After suffering from a season ending ACL tear last season, QB Dayne Crist has resurrected and is ready to lead the new look Irish
As Jimmy Clausen checked out of ND early to head for the greener pastures of the NFL, QB Dayne Crist is ready to take center stage to lead the new look of the Fighting Irish. The 6’4” 235 pound junior, who says he fully recovered from last season’s ACL tear to his right knee, is ready to take orders from first-year coach Brian Kelly. There is promise in the offense as ND is absolutely stacked and loaded at the skill positions. Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph headline a talented unit that has great hands and Armando Allen and Cierre Wood have the speed and power to run the ball all day long. However, all the talent in world doesn’t mean a thing if the QB can’t get his players the ball.
There is question heading into the season about the strength of the O-line. Kelly is constantly shuffling his line because he can’t seem to find the right fit. Whichever group gets the starting nod, they better protect the QB. With Crist still not 100% (in my opinion) recovered from his ACL tear, he has lost the ability to scramble which takes away an important arsenal in his chest of weapons. Crist is temporarily a one-dimensional QB that must learn how to better sit in the pocket and pass the ball. He can’t afford to scramble and risk injury. If Crist goes down, there will be serious problems for the Irish. Behind Crist is a world of youth and inexperience with Nate Montana at back-up and freshmen Andrew Hendrix, Luke Massa, Tommy Rees in tow. This unproven O-line must provide ample protection for their golden boy if they want to go bowling come post-season.
Fortunately for Irish fans, Crist is a student of the game. Each day, he focuses on developing a stronger understanding of Kelly’s spread offense that worked to perfection in Cincinnati. As one of the most heavily recruited QBs out of high school, Crist has been working tirelessly on discipline, accuracy, and foot speed. As a back-up to Jimmy Clausen, Crist saw very little playing time, but this natural born leader and athlete is confident and ready to take center stage come opening day when Notre Dame hosts rival Purdue on September 4th.
