Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book was asked about a backhanded pass that helped the Fighting Irish convert a third-and-6 against North Carolina Friday. And after Notre Dame’s big 31-17 win over a team considered a preseason ACC contender, Book said it came down to belief in his teammates.
“It’s just trust, honestly,” Book said in his postgame interview on ABC. “This is just the best team and I’m having so much fun. I mean it’s a risky play, you don’t want to do that a lot, but I trusted [Michael Mayer] to get open in the green grass, make the catch. We needed that play, it was third down and we got it.”
Book’s throw — which also came against his body — was anything but textbook. But because he was able to find Mayer, his tight end, for an 11-yard gain, the Fighting Irish saw another set of downs.
It was hardly his only out-of-pocket play in the win. Earlier in the game, Notre Dame faced a second-and-goal from the four-yard line, with Book bobbling the snap, then pursued by North Carolina defenders. He retreated all the way back to the 23 — 19 yards behind the original line of scrimmage — before throwing to the right and connecting with running back Kyren Williams just past the 15 (again, 11 yards behind the original line). Williams darted for the end zone and dove for the pylon, scoring and tying the game at 14.
It looked a bit like former Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees, now the Fighting Irish offensive coordinator.
“Learning from somebody who's done it at the exact same spot I have — he's been through the same privileges and pressures — just helps,” Book said. “He understands everything. He's more than a coach. He's a friend. I can go into his office and talk about anything. He's there for me and I really appreciate that. He's gone through everything I've gone through here. A lot of people don't like Notre Dame. There's a big target on our back. And then you become quarterback, the target is even bigger on your back.”
Book's performance — he completed 23-of-33 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown while chipping in another 48 yards on the ground on eight carries — had Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly singing his praises after the game.
“He’s a winner, he’s 28-3 and he doesn’t get the kind of credit that he deserves. Listen, he’s a college football quarterback that wins football games. He’s a winner and he won again on the road against a really good football team. Mack Brown is building a really good program here.”
And if Book continues to play that well, and the Fighting Irish continue to win, he could find himself even more squarely in the Heisman Trophy discussion.
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November 29, 2020 at 06:15AM
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Ian Book explains backhanded pass vs. North Carolina - 247Sports
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