Editor’s note: This is the 26th year that Fighting Irish Preview has been publishing the “All-time Irish Hero” series. From Gipp to Golson, hundreds of past Notre Dame players have been so honored. This season, the focus is on Irish quarterbacks from 1988 to the present.
Everett Golson grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. At Myrtle Beach High School, he threw 151 career touchdown passes as a four year starter That number ranks 6th all-time in national high school history. With Golson at the controls Myrtle Beach High School won state titles in 2008 and 2010. Golson was also a superb basketball player. Named an all-state point guard, he led his team to the state championship in 2008.
Recruited by Brian Kelly, he was an early enrollee at Notre Dame in January of 2011.
After a redshirt year, Golson won the starting job from incumbent starter Tommy Rees in 2012. He went on to an outstanding year as the Irish ran to a 12-0 year and the National Championship game. He threw for 2,408 yards and 12 TDs and had 298 yards and 6 TDs on the ground.
Among his accomplishments during the 2012 season is he became the first quarterback in Notre Dame history to lead the Irish to wins over top 10 teams in his first two road starts. (Michigan State and Oklahoma). Even in a losing cause in the National Championship game against Alabama he played well completing 21-36 passes for 270 yards and two TDs, one passing and one on the ground.
Golson had to sit out 2013 due to an academic issue, but worked his way back into the University and picked up where he left off. In 2014 he threw for 3400 yards and 29 touchdown passes and 8 more rushing. The Irish team and Golson faltered down the stretch that year but came back to notch a victory over LSU in the Music City Bowl by a score of 31-28. In that game Brian Kelly deployed both Golson and back up Malike Zairie in an effective time share at quarterback, rotating the two situationally, often times play to play.
Golson made the decision to grad transfer after the 2014 season and spent one year as the starting quarterback at Florida.
Everett Golson left ND ranked in the top five in 31 Notre Dame game, season and career statistical categories. His most impressive mark may be his 25 consecutive pass completions that he accomplished all in one game against Syracuse in 2014.
Everett Golson: another Fighting Irish Preview All-Time Irish Hero.