Notre Dame Football: Spring Game shows Ian Book’s development on track

Notre Dame football might have found the vertical passing threat they’ve been searching for. Quarterback Ian Book showed flashes during the Irish spring game.

Ian Book was a slightly above average quarterback in 2018. He made most of his throws and led the Irish to an undefeated regular season and a trip to the College Football Playoff. On the scorecard for most college quarterbacks, Book would have passed with flying colors.

The ensuing blowout in the Playoff game and ineptness of the Notre Dame offense had fans second guessing whether or not Book was the right man to lead this offense. His biggest weakness, his vertical passing deficiencies, seemed to prevent the offense from ever truly becoming explosive.

Book averaged 8.6 adjusted passing yards per attempt last season. Put in context, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa led the nation with 13.0 and 12.8 marks, respectively. The almost 40 percent different between Book and those to passers accurately sums up the difference between the offenses of Alabama and Oklahoma versus Notre Dame.

During the Notre Dame spring game, Book did something he hardly ever did last season. He took a shot down field. And it worked.

The talent is there on the Notre Dame offense. He’s going to have capable pass catchers and a steady offensive line. All that’s left is for him to take the next step. Long gone are the days of offenses relying exclusively on the ground game to win championships. Nick Saban himself has altered his hard-nosed ground and pound into a hybrid spread system.

One pass in a spring game isn’t proof that Ian Book is capable of transforming the Notre Dame offense, but it’s a start. The Irish desperately need to be more explosive in 2019 if they want any hope of challenging the likes of Alabama or Clemson for a national championship. Perhaps Book does have it in him after all.