DeShone Kizer will start at quarterback for No. 18 Notre Dame against Nevada on Saturday.
Kizer said Kelly met with him Wednesday and told him he won the job, saying Kelly assured him he “would be the guy.”
Kizer outplayed Malik Zaire in a 50-47 double-overtime loss at Texas. Kizer threw for five touchdowns and ran for another and guided Notre Dame within field-goal range two other times on 13 possessions.
The Irish (0-1) failed to score on the three possessions Zaire played.
Kelly did not talk with the media on Wednesday. On Tuesday he said he would announce a decision after talking with the quarterbacks.
Kizer was 15 of 24 passing for 215 yards with a pass efficiency rating of 206.5. After Zaire broke an ankle in the second game last season, Kizer led the Irish to nine victories and a No. 11 ranking.
