Notre Dame Football: 3 biggest concerns heading into 2020 season

3. Has Ian Book plateaued as Notre Dame football QB?

This is what we know about redshirt senior quarterback Ian Book: he is a 60 percent passer who can take care of the ball. Last season, he proved effective in the run game with over 500 yards rushing. Book is more than a game manager, but does he have another level to his game?

The redshirt senior does not have an elite arm, but he has a good arm. He is not an elite athlete, but he is a good athlete. We’ve seen Book as a starting quarterback for three years and two as a full-time starter.

This is loaded as a concern. First, the Irish got to the playoff with Book two years ago. We learned from that season that there is a lot that has to go right for the Irish to get to the playoff with Book as the quarterback.

The defense has to be lights out, he needs a complementary running game and a reliable receiving corps. To win it, however, he’ll need some perimeter speed.

Book is a very good college quarterback. Does he have a ceiling? He absolutely has a ceiling and he’s reached it. He can get you to the playoff; it remains to be seen if the Irish can win a national title with him.