Ranking The Quarterbacks On Notre Dame's 2020 Schedule
Notre Dame is slated to face a schedule that has a number of talented quarterbacks. The Notre Dame pass defense, which must replace three starters from last fall, will certainly be tested. It also means Notre Dame's own starting quarterback - Ian Book - needs to be ready for the challenge of facing top signal callers.
Here’s a ranking of the eight returning starters and two newcomers at the position that Notre Dame is slated to face in 2020.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
2019 Stats: 3,665 pass yards, 36 TD, 8 INT, 65.8%, 563 rush yards, 9 TD
Lawrence is more than just the best quarterback Notre Dame must face, he’s also the best quarterback in the country. The rising junior didn’t step into the starting lineup until the fifth game of his freshman season, but in two seasons he’s already passed for 6,945 yards and 66 touchdowns. He became a more impactful runner as a sophomore, racking up 563 yards and nine more scores.
Lawrence has all the traits you want in a star quarterback. He’s got great size, a cannon for an arm, he’s accurate, he has a high football IQ and he’s a winner. Despite the loss of Tee Higgins to the NFL and Justyn Ross to injury, Lawrence will still be surrounded by a talented group of pass catchers. He’s 25-1 as a starter, and as long as he’s healthy and on the field the Tigers will be hard to beat.
2. Sam Howell, North Carolina
2019 Stats: 3,641 pass yards, 38 TD, 7 INT, 61.4%, 35 rush yards, 1 TD
I liked Howell coming out of high school, but I certainly did not see him putting up the numbers he did as a freshman. I wouldn’t have predicted he'd put up those kind of numbers as a veteran, much less as a rookie. Howell led the ACC in touchdown passes and passing yards per game, and he finished behind only Lawrence in quarterback rating, total passing yards and yards per attempt.
Howell lacks the physical traits that Lawrence possesses. He’s not all that big, his arm is quality but not elite and he’s not much of a runner. What makes Howell so good is his accuracy, intelligence for his age, anticipation and quick release. The North Carolina signal caller just knows how to play the game and produce, and while he’s not a runner, he’s a mobile player in the pocket that can buy time as he looks for open receivers.
3. Micale Cunningham, Louisville
2019 Stats: 2,065 pass yards, 22 TD, 5 INT, 62.6%, 482 rush yards, 6 TD
Cunningham did not play against Notre Dame in last season’s opener due to a camp knee injury, and he didn’t seem as willing to run last fall as he did when he was a freshman. Cunningham went for 497 yards and 6.3 yards per rush in 2018, but he went for 482 yards and just 4.0 yards per rush as a sophomore. Now that he’s healthy I fully expect Cunningham to be a more willing and effective runner this season.
Not running as much helped Cunningham develop as a passer, and that’s why I’m projecting a breakout season from him. He threw for over 200 yards in four of the final five games last fall, with the rain-soaked Kentucky game being the only exception. He passed for over 200 yards just twice in the first seven games. Cunningham’s 22-5 touchdown to INT ratio was solid, and I expect him to produce a lot more scores this fall.
4. James Blackman, Florida State
2019 Stats: 2,339 pass yards, 17 TD, 11 INT, 63.0%, 41 rush yards, 1 TD
Blackman hasn’t quite developed the way I anticipated, but part of that has been a sketchy system and a porous offensive line. He’s not an ultra-gifted player, but he’s got moxey and enough arm talent to thrive in the ACC. There also might not be a player on the Seminole roster that will benefit more from the arrival of Mike Norvell and Kenny Dillingham.
Blackman is a pure pocket passer, and while he doesn’t have a cannon for an arm, his release is relatively quick, he shows good ball placement and he throws a pretty deep ball. He must improve his footwork and poise in the pocket, which is partly due to playing behind such a bad line. If the line improves and he can clean up his mechanics a bit I would not be surprised to see him throw for well over 3,000 yards this season.
5. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
2019 Stats: 3,098 pass yards, 13 TD, 9 INT, 61.6%, 110 rush yards, 2 TD
Pickett is an intriguing player that’s hard to get a read on. He did some impressive things last season, throwing for 3,098 yards and finishing second in the ACC in passing yards per game and attempts. He’s a gritty player that has shown playmaking ability, but consistency has been an issue. There were growing pains last season in year one of Mark Whipple’s offense, but as he heads into year two there should be improvement.
Pickett is a risk-taker and has playmaking tools, but while his yardage numbers were impressive he threw just 13 touchdowns last season. His yards per attempt average (6.6) was one of the lowest in the conference. At times he steps into throws and shows impressive zip, but too often he aims the ball and loses velocity. If the good version of Pickett shows up more consistently he’ll have a big final season.
6. Sam Hartman, Wake Forest
2019 Stats: 830 pass yards, 4 TD, 2 INT, 56.7%, 89 rush yards, 1 TD
Hartman wasn’t Wake’s starter last year, but he did start in 2018 and he’s thrown for 2,814 yards and 20 touchdowns in his two-year career. He came off the bench in relief of Jamie Newman three times last season and threw for 830 yards in those games. That includes a 308-yard performance against Florida State and 350-yard outing against Syracuse.
Now a junior, Hartman will likely have added much-needed size and strength to his thin frame. He isn’t the runner that Newman was, due in part to him not having the size, but he’s capable of doing damage with his legs. Hartman should have a lot of weapons to throw to, and if he can stay healthy his numbers should be outstanding. I won’t be the least bit surprised if he finishes the season ranked higher on this last than he is going in.
7. Tommy DeVito, Syracuse
2019 Stats: 2,360 pass yards, 19 TD, 5 INT, 63.2%, 122 rush yards, 2 TD
DeVito started the 2019 season off well from a statistical standpoint, throwing for 255.7 yards per game and 12 touchdowns in the first six games. He struggled during the second half of the season, averaging just 137.7 yards per contest in the final six games while passing for just seven scores. If Syracuse wants to have any chance at staying out of the cellar in 2020 it needs DeVito to tap into his full potential.
DeVito has impressive tools, showing off a quick release and good arm strength on short to intermediate throws. His deep balls can hang and his mechanics are inconsistent, things that can be fixed. The biggest issue for DeVito is decision making and timing. If he can’t improve in those two areas he’ll continue to be too inconsistent to really fuel the Orange offense. If he does improve in each area he’ll put up big numbers and the offense could be dangerous.
8. James Graham, Georgia Tech
2019 Stats: 1,164 pass yards, 12 TD, 7 INT, 45.1%, 290 rush yards, 3 TD
Graham was thrust into a difficult situation last season. Recruiting as an option quarterback, Graham had to learn a new offense and a whole lot of new footwork and mechanics last season. He’s a threat as a runner, but his passing needs a lot of work. He’ll need to make major improvements from an accuracy and decision making standpoint if he’s going to hold onto his job and help the Yellow Jacket offense improve.
NEWCOMERS
Chase Brice, Duke
2019 Stats: 581 pass yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 58.8%, 94 rush yards, 1 TD
Brice was a career backup at Clemson, but he made a name for himself when he replaced Lawrence in his first career start and led the Tigers to a comeback victory over Syracuse. His numbers weren’t impressive but he made some clutch plays in the win. Other than that, all of Brice’s career action has been in mop up duty.
Brice has 1,023 career passing yards and nine scores. He’s being counted on to use his experience at Clemson to give the Blue Devils a much-needed boost at quarterback. Duke had an incredibly talented passer from 2016-18 (Daniel Jones), but their struggles at quarterback in 2019 plagued the offense.
Phil Jurkovec, Boston College
2019 Stats: 222 pass yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 75.0%, 130 rush yards, 0 TD
Jurkovec was a Top 100 recruit coming out of high school and he’s extremely talented. He has prototype size, he’s athletic and he has a big arm. Jurkovec was a brilliant prep player, and when he got opportunities in 2019 he was impressive. The redshirt freshman completed 75% of his 16 pass attempts and racked up 452 yards in very limited action. His scoring rate per possession at Notre Dame was impressive.
If offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti can restore Jurkovec’s confidence the Eagles will have themselves a difference maker. Even a confident Jurkovec will have ups and downs as a first year starter, but if his confidence is restored I fully expect him to show flashes of being a big-time quarterback. His run-throw ability and arm strength is as good as any quarterback on the schedule whose name isn’t Trevor Lawrence.
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