Here's why Irish QB DeShone Kizer can't wait to beat Ohio State

By foxsports
Published

Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer is from Ohio. If you think that means he has some extra motivation to beat the Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, you're correct. 

Via NDInsider.com, the Toledo Central Catholic graduate explained how he feels about his home-state school. 

Kizer wouldn't be the first quarterback from Ohio to leave the state and beat the Buckeyes -- Tyler O'Connor of Lima Central Catholic started Michigan State's victory at Ohio Stadium in November, and before him Connor Cook of Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit did it for the Spartans in the 2013 Big Ten championship game -- but he would like to be the next. 

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and his staff were aware of Kizer when he was starring at TCC, but Kizer said they did not offer him a scholarship until after he had verbally committed to Notre Dame in June prior to his senior season. 

The Buckeyes ended up having to go out of state for a quarterback in the Class of 2014, signing Stephen Collier of Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County. 

While Kizer was forced into starting duty this season as a redshirt freshman because of an injury to Malik Zaire, Collier hasn't yet had a chance to show what he can do for the Buckeyes thanks to the presence of J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones.