Notre Dame quarterback Gunner Kiel to transfer

South Bend, IN, United States (4E Sports) – The website Irish Sports Daily and ESPN reported that Notre Dame quarterback Gunner Kiel will transfer.

Notre Dame officials had no comment while a message left for Kiel’s father, Kip, was not returned.

The Columbus (Ind.) High School product redshirted this past fall during the Fighting Irish’s run to the Discover BCS National Championship game.

Freshman Everett Golson won the starting job last fall, with junior Tommy Rees seeing extensive playing time, too.

Sophomore Andrew Hendrix was ahead of Kiel on the depth chart last year as well, and Notre Dame welcomed in another quarterback this semester in early enrollee Malik Zaire.

In the week leading up to the BCS title game, Kiel had mentioned staying and trying to win the starting job.

“Anything could happen,” Kiel said Jan. 5. “[Golson] could go to the NFL — you never know. He could also get hurt, other people could get hurt — there’s so many doors that could be opened that I just have to be patient, just wait my turn, wait to get better.”

A four-star quarterback from the Class of 2012, Kiel originally committed to Indiana in July 2011. He reopened his recruitment that fall and verbally committed to LSU but enrolled at Notre Dame.

The move drew sharp criticism from LSU coach Les Miles.

“There was a gentleman from Indiana that thought about coming to the Bayou state,” Miles said. “He did not necessarily have the chest and the ability to lead a program, so you know.”

“Once he said it, I don’t blame him at all — I was dumb during the recruiting process,” Kiel said Jan. 5. “I couldn’t really make up my mind, but I was also doing what was best for me at that time, and that was picking a college. That much pressure and being so highly ranked, I couldn’t make up my mind.

Almost every Big Ten team pursued Kiel during his initial recruitment. Notre Dame may block Kiel from transferring to future Irish opponents like Purdue and Michigan State.

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