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Notre Dame Football: Passing game needs to recover before Week 1 vs. Michigan

By Andrew Miller

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 21: Brandon Wimbush #7 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs into the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown in the third quarter of a game against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 21, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame won 49-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 21: Brandon Wimbush #7 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs into the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown in the third quarter of a game against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 21, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame won 49-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The starting quarterback has still yet to be named for Notre Dame football for 2018, but the receiving corps needs to step up no matter who it is.

Notre Dame football hosts ESPN’s College GameDay in Week 1 of the 2018 campaign. It is a blockbuster season opening matchup against the Michigan Wolverines that is likely to feature two top 20 teams in the initial AP Poll. Both Notre Dame and Michigan are likely to thrive off defense first this fall with the returning production that each side brings back on that side of the ball.

The Fighting Irish still have a few questions to answer before fall camp concludes and the team can officially turn its attention to Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines. Potentially the biggest question left for Notre Dame to answer in fall practice pertains to the passing game. Notre Dame relied on the dual-threat quarterback Brandon Wimbush for most of the 2017 season.

Even Wimbush wound up tailing off down the stretch, leading to some tough defeats at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal and Miami Hurricanes. Ian Book helped the Irish to the big Citrus Bowl victory over the LSU Tigers last season, which created a more significant and tighter quarterback competition throughout the off-season in South Bend.

Notre Dame lost a lot of production and experience during the off-season on the offensive side of the ball. The offensive line saw two key departures between tackle Mike McGlinchey and guard Quenton Nelson, who were both first round selections in the 2018 NFL Draft. The ground game is now without running back Josh Adams and the receiving corps lost numerous key pieces due to departures and dismissals during the off-season. Wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and tight end Durham Smythe were two of the biggest losses among targets in the passing game.

All these key losses across the board on offense might hurt Wimbush, or whoever the starting quarterback is, at the beginning of the regular season. Notre Dame’s passing game was already a struggle at the end of the 2017 campaign, and things won’t get any easier against Michigan.

Next. All-time Brian Kelly era team for Notre Dame Football. dark

Head coach Brian Kelly has a big decision on his hands to announce the Week 1 starting quarterback between the choices of Wimbush, Book, and freshman four-star prospect Phil Jurkovec. Wimbush looks like the likely Week 1 starter, which makes sense. But, a stingy Michigan secondary is going to make it difficult for a Notre Dame passing attack that needs some type of progression.

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