And if said monster should happen to take on a life of its own, Kelly had best beware. Controlling such a beast could prove to be a daunting task.

I refer to the volatile quarterback situation at Notre Dame and the brewing controversy it seems destined to create.

While Dayne Crist was healthy and upright, no issue or question existed. The heralded signal-caller from the West Coast was clearly the main man. His preeminence was undeniable.

But that all changed in a moments time. Following a 29-yard scramble against Tulsa, Crist came up lame along the Irish sideline. There had been no savage hit or awkward step. Everything seemed innocent enough. Nonetheless, a severe injury to his left knee had occurred. Crist had suffered a torn patella ligament.

The next day Crist underwent successful surgery but his season was done. Guesstimates had the junior requiring six months recovery time.

It was a disappointing and frustrating end to Crist's first season as the Irish starting qb. Though he had struggled at times with Kelly's spread offense, Dayne was getting the hang of it. Overall, his performance in a scheme that was foreign to him as recently as last March, was admirable.

In eight-plus games, he was solid and productive as his numbers would attest; 15 TD throws, 2,033 passing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Yes, Crist was still a work in progress but he was on the come. Dayne was getting there.

But then down he went. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time Crist has had a season interrupted. A year earlier versus Washington State, Crist tore an ACL that also necessitated the scalpel. He was forced to endure a trying rehab to get back on the field in time for spring ball. Now, he'll be required to go through a similar test all over again.

No one would blame Crist if he indulged himself a bit and threw a pity-party. He does seem star-crossed and snake-bit. He's been victimized by both bad luck and poor timing. Crist will have to suck it up once more and work his tail off to get back to being football ready by next spring.

But one player's misfortune leads to another player's chance. And that's certainly the case here. With Crist disabled, the door suddenly swung open for freshman Tommy Rees. On balance, Rees has taken advantage of the opportunity.

Rees immediately stepped into the breach against Tulsa and wowed many onlookers with a remarkable 33 of 54 effort that translated into 334 yards. In that contest, Rees set a ND freshman record with four scoring strikes.

However, it wasn't all upside for the frosh. Rees also experienced some bad which included tossing three interceptions, the last of which proved fatal.

Having driven his side all the way down to the Tulsa 19-yard line with under a minute left, Rees then blundered. Rolling to his right, the youngster made multiple mistakes on the game's signature play. First, the pup qb didn't set-up properly. Hence, he was launching off his back foot and couldn't generate any zip on the ball.

Rees also erred by throwing into tight double coverage that had his intended target Michael Floyd totally blanketed. Instead of taking the safe and sound option of pitching the ball out of bounds, Rees forced the issue. A back breaking interception ensued and as a result, the Irish were toast. Rees's under-thrown toss had arguably cost the Irish the game.

Yet, given the circumstances of how he was unexpectedly thrust into the fray, Rees had given a worthy accounting of himself in the midst of a most pressurized environment.

Over the next two weeks, coach Kelly elected to cacoon Rees somewhat, by not putting the onus on his neophyte qb to win games on his own. The approach would be a relatively conservative one that allowed Rees to pick his spots. The strategy was perfectly suited to Rees whose biggest strength maybe his knack for managing a game.

After an indifferent first half versus Utah, Rees came alive. In the final two quarters, Tommy warmed up considerably and delivered three payoff pitches in ND's crucial 28-3 win.

Rees built upon that commendable effort against the Utes by again getting it done versus Army. In the Domers' 27-3 beat down of the Cadets, Rees threw for 214 yards, one score and demonstrated he could unload the ball down field with a couple of nifty long bombs.

At that juncture, Rees was giving the Irish more than they could have rightfully expected. He was exhibiting a coolness and a relaxed demeanor well beyond his years. Rees seemed primed to continue his ascent with more promising play.

But against USC, Rees ran smack into a wall. Big-time! At last, his youth and inexperienced was exposed. Rees endured a nightmarish game in which he committed four turnovers, three picks and a fumble. Only a dogged and gritty Irish defense saved Rees from wearing the goat horns. Lost somewhat in the euphoria of ND's conquest of Troy was the fact that Rees had regressed. He'd clearly taken a step backward.

Yet, all things considered, Rees had more than held his own during this four-game audition. Comfortable with the spread because he ran it in high school, Tommy doesn't seem overwhelmed in the world of major college football. Often he demonstrates a moxie and savvy that can't be discounted.

At the very least, Rees has positioned himself to vie with Crist for the starter's job come next fall. Should Rees rebound from the SC debacle and shine in the upcoming Sun Bowl with Miami, his standing will be enhanced and he'll be all that more of a threat to become numero uno.

However, as hard as it may be to believe, someone else could crash the qb party and make it an even more jumbled situation. It could conceivably become a case of three's company.

Reading between the lines, freshman Andrew Hendrix has made an impression and caught the attention of Brian Kelly. Enough so that he can't be ruled out as a viable candidate to be ND's triggerman in 2011. The fact that Kelly won't eliminate him from the hunt speaks volumes about this youngster's future prospects.

Sure it's a longshot because of Hendrix's lack of practice reps in the system. His hands-on with the spread offense is quite limited.

But, oh my, does the 6-2 kid out of Cincinnati's Moeller High ooze athleticism. Kelly's pulse quickens when he talks about Hendrix's huge arm and his elusiveness quotient. Hendrix can throw and move with anyone he's competing against. Based on his physical gifts alone, Crist and Rees would be foolhardy not to be looking over their shoulders at this possible intruder. Hendrix clearly warrants watching.

At present, it's difficult to ascertain how the quarterback scenario will shake out.

Will Crist bounce back from his second surgery to reclaim what injury took from him? Can he return sufficiently armed to stave off the big push Rees and Hendrix figure to mount?

And what of Rees? He's had his baptism under fire in which he showed plenty of encouraging signs. But he also faltered at times which has created some doubt about his long-term viability. To be the man, Rees must play cleaner and take it to the next level.

Finally, there's Hendrix. He's the wild card in this potential battle royal. Though wet behind the ears, his enviable skill set will keep him in the discussion.

If all of the above play to their strengths and come close to maxing out their assets, coach Kelly might have one hell of a decision to make. A three-headed monster would put the Irish head man in the midst of a confounding dilemma. It's possible Crist, Rees and Hendrix could box Kelly into a corner and give their coach some sleepless nights trying to decide who should get the keys to the ND offense. A crowd at qb might give Kelly a whopping Excedrin headache.