Notre Dame football: Ian Book in tough situation entering Year 2
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football program had the luxury of Ian Book being their starter for multiple years, but Book is now in a tough situation in the NFL.
During his time as the starting quarterback for the Notre Dame football team, Ian Book won more games than any other Irish signal-caller in program history. He had so many magical moments with his arm, and his legs, and in the end, he wound up being a fourth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints.
As a rookie, Book not only made the team but made a start for the Saints, completing 60 percent of his passes in a loss to the Miami Dolphins in primetime. While he struggled in that game, mostly due to the fact he was a rookie and playing behind a terrible offensive line, it did show that head coach Sean Payton had faith in him.
Fast forward to next season, and Book is in a tough spot, as the Saints have two proven veterans atop their depth chart. There is also the fact that Payton is no longer the head coach, so if he is going to see the field in Year 2, it may take a miracle.
Notre Dame football star likely No. 3 to enter 2022 season
In 2022, the Saints will welcome back a healthy Jameis Winston and have just inked him to a long-term deal. As insurance, New Orleans also brought in Andy Dalton, a former long-time starter in the league, and someone the team will turn to if Winston goes down, or is inefficient.
For Book, that means starting the season as No. 3 in the pecking order, and while he likely is not going to see the field, he should learn a lot from the players in front of him. New Orleans is not expected to be good this season, as there has been a lot of turnover within the organization, but it cannot be a lost season for Book.
Knowing Book, he is going to control what he can control, and he has already carved out a name for himself within the Saints franchise. He will likely be the No. 3 behind Winston and Dalton, but neither player has set the NFL on fire, and if the Saints need a spark, they know they have an absolute gamer in Book waiting in the wings.