2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview

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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 45 QUARTERBACKS NOTABLE DATA During the 8-1 start last year, Notre Dame averaged 41.3 points per contest and was on pace to break what is now the 50-year school record of 37.6 under head coach Ara Par- seghian in 1968. Unfortunately, the Fight- ing Irish averaged only 18.2 points in the last four games (2-2 finish) to drop by 7.1 points and finish at 34.2. It was the second time in three years Notre Dame averaged 34.2 points per game in head coach Brian Kelly's eight years, with 2015 the first. Both finished with 10-3 records and No. 11 in the As- sociated Press poll. The lowest point total under Kelly — 25.8 per game in 2012 — re- sulted in his best finish (12-1). Since the departure of head coach Lou Holtz after the 1996 season, those 34.2 av- erages at Notre Dame are behind only the 36.7 mark under first-year coach Charlie Weis in 2005. DID YOU KNOW? Notre Dame finished 14th nationally last year in red-zone offense after having placed mainly in the 70s during head coach Brian Kelly's first seven seasons. Especially notable is 35 of the 46 Irish opportunities inside the opponent's 20-yard line resulted in touchdowns — a .761 percentage that ranked seventh nationally and often overshadowed amidst the woes on of - fense the final four games. That was a testament to an improved and more emphasized physical ground game that finished with the best rushing average per game (269.5) since Lou Holtz's final season in 1996. Crucial to complementing that physicality was Brandon Wimbush's school-record 14 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. The percentage could have been even higher had Notre Dame not opted to "take a knee" on a few occasions in the red zone to run out the clock. SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS Listed after the class year is the years of eligi- bility remaining. 7 Brandon Wimbush (6-2, 225), Sr./2 12 Ian Book (6-0, 200), Jr./3 3 Avery Davis (5-11, 203), So./4 15 Phil Jurkovec (6-5, 204), Fr./4 2017 VS. 2018: STOCK UP OR DOWN? Notre Dame entered the 2017 season with three quarterbacks that threw a combined five career passes. All three now return in 2018 with 356 combined attempts. When Brandon Wimbush was on last season the Irish offense was extremely dif- ficult to defend, but he must be more consistent in his senior season. Junior Ian Book proved he is capable of rallying the troops off the bench and he led the Fighting Irish to a victory in his lone start. A major leap in experience from the returners and the arrival of a premier freshman has this position significantly on the upswing. The question is how much will the returning players improve this season, and if that upgrade will have a significant impact on Notre Dame's win-loss record. X-FACTOR Sophomore Avery Davis will likely spend all season no better than third on the depth chart, but that doesn't mean he won't be given an opportunity to make an impact on offense. A dual-threat signal-caller that rushed for more than 1,300 yards as a prep player, Davis spent the spring cross- training as a quarterback, wide receiver and running back. Once he got the hang of being a jack-of-all-trades, his spring performance took off. Davis showed off playmak- ing ability with the ball in his hands, and he'll get a chance to carry that over into the fall. FRESHMAN OUTLOOK When incoming freshman Phil Jurkovec arrives on campus, he will become the second Rivals100 quar- terback on the roster (joining Wimbush). Jurkovec is a dynamic dual-threat who passed for 3,969 yards, rushed for 1,211 yards and accounted for 63 total touchdowns as a senior. Blue & Gold Illustrated football analyst Bryan Driskell graded out Jurkovec as a five-star recruit after he led Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland to a 16-0 record and the program's first-ever state championship. If things go as planned, the Irish should be able to redshirt Jurkovec. However, if an injury occurs or the returners falter, Jurkovec has the skill and leadership ability to answer the bell. Junior Ian Book's two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in the 21-17 comeback win versus LSU in the Citrus Bowl help make him a viable chal- lenger for the starting job. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL QUOTABLE: QUARTERBACKS COACH TOMMY REES ON WHAT SOPHOMORE IAN BOOK HAS TO DO TO CHALLENGE BRANDON WIMBUSH: "Ian needs to be sharp mentally, and his accuracy can never be an issue. He has to be the most accurate quarterback we have — recognize the coverage and put the ball exactly where it needs to be. "I knew for myself to play [from 2010-13 at Notre Dame], I needed to be the smartest guy in the room, the most accurate, and all the other intangibles that help pull you through. He needs to be the sharpest guy and really accurate to play at a high level."

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