Notre Dame Football: 3 takeaways from playoff-clinching win over USC

3. Starting fast is critical to Notre Dame’s success

Starting fast seemed to be the least of the Irish’s worries, at least early in the season. Former starting quarterback Brandon Wimbush had put together some impressive drives to start a few games this season, but it was the play that occurred after the first drive or two that contributed to the switch to quarterback Ian Book as starter.

Given the difference in playing styles between Wimbush and Book, it’s no surprise that quick starts have been much more beneficial for Book than they have for Wimbush. While Wimbush’s run-first approach was somewhat random in terms of its success, developing an early rhythm has been much more critical to Book’s play as a pocket-passer.

We’ve seen quick starts develop into blowouts many times this season, but today we saw the effects of failing to establish and maintain momentum early. Book and the offense couldn’t get anything going early, leaving the Irish defense to fend for itself against a USC offense that was exceptionally efficient throughout the first half.

While a poor start didn’t come back to bite the Irish in this one, there’s a good chance it does against one of the nation’s top teams. At this point it’s pretty clear that hot starts will be a necessity for a Notre Dame team looking to make its way through the College Football Playoff.