Notre Dame Football: 5 biggest overreactions from 2017 regular season

3. Brandon Wimbush isn’t the answer

It’s easy to criticize Brandon Wimbush in this Notre Dame offense, but the reality of it is, he’s still growing and maturing as a passer. It was the junior’s first season as the full-time quarterback after sitting behind Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer in previous seasons.

To say Wimbush isn’t the answer after he led the Irish to a 9-3 overall record and into the playoff discussion by the end of the season is silly. This kid showed poise in big games against Georgia, Michigan State, USC and NC State.

Like any first-year quarterback, he struggled in a couple of games, such as Miami, Stanford and even against Miami (OH). There is room for growth, but if he can improve slightly with his arm and continue to impress with his legs, this Notre Dame team is going to be tough to beat in 2018.

Wimbush completed just less than 50 percent of his passes, but did have 16 touchdown throws to just six interceptions. He also rushed for 765 yards and 14 more scores. He’s not turnover-prone and accuracy is his one major fix. Other than that, this kid can be a star.