …
Shine a spotlight on DeShone Kizer, and the results are often C-L-U-T-C-H.
“Look, if you’ve got a really good quarterback you’ve got a chance, and he’s a really good quarterback,” Kelly said. “He knows what he’s doing. He knows how to do it and he’s working to get better at it every single day. He gives you a shot at winning every game you play.”
For a majority of the second half, Notre Dame junior quarterback DeShone Kizer stood on the sideline without his helmet and wearing a red visor.
No, the Toledo, Ohio, did not struggle and get the hook from coach Brian Kelly.
The Irish avoided a Week 2 quarterback controversy, starting Kizer and letting him captain Notre Dame to a big first half lead en route to a 39-10 victory over Nevada in front 80,795 spectators at Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre Dame did some good things offensively against Texas, but in the end the Irish offense could not capitalize on enough opportunities to win … Kizer was able to move the offense much better than Zaire, leading the Irish to all six of its touchdown drives. He made plays with his arm (215 yards, 5 TD’s) and legs (77 yards, 1 TD). Kizer was more than willing to attack tight windows … It was not a perfect performance … the Irish quarterback left too many yards on the table …. All in all, Kizer played very good football, but moving forward he will have to clean up some mechanical and read issues.
DeShone Kizer will start at quarterback for … Notre Dame against Nevada …. Kizer said Kelly met with him Wednesday and told him he won the job …. Kizer outplayed Malik Zaire in a 50-47 double-overtime loss at Texas. Kizer threw for five touchdowns and ran for another and guided Notre Dame within field-goal range two other times on 13 possessions. … 15 of 24 passing … 215 yards … pass efficiency rating of 206.5.
Notre Dame fights back to tie the score 14-14 at Texas late in the first half, with an electric, acrobatic 30-yard touchdown pass from DeShone Kizer to Equanimeous St. Brown, their second of the game, with 3:44 to go in the half. Kizer hits St. Brown in mid-stride around the Texas 4, with St. Brown flying forward off a hit from a Texas defender, then doing a somersault off his hand to flip into the end zone.
TOUCHDOWN IRISH!
Equanimeous St. Brown scores his second career TD & second of the game
#10 ND 14 | 14
2nd Quarter pic.twitter.com/z0fyAwLnkN— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 5, 2016
Equanimeous St. Brown LITERALLY just did a one-handed TD cartwheel to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/Ja4hfcFQGz
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) September 5, 2016
Notre Dame gets on the board 7-0 in their first offensive drive at Texas, with a 13-yard touchdown pass from DeShone Kizer to Equanimeous St. Brown. Kizer lofts a well-placed pass to the outside shoulder of a leaping St. Brown near the left sideline, five yards deep in the end zone. The Texas defender had decent height, at 6-2, yet the 6-5 St. Brown combined physical size with athleticism and grace, to snag the well-thrown ball for the score and get his right foot down just in-bounds. It would be Notre Dame’s only score in a first quarter that ended with the score 7-7.
TOUCHDOWN IRISH!
DeShone Kizer finds Equanimeous St. Brown to get the Irish on the board first.
#10 ND 7 | TX 0 pic.twitter.com/6yauRJGzpo
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 4, 2016
… Brian Kelly says he has been preparing both quarterbacks to play …. ‘Malik will go in for one play and DeShone will go in for 6, and then Malik will go in for 5 plays and then DeShone will go in for 3. So, the net is that they get the same amount of reps but they’re not tempoed reps and there’s no rhythm to them so we’re just preparing them for that kind of eventuality,’ said … Kelly. ‘… it’s just important to be able to adapt. Being here I’ve been able to adapt to a lot of different situations so for me, I play better when it’s just time to play,’ said quarterback Malik Zaire.
ABC57 News – See the Difference Michiana
Brian Kelly, like most people analyzing Notre Dame’s season opener against Texas, realizes that all eyes will be on the Irish quarterback situation. … the rotation of junior DeShone Kizer and senior Malik Zaire — and how the two quarterbacks handle that … will likely have more impact on the final result than any other factor. * * * The rotation of the quarterbacks will go by feeling, Kelly said, not a hard-and-fast set of rules. The biggest determining factor will be how the Longhorns defend the Irish.
‘What we’re mostly focusing on is what Texas wants to do and how we counter with our two quarterbacks and how we think effectively they can run our offense,’ Kelly said. ‘… we’re trying to counter … the game within the game … how Texas is trying to defend what we’re doing offensively. … the biggest issue that I have moving forward is that we’re going to run the quarterbacks as we see how the defense is playing us. … flow is important, rhythm is important, but if we get into a particular field zone [where] I think another quarterback will be more effective based on what Texas is doing, I may have to supersede the hot quarterback for the right person at the right time.’