After not seeing any game action as a freshman in 2008, he completed 10 of 20 passes for 130 yards with a touchdown and interception as backup to Jimmy Clausen during his sophomore season in 2009. During a game against Washington State he tore his ACL and it was announced that he would be out four to six months.[3] Despite the injury he became Notre Dame's starting quarterback in 2010.[4]
Crist had his best football season in his sophomore year at Notre Dame. Crist completed 59.2 percent of his passes in 2010, passing for 2,033 yards, 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions,[5] before suffering a ruptured left patella tendon against Tulsa, ending his season.[6]
On August 23, 2011, Brian Kelly named him the starting quarterback for the 2011 season, after saying the quarterback contest between Crist and Rees was "very close." At halftime of the 2011 season opener against the University of South Florida, Brian Kelly benched the ineffective Crist in favor of Tommy Rees; the Fighting Irish went on to lose the game, and afterwards Kelly named Rees the new starting quarterback and named Crist the backup.
Kansas
At the end of the 2011 season, Crist was benched once again and he announced that he was leaving Notre Dame to play for Kansas, reuniting him with former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. Crist became immediately eligible since he completed undergraduate requirements.
Crist entered the 2012 season as the starting quarterback. Following a disappointing start to the campaign which had taken the Jayhawks out of bowl contention, Crist had increasingly lost playing time to accommodate redshirt freshman Michael Cummings.
Kansas' 2012 football season ended with a game at West Virginia in which Crist played only a few snaps. Although only winning one game out of twelve, the Jayhawks were extremely competitive throughout the year. They led part of the first half versus Kansas State who at the time was #7 in the nation before losing 56-16. The Jayhawks also nearly beat Texas at home who were ranked in the top 25 at the time. The Jayhawks also went into overtime and nearly beat Texas Tech who was also a top 25 team at the time. The Jayhawks failed to win a game after Labor Day with Crist finishing the season with the worst quarterback rating in NCAA Division 1A (ranked 116th out of 116 qualifying quarterbacks).[7]
Crist played in the January 2013 edition of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and was named the game MVP.[8]
Crist was invited to the Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp. He was not offered a contract at the conclusion of the minicamp.[9]
On May 15, 2013, Crist signed with the Baltimore Ravens.[10] On June 4, 2013, he was released by the Baltimore Ravens.[11]
On August 25, 2013, Crist re-signed with the Ravens as backup cover for Tyrod Taylor, who sustained a concussion in the Ravens' third preseason game.[12] On August 30, 2013, he was waived by the Ravens.[13]
