Notre Dame Football: Ian Book regained his confidence vs. New Mexico
By Ben Belden
Notre Dame football quarterback Ian Book was off to a pretty lackluster start to his 2019 season, but regained his stride on Saturday.
After a lackluster start to the 2018 college football season, Notre Dame football found its quarterback in Ian Book. Stepping in for Brandon Wimbush, Book was magnificent in leading the Irish to the College Football Playoff.
But against Clemson, Book was flustered, as was the rest of the Irish offense.
In week one, Book had a similar flustered look as Louisville pressured him in multiple ways and limited Notre Dame’s passing attack.
On Saturday, Book didn’t look particularly sharp early, but seemed to regain his confidence as the game went on. For Irish fans, Book’s apparent resurgence of confidence comes at the perfect time, as the Irish travel to Athens to play third-ranked Georgia next week.
For Book, it seemed that seeing his teammates excel in the open field was what helped the Irish signal-caller regain his confidence. Book’s first touchdown pass on the day traveled all of 6 inches in the air, as Avery Davis took an end-around 59 yards around the right side of the Irish offense for a score. Javon McKinley took a short crossing pass to the house moments later, while Chris Finke scored on another end-around touch pass in the second half.
Undoubtedly, Book heard critics say he needed to throw the deep ball better all offseason. Whether or not that criticism weighed on him is up for debate. But after big plays by Davis and McKinley, Book seemed to settle in as a passer.
The Irish quarterback needed only 24 seconds to get the Irish into field goal range before the half and looked confident doing it.
In the second half, Book got only two drives. One ended with Finke’s score. The other featured a dime of a pass to tight end Tommy Tremble and another tremendous back-shoulder throw to McKinley for the receiver’s second score of the day.
Next. Big plays spark dominant Irish performance. dark
Some had wondered if and when Book would regain his mojo. It seems as if it has happened for Ian Book at the perfect time.