Notre Dame Football: Top 5 Quarterbacks Irish Will Face in 2018

No. 5: Any of Stanford’s Trio of QBs

After leading Stanford to a successful 9-5 season, starting sophomore K.J. Costello suffered a hip injury this spring. It was determined that Costello’s injury was quite serious, so starting duties were handed to presumed backup David Mills.

Then he went down with a knee injury.

Stanford ended up starting it’s third-stringer, Jack Richardson, in their Spring Game. Richardson was actually quite impressive, completing 21 of 30 passes for 179 yards and 2 TDs.

While Richardson looked solid, if you are Head Coach David Shaw and you know you are expected to compete yearly in a very tough PAC-12 division, you don’t want your third-string guy out there. That is no discredit to Richardson either. However, if Stanford truly wants to compete, they need experience — and they have just that with K.J. Costello. The question now is not when Costello will be healthy, but if.

It is entirely possible that Costello may not be able to return this season. Therefore, Shaw may not have a choice in handing the reigns to either Mills or Richardson. Both are solid and can do the job for the offense, but neither will pose the type of threat Costello could to the Irish defense.