A native Californian, the Notre Dame football quarterback and a graduate student, Ian Book has a lot of titles he could go by, but there is one that is missing. A complete title collection would include “2020 Heisman Trophy winner,” an honorary title any college football player would dream of receiving. Book could certainly be on that stage, holding up the 45 pound bronze trophy. Until then, he has an unfinished business to attend to.
Young Book
Originally committed to Washington State, Book second guessed that decision and flipped to choosing Notre Dame in 2015. In 2016, he made the move out to South Bend and started his career with the Irish. While he lacked any field action his freshman year, Book was still able to adapt to the environment and become equipped with the team dynamic. Brandon Wimbush, DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire were the current quarterbacks at the time, which were great role models for Book to watch.
Ian Book’s debut took place on Sept. 7, 2017. Although his only play was a quarterback draw, this was a memorable start for Book. Not only was this Book’s first play, but it was a game that was highly attended and watched throughout the country. With Georgia in town, Notre Dame was put under the national spotlight. Although an incredible fight, the Irish ultimately came up a point short. Despite the loss, this was a great opportunity for Book to push his name out in the media.
Impact on the Irish
This is Book’s third season as starting quarterback. He has accumulated numerous accomplishments with the Irish in the past seasons. For example, Book was the first quarterback in Notre Dame history with at least 500 rushing yards, 2,500 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes in the 2019 season. After the completion of the 2019 season, Book ranked fourth in Irish history for career touchdown passes. Keeping up with names such as Brady Quinn and Tommy Rees is definitely not a bad place to be.
Present Day
Book has had a slower start to the current season. Duke was not his best home opener. He made up for that disappointment in the game against South Florida. He threw a 75-yard pass, the longest in his career thus far. He also continued to keep his title as first quarterback in Notre Dame history to rush for three touchdowns in a half.
On paper, Book has great potential. He surely has made his mark at Notre Dame, and he will be remembered for quite some time. He is one of those quarterbacks Irish fans will miss once the season is over.
That being said, this season is the most important season for Book regarding his future. If he desires to continue football as a profession, he is going to need to improve his consistency and the ability to lead the team during tough games.
Book’s athleticism and ability to run gives Book a great advantage to becoming an NFL prospect. He has a strong arm, which is something not all quarterbacks have. Book offers a lot of probable talent. To complete his legacy at Notre Dame, he needs to trust his ability and embrace the environment he knows best.
Photo by Anna Mason | The Observer
My name is Claire Frego and I am a senior at the University of Dayton. As an aspiring journalist, I love to share my passion of sports with everyone. This college football season, I will be focusing on Notre Dame. Whether you are an Irish fan or just want to keep up with football this season, I invite you to follow along on my journey as I continue to write and gain knowledge about this crazy world of sports!