Rumors of an imminent Everett Golson transfer swirled around South Bend last week, but Irish head coach Brian Kelly isn't paying them any mind.

Everett Golson Considering Transfer to LSU?

The senior quarterback is graduating from Notre Dame this spring, but retains a year of eligibility thanks to a redshirt obtained in 2013. As a graduate athlete, Golson can transfer anywhere in the FBS without having to sit out a year.

That led many pundits to believe Golson would consider jumping to a different program (most notably LSU) rather than return to Notre Dame and face a quarterback competition with rising sophomore Malik Zaire. Kelly is not one of those pundits.

"I've talked to Everett," said Kelly on ESPN's SportsCenter, via CBS Sports. "Everett needs to come back and go through spring ball. He's ready to compete. And he will compete in the spring. He's going to graduate this spring, and that's going to allow him to keep his options open.

"But I expect him to be back and competing for the starting position. Both of them [Golson and Zaire] will have an opportunity. I'd love to see both of them on the field for us; I think we can play them both. Everett's got a chance to win that starting position. I know he expects to be the starter in the fall, and he'll have that opportunity to do that."

Everett Golson Denies That He's Considering Leaving ND

Golson for his part has also denied the transfer rumors via his own personal Twitter account.