Ian Book: Final Chapter Should Be His Best
Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book is one of the most polarizing players of the Brian Kelly era. There seems to be an even divide on his ability to get Notre Dame back to a College Football Playoff, and if he is the answer at quarterback. As hard as I have been on Book in the past, 2020 could shape up to be a season where he proves doubters, of which I have been one, wrong.
Struggles Of Ian Book
Ian Book has had his fair share of struggles. Despite the 20-3 record as a starter, Notre Dame has won more than a few games as Book dragged the offense down. This is especially true against Power 5 opponents.
Power 5 vs. Group 5
In 2019, Notre Dame played seven P5 teams with a winning record and six teams that were either G5 or a P5 team that finished .500 or worse. Here is how Book performed against the two groups:
You would expect Book to play better and boost stats off weaker opponents. However, the drop off is noticeable and it disappears against elite talent.
All of this paints a telling picture of who Book is and what he is capable of. None of it is glowing or impressive and his season stats don't look so great when you break down where they come from. As bleak as the future should look with this production, 2020 has something Book hasn't had yet.
A Confident Ian Book
Book is going into his fifth season and has something for the first time as a starter, no backup quarterback breathing down his neck. In year one as a starter, Book had replaced Brandon Wimbush after three games. Year two featured a large chunk of the fan base calling for Phil Jurkovec. Headed into year three he is the only one left standing.
It would be naive to think that people won't call for Brendon Clark or Drew Pyne at the first signs of poor play, but neither quite have the same name power of Jurkovec or experience of Wimbush.
Book is the guy and there is little question otherwise.
Book also got his quarterback coach — Tommy Rees — as the new offensive coordinator. He has all five starters back on the offensive line and he has a seriously talented receiving core. Lawrence Keys III, Braden Lenzy, Jafar Armstrong, Chris Tyree, Jordan Johnson and Tommy Tremble should form a dynamic offense. While young, any number of those guys can take a slant route 60 yards on any play.
Book also has the physical tools to be an elite-level player. Here is what Irish Breakdown publisher Bryan Driskell wrote about Book:
"Book has the tools to be an outstanding college quarterback. He’s athletic, his arm is strong enough to make all the necessary throws to shine and he’s got a lot of experience. There are technical aspects of his game that need work, but that will be a topic for a different day."
The tools are there, his supporting cast is strong, and he has his coaching staff. He has been missing confidence throughout his career. The throws he has made in practice and at times in games is proof he is more than capable. The struggle is getting some of that Rees confidence from his playing days to rub off on Book.
We saw it when he shushed the crowd against Virginia Tech, he hears the criticism. Now he needs to put it all together. He has played in the brightest of lights and has career stats that rival Brady Quinn going into his final season. Notre Dame is a dominant quarterback away from a playoff run, 2020 has all the makings for Book to finally answer the call.
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