Book Closes Spring Chapter

Quarterback Ian Book might have been the most important guy to see growth from this spring, as Notre Dame was looking for a No. 2 guy to emerge behind Brandon Wimbush. The 6-foot, 205-pounder showed the ability to compete early in the spring and then capped it off throwing for 277 yards and a touchdown during Saturday’s Blue-Gold Game.

“Spring has been great,” Book said. “It’s new for me in my first spring, but the team has done well. We had a process we’ve been going through, and we still have a long way to go, but I felt confident on Saturday. Our whole team, in general, did really well.”

There isn’t a quarterback battle in South Bend, but the California native has the confidence to do the job if Wimbush went down. The confidence in his game evident during spring practice and his performance Saturday will be a great piece of motivation heading into the summer.  

“I am trying to get as confident as possible,” explained Book. “I know the mentality is the next man in and that’s where I am right now. I think I can be the starter, but Brandon (Wimbush) is a great player, and he did really well on Saturday.

“If something happened, I would be able to do a good job. Whoever is the next man on our team is doing well, and Saturday showed that.”

Book redshirted last fall, as Notre Dame was loaded with DeShone Kizer, Malik Zaire, and Wimbush also in the quarterback room. The year might have been tough for Book, but he used it to better himself.

“I was a scout team player, and I learned a lot,” stated Book. “I got to go against our first-team defense, which is a great way to prepare. We changed offenses, and I had to start over when the new staff got here. I still learned a lot and it was a good year for me. It was a good year to learn a bunch of things and get settled in here.”

In the quarterback room, Book also was taking notes. Having three quarterbacks ahead of him meant a lot of learning and Book used it to his benefit.

“They are all great quarterbacks and great guys,” Book said. “I got close with every guy in the quarterback room last year. I learned a ton from them, and they all helped me when I got here. They taught me footwork stuff, reads, and all the plays. It was a good quarterback room to be in as a freshman.”
In addition to the new offense, Book has had to adjust to new quarterback coach Tom Rees. The two are feeling each other out, but Rees’ experience as the quarterback at Notre Dame is a luxury most quarterbacks don’t have.

“He’s been awesome,” Book stated. “He has taught me so much. Meeting with him once a day and going through coverages, reads, and learning from someone who has done it before has helped me. I like the way he teaches, and it helps to visualize it to go on the field and see what exactly he is talking about.”

Heading into the offseason, Book plans to continue to work on his game and specifically his footwork.  

“I can be a good pocket passer,” explained Book. “I do like to get outside the pocket and use my feet. I still have a lot of work to do. There are times where missed the throws because my feet aren’t set, but I have to keep working to improve those.”

Book also will continue to master the offense. Tempo is an emphasis of Chip Long’s scheme and knowing the offense inside and out will only help it run faster

“I’d say a big difference is the tempo,” said Book. “We have a lot of pride in it, and we want to be the team that has the best tempo. It’s a big advantage for us, and we still have a lot of work to do to be the best.

“I like the new offense, and I know everyone else likes this offense. Everyone has bought in, and that’s the best part.”