Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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50 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW While it is easier to harp on the late-sea- son negatives, Wimbush's first full season as a starter in 2017 (with two years of eligibil- ity remaining) under new coordinator Chip Long had plenty of pluses as well. "Winning 10 games is tremendous with the schedule that we had," Wimbush said. "Everyone's a part of it. Those five [offen- sive linemen] dominated the line of scrim- mage, we had some great backs and great re- ceivers. As a team collectively I think we did a great job last year of winning 10 games. "For me, year two as a quarterback you take a new role, be more vocal and under- stand that you have to improve your game. I think I'm doing that. I just have to be better and help the guys around me be better." A Voice Of Reason Because Wimbush was surrounded by sea- soned veterans everywhere else on offense in 2017, he was somewhat in his element with his background role. This year that won't be as acceptable to Kelly, who believes Wimbush was perhaps too stoic last season in an attempt to dem- onstrate to his teammates that he was com- posed as the new starter. This spring, an emphasis was on revving up the heartbeat. "He likes to kind of take a deep breath and calm down," Kelly said. "But when he's amped up and he's talking and communicat- ing, that comforts the other 10 players — because they know if Brandon Wimbush is out there barking and telling guys what to do, they know we're going to score. "… If the other guys hear that, that you have that kind of demeanor and mindset, the other 10 guys are going to be cool customers." While Wimbush was conspicuously more active with his intensity, he remains mindful of not putting on a façade. "I'm not that guy," Wimbush said of be- ing highly vocal. "When the time permits, I guess I do open my mouth and let my voice be heard. When I do, I think the guys really listen because I don't talk too much. "I do need to start speaking more and get on the guys more, but I think they under- stand when I do, it means something." To Kelly, the difference in Wimbush phys- ically and mentally this spring was stark compared to some unease he had after the 2017 spring game in which Wimbush's team lost to Book's, 27-14. "Last spring I told him when I went home I didn't feel so good about the way he played," Kelly said following this year's Blue-Gold Game. "I think I'm going to go home feeling a little better today." The reasons began with Wimbush's con- sistency in mechanics and footwork, plus responding well following scores or even after tossing an interception to junior safety Jalen Elliott. "He needs that heartbeat to race a little bit more," Kelly said. "Today he got it up a little bit, and I thought it helped him in the way he plays. "His intensity management was really good today, and that was big for me." With Wimbush's 12-game starting experi- ence in the bank, a greater onus will be placed on him and the offense to become more pro- ductive with the passing game than last year, when the run was leaned on far more heavily (finishing No. 7 nationally with 269.5 rushing Wimbush was benched in favor of Ian Book in two of Notre Dame's final four games, including the second half of the 21-17 win over LSU in the Citrus Bowl. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL