Apparently, there were very loud rumors making the rounds recently that quarterback Dayne Crist would be, among other things, transferring from Notre Dame.
Just as apparently, there was — or at least is now — zero truth to the rumors.
Speaking to the media Saturday, Crist said he doesn’t know where the rumors came from, that he’s happy in South Bend and, most importantly, he’s not going anywhere. Perhaps the biggest impetus for the speculation is the combination of Crist’s season-ending injury and the competition the junior will be facing coming off what was his second knee injury in as many years.
Regardless, Crist says he’s in it for the long Irish haul no matter what direction his injury situation takes him.
“When I was making the decision to come here, one of the things that you think about at any school, is can I be happy if I couldn’t play football. The answer is yes for me,” Crist said. “I’m happy here. I’m going to graduate next December and have an unbelievable degree. That’s part of the reason I came here.
“If the worst ever happened and I could never play football again, I’m very happy with my decision. It’s one of the reasons I won’t be transferring.”
Crist started the first nine games of the 2010 season before going down with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, and his availability for spring practice is very much up in the air.
True freshman Tommy Rees replaced Crist as the starter and went 3-0 to close out the regular season. Rees will start the bowl game against Miami as well, and could have a leg up in the QB competition heading into spring ball, particularly if Crist is sidelined for most if not all of the sessions.
So, he went to a university for a degree…?