Could Irish Quarterback Everett Golson Be The Next Russell Wilson

This past weekend, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish suffered their first loss of the season in an instant classic against Florida State. The Irish were defeated 31-27 by the number two Seminoles of Florida State, but still left people impressed with their performance.

It was the first loss of the season for Notre Dame in the 2014 season after starting 6-0. It was also the first regular season loss in the career of Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson. Golson’s only previous loss in his career came in the 2012 national title game to Alabama.

Golson had started his regular season career 18-0 before falling to Florida State this past weekend. The loss was a tough one for the Irish, but Golson turned some heads in this game and showed that he and his team are legit contenders.

As I watched this game I couldn’t help but notice how efficient and calm Golson appeared even in the most crucial situations. Golson completed a remarkable 4^th and 18 on the final drive, in which he scrambled past multiple defenders and found star wide out Corey Robinson.

Robinson, the son of NBA great David Robinson, had a career game against the Seminoles and seemed to become Golson’s favorite target down the stretch. Golson showed he had matured from his freshman season in 2012 and is a much better player when the pressure is on.

Golson had to sit out the 2013 season due to academic issues, but has returned this season without skipping a beat. Golson in that year off improved his game on the field and also got his mindset to the point where he can become an elite quarterback on a championship team.

The one key thing I thought about during this game watching Golson is how he reminded me so much of former North Carolina State and Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson, the current Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback, led his team to a Super Bowl title last season and has become one of the best game managers in the NFL.

As I watched Golson Saturday night against Florida State I couldn’t help but think about how he made so many plays that resemble Wilson. His 4^th and 18 scramble on the final drive of the game I mentioned earlier is when it really hit me that we could possibly be watching the next Russell Wilson.

He has the calm mentality in clutch situations just like Wilson had in college and now in the NFL. Despite the loss on Saturday night, Wilson showed those same qualities in a hostile environment. Wilson was a standout in his one year with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2011 and many of the things he did on the field we are now seeing from Golson at Notre Dame.

Now, whether Golson goes on to become a Super Bowl winning quarterback is way too early to determine. He will have to remain out of the spotlight in terms of having off the field issues like we saw in 2013. I believe he has put those past issues behind him and the future will be very bright for Golson, but it’s always something to keep in mind.

Golson, much like Wilson, has the same small statue to be a quarterback, but both have incredible arm strength for their size. They both are around 6 foot, but have amazing abilities in the way they extend plays with their feet. It is hard for defenses to defend their style of game because of how quick and smart they are with the football.

So, as we watch Notre Dame for the rest of the 2014 season keep an eye out for Golson and how he continues to develop in the mold of a Russell Wilson type quarterback. Golson has the potential to be a great player like Wilson, but only time will tell if Golson will be anywhere near as great as Wilson is at the NFL level.

Golson and Wilson, both, are proving that size doesn’t matter when it comes to the quarterback position in today’s game of football. Wilson has succeeded at both the college and NFL level and now Golson appears to be a star in the making as well. It’s easy to forget Golson has already played in a national title game as a freshman in 2012, but he appears to be even better now than two years ago.

The future is bright for Golson and the comparisons to Wilson may become more noticeable as time passes. They both have the right mindset to be great and a humble personality to go along with their talent. The Irish will hope Golson brings them a championship to South Bend just as Wilson did to the Pacific Northwest with the Seattle Seahawks.