In one of the most heavily publicized transfers of the offseason, former Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson decided to make the move from South Bend to Tallahassee and play out his final season of collegiate eligibility at Florida State.
Golson remained publicly silent about the process until this week, speaking with Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports about his decision.
"I'm still wearing Notre Dame stuff," Golson said. "It's something that's pretty crazy right now for me to adjust to, but I do think it was best for me. I just needed a fresh start. It was me sitting down and thinking, 'OK, where do I feel the most comfortable?' It was nothing to knock Notre Dame. I just had to put myself in the best position possible."
Golson noted that the recruiting process was very different for him this time around, compared with when he came out of high school as a four-star prospect.
"The good thing about me being in the position - I'm not an 18-year-old kid," Golson said. "I asked a bunch of questions. I'm 22 and could really get into where's the best place that you can succeed and help the team's success."
As for the potential destinations that made his shortlist, Golson said he learned of the rule that would have likely blocked his transfer to an SEC school right before he hit the road on a trip to visit three schools - Florida State, Florida, and Georgia.
"You didn't know if you were going to get cleared," Golson said.
Golson also considered transferring to Texas, but says Notre Dame wasn't going to release him to the Longhorns.
"I would've definitely entertained it, but just knowing that I couldn't, it kinda limited me," Golson said. "It was pretty awkward, but it was kind of expected. It would've been interesting to see Texas. They (Notre Dame) basically limited me to the schools that we wouldn't play. I wasn't really surprised by it."
While he had considered trips to other schools, Golson saw all he needed to in his time in Tallahassee with Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher.
"One of the things I was looking for in a coach was for him to be genuine," Golson said. "What he's built there at Florida State really sold itself before I started really looking. Actually sitting down and talking to him, I felt like he was gonna shoot me straight and he was a genuine guy. If you're not doing so well, he's gonna tell you, and if you are doing well, he's gonna tell you that, too. I can really respect a guy like that.
"For me, it all started with him being genuine and for me to be able to (play) free again. I think that's what I lost sight of last season. At the beginning of the season, I was playing free. I was having fun. Closer to the end of the season, it kinda came to feel like a burden."
After accounting for nearly 6,000 yards and 41 touchdowns in his time in South Bend, Golson has a different achievement in mind for his one season as a Seminole: a national championship.
"It has to be," Golson said. "That's what everybody strives for, the national championship. I'm not the type of person that settles for less."
