For Everett Golson, Notre Dame's November implosion got to the point where playing was no longer fun, it was a burden.
That's what Golson told Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman in the former Irish quarterback's first public comments on his team's collapse and his own turnover issues. Golson declined to speak with the media during spring practice -- which turned out to be a clear indication he was eyeing an exit from South Bend -- and was not made available to the media following Notre Dame's Music City Bowl win.
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Half a year removed from playing a significant role in Notre Dame's fall from playoff contender to dismal afterthought, Golson offered some insight on what went wrong during a fall in which he was responsible for 22 turnovers.
"It was me just not taking care of the ball," Golson told Feldman. "It was me trying to do too much at times. Not giving up on plays. Me trying to escape the pocket and not keeping two hands on the ball. Just being real careless. Lots of little detail stuff. And that costs us a little bit. At the end of the day what didn't happen was me getting back to the fundamentals."
The fundamental-focused rhetoric was what coach Brian Kelly preached last November, though the tailspin proved impossible to pull out of with every week bringing some new misfortune. It's widely accepted, too, that Golson and Kelly's relationship had soured by the end.
While Golson took the high road regarding Notre Dame in talking to Feldman -- he thanked Irish compliance for helping him sort through the transfer process, and didn't harbor any ill will toward athletic director Jack Swarbrick for blocking a potential move to Texas -- he said he hopes his move to Florida State allows him to have fun playing football again.
"For me, it all started with (Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher) being genuine and for me to be able to (play) free again," Golson said. "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."
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There's plenty more from Golson in Feldman's story addressing the transfer process, the SEC waiver issue and whether he'll be able to work with a demanding coach in Fisher.