2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview

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44 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW QUARTERBACKS Last year, Notre Dame set a little-known school record at quarterback that somewhat defined the roller-coaster pattern there under head coach Brian Kelly. Brandon Wimbush became the seventh different opening-game starter in as many years: Dayne Crist (2011), Everett Golson (2012), Tommy Rees (2013), Golson again (2014), Malik Zaire (2015), DeShone Kizer (2016) and Wimbush (2017). Following Wimbush's benching in the sec- ond quarter of the Citrus Bowl against LSU Jan. 1 (his second in four games) and sopho- more Ian Book's subsequent dramatics that rallied Notre Dame to victory, it temporarily appeared that one could "Book It" that the Irish would have another different opening- game starter an eighth straight year in 2018. Not based on this spring's results. Barring any preseason mishaps, Wimbush will end the record seven-year streak. He as- serted immediate control as the incumbent and consistently remained with the starting unit. By the end of spring, Wimbush was the obvious choice, although Kelly did refer to Wimbush and Book as "1-A and 1-B." That's mainly because both must take the necessary steps to improve Notre Dame's No. 101 rating in passing efficiency, which is not to be confused with passing yardage — a huge difference. The national championship game last year was between Alabama and Georgia, which ranked No. 91 and No. 105, respectively, in passing yardage per game (Notre Dame was 102nd). Far more important was that Alabama was 10th in passing efficiency and Georgia 11th — while the Irish were still only 101st (with Wimbush No. 86 individually among quar- terbacks with enough passes to qualify). It's not about having huge numbers in passing, but effective ones. Oddly, Kelly has been at his best at Notre Dame when quarterbacks took over without any previous starting experience. His three best finishes were No. 4 in 2012 and No. 11 in both 2015 and 2017 with first-time start- ers who were redshirted the previous season. All three times the Irish leaned heavily on the ground game, averaging more than 200 yards per game during the regular season. Meanwhile, quarterbacks under Kelly had much tougher times in their second go- around for myriad reasons. Three of them eventually opted to become graduate trans- fers in their fifth seasons at other schools: Crist (Kansas), Golson (Florida State) and Zaire (Florida). A fourth, Kizer, turned pro and was a second-round pick after his junior year, but that was after an ultra-frustrating 4-8 campaign in which his own game did not take an upturn. Wimbush is on the cusp of becoming the first back-to-back opening-game starter at Notre Dame since 2010-11. Can he also now be the second-year starter under Kelly who can help direct the Irish to at least top-10 status? If he can, Wimbush might even be in line for a three-peat in 2019, if better opportuni- ties don't await. ✦ BACK-TO-BACK The Fighting Irish will try to establish stability at the signal-caller position Senior Brandon Wimbush and the Irish need to improve on the team's No. 101 overall pass efficiency rating in 2017 to thrive as an offense. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL

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