Updated

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly says Tommy Rees will start at quarterback for the Fighting Irish this season.

Kelly spoke Wednesday night at a Grand Valley State University event in Grand Rapids, Mich., and mlive.com reports (http://bit.ly/13mTswS) that Rees will be the starter. Kelly had told reporters 10 days earlier that it would be a three-man competition to replace starter Everett Golson, who was suspended for the fall semester by the university for poor academic judgment.

Rees started 12 of 13 games for the Irish in 2011, when Notre Dame went 8-5. He also played key roles in four victories last season when Golson either struggled or was injured.

Kelly says he thinks Andrew Hendrix and Malik Zaire can contribute at quarterback, but Rees will start.