An Answer for Getting Plays Into the Game

What can Brian Kelly do to help Everett Golson become the starting quarterback for the Irish?  Kelly on a regular basis has commented concerning Golson needing to step up to the cerebral plate.  Meaning he’s got to learn the playbook, read defenses, make correct audibles, run through his receiver progression and execute the play as a quarterback.  Kelly indicated that Golson had the unofficial, voluntary summer workouts to get better after some wrong play, wrong snap count and wrong formation moments during the 83^rd Blue-Gold Game.  Actually the statement was made for all four quarterbacks, however the comment had Golson’s name written all over it.

An Unhappy Brian Kelly

In a previous post we questioned why Kelly didn’t simplify the playbook for everyone as we were getting tired of the excuses that the coaches were slowing increasing the amount and number of plays that could be called.  And the fact that the number three and four quarterbacks was not getting enough repetitions and could not grasp the system.  So what does the playbook look and feel like, the New York phone directory?  (Do they still print such a thing?)

Kelly had to call two timeouts during the game because Golson did not receive and digest the play in enough time to beat the play clock.  It is unclear whether Kelly got the play to the red hat in time or if the red hat was slow.  Anyway Golson took the hit.  Last year how many timeouts were taken due to the play clock running down and how many delay of penalties were the Irish assessed?  A bunch.

If the quarterbacks are not processing the New York playbook from the red hat signals to the wristbands they are wearing to telling the offense and finally to executing the play, maybe the playbook or the signaling system is broken?  Kelly is never going to reach the stage where he can run a no huddle, fast tempo game at the rate he is going.

The staff here at the Station has a potential solution:

Talk About Signals

1.  Send the play in with a receiver or back who is substituting.  (duh)

2.  Signal the play onto the field as normally done.

3.  Designate and teach the center (senior Braxton Cave) the signaling system and he wears a wrist band as well.  He tells the quarterback and the quarterback then can verify by the substitute coming in, interpret the signaling, and finally what the center just told him.  If not the center, then the smartest and most experienced offensive lineman, if there is such an animal.  In other words, use all your options.

Notre Dame Red Hats In Action

This takes pressure off the quarterback and lets him concentrate on reading the defense, taking the snap, if a pass play then progressing through his receivers, and finally executing the play.

For cryin out loud, make it easier on him Brian.

Editors Note:  Good or bad, this is the 400^th post on the Subway Alumni Station Blog.

Add us to your favorites list: http://subwayalumnistation.blogspot.com