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Notre Dame Football: Ian Book is the Offensive MVP so far in 2018

By Carlee North

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 15: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish calls a play against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Notre Dame Stadium on September 15, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt 22-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 15: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish calls a play against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Notre Dame Stadium on September 15, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt 22-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Ian Book has been the biggest offensive spark for the Notre Dame football team so far this season.

At the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have expected to be naming a quarterback other than Brandon Wimbush as a huge part of the success for the 7-0 start and likely candidate for Notre Dame football offensive MVP. I actually even named him my Slap The Sign pre-season “most valuable player” before the season began.

But as we all know, college football never goes as planned. When it comes to the scrutiny of quarterback at Notre Dame, we should have all almost expected this to happen if there was any sort of struggle at that position.

And indeed the Irish struggled with Wimbush at the helm, even sitting 3-0 on the season.

But in came backup Ian Book — the savior, almost — to what could have been a frustrating and stressful season of ups and downs on the offensive side of the ball. I don’t think anyone expected Ian Book to be leading the nation in completion percentage at 75.2 percent after Week 7 of the season, and you’d be lying if you said you did.

The difference that Book brought to this offensive is what we all wanted to see and what we all knew was possible from this team. There’s no doubt he’s the midway MVP of the offense.

Book has 1,152 yards passing, 11 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions on the season so far. He also has added over 100 yards rushing on the ground to go along with three rushing touchdowns.

The part that I think doesn’t get mentioned enough though is how the defense has been “all in” with Book and the hype, along with confidence, he’s brought to the entire team. They have a cockiness about them where they know if they play to their strengths and complement each other, they just can’t be beat — and that is a very scary thing in a really good way.

The confidence is there and the execution has been shown, so it should be an exciting finish to the season with Ian Book and the offense clicking on all cylinders. Irish sit as the No. 4 team in the country right now with a date with Navy next on the schedule.

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If Book can carry over his success to the most important part of the season — the November slate — the Irish will be in the College Football Playoff.

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