SOUTH BEND – Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin cannot say what the future holds for the team’s quarterbacks.
The No. 10 Irish (4-0) are sticking with sophomore Everett Golson as the starter, but they also will not hesitate to make a quarterback change if it will help Notre Dame win.
Notre Dame, which doesn’t have a game this week, replaced Golson with junior Andrew Hendrix when the season-opening 50-10 win over Navy was secured. The Irish also called on Tommy Rees to guide the game-winning drive over Purdue in a 20-17 win and inserted the junior into the first half of Saturday’s 13-6 win over Michigan after Golson threw two interceptions.
“I wouldn’t have predicted the first four games would go this way,” Martin said. “We played two different quarterbacks in every game. The first game made sense, because it was lopsided. The other three games, two quarterbacks played, and we are 4-0. We are doing whatever we can to try to win a game.”
Quarterback issues aside, Martin said to keep winning the Irish need to improve their passing production. Notre Dame is averaging 211 passing yards and is completing 57.5 percent of its passes.
Martin said the Irish want to get tight end Tyler Eifert, a Bishop Dwenger grad, more involved. The senior has nine receptions for 158 yards but had only one catch in the last two games.
But Martin said improving the passing game doesn’t stop with getting the ball to Eifert.
“I don’t think it is as much right now a product of Tyler not being involved in the passing game, as much as how efficiently we can throw the ball in certain situations,” Martin said. “We are searching for consistent execution in the passing game.”
