Notre Dame QB Gunner Kiel announces that he will transfer from Fighting Irish

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Gunner Kiel (5) throws in the fourth quarter of the spring game at Notre Dame Stadium. Kiel wore the number five jersey in honor of his uncle and former quarterback Blair Kiel who died on April 8, 2012. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)

Gunner Kiel was the No. 1-ranked quarterback in the nation coming out of high school in 2012. Following a highly publicized and highly dramatic recruitment, Kiel settled on Notre Dame. Now, according to Irish Sports Daily, Kiel’s time in South Bend is practically over before it started.

Kiel, the nephew of former Irish starter Blair, was redshirted in his first year, and thus has four years of eligibility remaining. However, it was not going to be easy to supplant Everett Golson. As a mere redshirt freshman, Golson led the team to a 12-1 year, improving each and every week. For all of Kiel’s abilities, three more years riding the pine was simply too long to wait.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder had initially committed to Indiana, but backed out and then joined up with LSU. Only days before National Signing Day, he finally settled up Notre Dame.

A short 12 months later he hits the recruiting trail once again. With Golson starting for the next few seasons, his presence is, as previously mentioned, a logical reason for a transfer. However, it is not the official one.

Kiel has not yet made public his official motivations for the decision to transfer. Nor has he provided any possible landing spots.

For Notre Dame, it means the loss of one of the nation’s most talented insurance policies against an injury to Golson. Former starter Tommy Rees along with classmate Andrew Hendrix and freshman Malik Zaire, who enrolled in January, are the players left to push Golson.

For Kiel, it means a fresh start.

And for whatever school he winds up at, it means an immediate chance to dominate on the offensive side of the football (after a year of sitting out per NCAA transfer rules).

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