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Everett Golson will transfer to Florida State, the former Notre Dame quarterback told FOX Sports on Tuesday.
Golson picked the Seminoles after visiting Florida State as well as Georgia and Florida last week.
"This past weekend has been a defining moment in my life as I am proud to say I am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame," Golson said in a statement to FOX Sports. "The support I've received there over the past four years has helped strengthen my integrity, wisdom and character. I would like to thank all of the coaches who spent time speaking with me these past few weeks and considered adding me to their football programs. Their interest and sincerity was truly humbling. After much thought and careful consideration, I will utilize my fifth year of eligibility to join the Florida State University Seminoles. To coach Jimbo Fisher, the Florida State football team, staff, alumni and fans, thank you for allowing me to become part of the Seminoles family. I can't wait to get started."
The 6-foot, 200-pound senior graduated from Notre Dame on Sunday. He will be eligible to play in 2015.
At FSU, he will try to replace Jameis Winston, who sparked the 'Noles to the national title in his redshirt freshman season and ended up losing only one game in his two years as the team's starting QB. Winston's backup, redshirt junior Sean Maguire, had emerged from spring ball as the team's expected starter. Maguire led FSU to a 23-17 overtime victory over then-No. 22 Clemson last season, going 21-of-39 in his lone start in place of Winston, who had been suspended for the game.
In 2012, Golson, a fleet-footed Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, native with a very strong arm, helped lead the Irish to the BCS national title game. Golson, though, had to leave school for the 2013 season while serving an academic suspension before returning to South Bend to win back his starting job in 2014. Golson got off to a strong start in the first month of the season, but while injuries rocked the Irish he also struggled with turnovers, committing 22 on the season, and a team that had been ranked in the top 10 finished 7-5 in the regular season.
Golson's backup, junior Malik Zaire, started and won Notre Dame's bowl game last season, beating LSU and earning Music City Bowl MVP honors. Golson did also play in that game, going 6-of-11 for 90 yards.
In his South Bend career, Golson threw 41 TD passes and 20 INTs, passing for 5,850 yards. In 2014, he did have a solid 29-14 TD-INT ratio while throwing for 3,445 yards and completing 60 percent of his passes. Golson also ran for 14 TDs and 581 yards in his Fighting Irish career.
Bruce Feldman is a senior college football reporter and columnist for FOXSports.com and FOX Sports 1. He is also a New York Times Bestselling author. His new book, The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, came out in October, 2014. Follow him on Twitter @BruceFeldmanCFB.
