Notre Dame QB Everett Golson Admits Cheating Was The Cause Of Ouster From University

Former University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Everett Golson has finally admitted that cheating was the reason for his dismissal.

In a chat with Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples, Golson, who hopes to return to Notre Dame in 2014, clarified what he’d previously described as “poor academic judgment.” His original statement, released by the University of Notre Dame in May, began, “I have been informed by the University of Notre Dame that due to my poor academic judgment that I have been suspended from the University for the 2013 Fall Term.” At the end of his statement, Golson thanked Notre Dame for the opportunity to play and to return in 2014.

Speculation was that his release was due to cheating or some other form of academic violation, but until the Sports Illustrated interview, speculation is what Notre Dame fans had to settle for. Federal law prohibits Notre Dame from discussing Golson’s or any student’s departure, regardless of the terms. Golsonhas maintained his intention to return to Notre Dame since day one.

Golson, who’d led Notre Dame to an undefeated season in 2012 and a shot at the BCS National Championship, remained cagey, even when opening up about the suspension. In the interview, the red shirt freshman QB wasn’t exactly forthcoming, referencing “poor judgment on a test” before coming clean in a roundabout way when Staples pressed the issue.

“Did you cheat on the test?” Staples asked.

“That’s what it was,” Golson said. “I’m just going to leave it at poor judgment …Test situation, yeah.”

After the Fall 2013 suspension, Golson plans to return to the University of Notre Dame in the Spring of 2014 and to Notre Dame football in the Fall.

“My heart was set to go back to Notre Dame,” Golson said.

While the owner of eight consensus national championships, the University of Notre Dame hadn’t been in the championship conversation for years, certainly not since the onset of the BCS, until Golson showed up.

What do you think of the University of Notre Dame’s handling of Everett Golson? Is Notre Dame going too easy on Golson? Should he have been given a more strict punishment?