Which you no doubt know, I'm not trying to correct you or anything. But if you want to draw some parallels... A slight-of-build, athletic quarterback from South Carolina was the presumptive starter in front of a heralded pro-style quarterback, who then transferred because he felt he couldn't get on the field. Hm.
Drawing parallels is really nothing more meaningful than a fan's diversion, though. As Counselor Cross will tell you, analogies tend to be very ineffective because it's far too easy to point out how the situations aren't analogous. Golson is a far better passer than Rice was, and Rice was a far better runner than Golson is. Both basically do/did one well well enough to keep defenses honest on the other, but their strengths are flipped. I believe Graham was well-regarded as a recruit but not at the comparative level of Kiel. I also doubt Kiel will end up at a program anywhere near as notable as Ohio State, where Graham landed (or Michigan, USC, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, etc.).
But there were definitely Irish fans gnashing their teeth about how the "central casting" QB transferred because the coach was too stubborn to unseat the smurf who fit his system. That worked out pretty well, though. (Note to Cross: I am not implying that Golson will now win the title next year. Just to be clear.) The backup QB is always the most popular guy on the team.
