Notre Dame football: 5 position battles to watch this spring

1. Quarterback

Perhaps the most intriguing of all position battles, Brian Kelly will have to make the ultimate decision regarding who will call the shots for the Irish offense this fall. Working under the assumption that freshman Phil Jurkovec won’t factor into the equation until 2019, the Irish have two realistic contenders in senior Brandon Wimbush and junior Ian Book.

Wimbush’s claim to fame is his ability to tuck and run, at which point he becomes quite the effective running back. While that skill is great and was utilized well by offensive coordinator Chip Long, his struggles with accuracy make him an easy target for defenses that can exploit his passing woes.

Book, a pro-style quarterback, has significantly higher accuracy but could use some work on his awareness. These things come in time, so Book may have a head start on Wimbush whose first meaningful snaps came only this year. However, Book may not be granted the same opportunity as Wimbush given the fact that Kelly has already announced Wimbush as quarterback No. 1 for the team’s first practice.

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All things considered, Notre Dame has its hands full with many positions, but none more important than this one. As seen in this year’s Citrus Bowl, a change in quarterback can turn the tide of a game. Regardless of how it turns out, it’s sure to be an interesting ride to the finish as the Irish determine who will lead the offense onto the field for their Week 1 matchup with Michigan.