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What did a former Notre Dame QB tell DeShone Kizer about succeeding in South Bend?
DeShone Kizer is sitting on the brink of a major opportunity.
The redshirt freshman quarterback is part of a Notre Dame squad that is ranked No. 9 in the country and, despite a loss to fellow top-10 team Clemson, could still play its way into the College Football Playoff.
Kizer, thrust into the starting role after Malik Zaire was injured in week two, has performed well for the Fighting Irish, posting the 14th-best passer rating (156.9) in the country while throwing 10 touchdown passes and totaling 1,370 yards through the air.
If the surprising step up onto the big stage of college football has not looked too big for the youngster, that could be thanks to some advice from someone who has been in his shoes: Ron Powlus, who told the South Bend Tribune he let Kizer know being the ND QB means "you're always on."
Now the director of player development, Powlus was himself once a redshirt freshman starting quarterback for the Fighting Irish.
Although he did not live up to the incredible hype that accompanied him to South Bend, Powlus was a four-year starter at Notre Dame and finished his career as the holder of 20 school records.
“The whole world’s watching, and you have to get used to that. And that’s something, even if you come from a world where a lot of people are watching you in high school, it’s still different here. That’s a good thing. If you embrace it, you have a good time with it. And if you fight it, you’re going to struggle.”
