Notre Dame Football: 3 takeaways from victory over LSU in Citrus Bowl
By Jacob Wilson
It was close, but backup quarterback Ian Book did just enough to lead Notre Dame football to a 21-17 victory over LSU in the 2018 Citrus Bowl.
Both Notre Dame and LSU entered this game with a 9-3 record, but both teams took a different route to get to their respective records. While the Tigers clearly had the momentum, it was Irish who claimed victory despite a slow offensive start.
The 2018 Citrus Bowl featured one of the best games of the 2018 season, and while both teams gave it their all, it was the Irish who made the last play. Here are three takeaways from Notre Dame’s biggest win of the year.
3. Ian Book should be Notre Dame’s starter moving forward
Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush started off the season on the highest of notes, compiling a total of 290 yards and three touchdowns in the Irish’s week one win over Temple. Wimbush, following a close loss to Georgia, proceeded to win his next seven games with the Irish, but came crashing down after losses to the likes of both Miami and Stanford over a span of three weeks.
Over the course of Notre Dame’s seven game win streak, Notre Dame fans would get their first good look at backup quarterback Ian Book. Book, a sophomore out of California, would start the first game of his career against a depleted North Carolina squad, a game in which he threw for 146 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.
Outside of his one start, Book has made a few appearances here and there, registering a total of 146 yards while tossing both a touchdown and an interception. His game against the Tigers would go a bit differently as Book would throw for 164 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. In comparison, Wimbush finished the day with only 90 total yards.
While Book has certainly had his struggles up to this point, he brings much more to the table than a one-dimensional Wimbush. The Irish already have a more than capable running back in standout Josh Adams, allowing Notre Dame to maintain a solid run game while trading in Wimbush’s running prowess for a better passer in Book.
Now, as you may have noticed in this game, Book still needs some work. But he gives the Irish the best chance to win as they hold out for commit Phil Jurkovec’s first start that will likely come during the 2019 season.