Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book could miss Florida State game

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book could miss Saturday night’s game against Florida State due to an “upper-body injury” suffered last weekend against Northwestern, Irish coach Brian Kelly confirmed after Thursday’s practice.

Kelly called Book’s status a “day-to-day situation right now” and said the nation’s leader in completion percentage had been at practice but in a limited role.

Senior Brandon Wimbush, who lost the starting job to Book after a 3-0 start, has been taking the majority of the first-team repetitions in practice this week, Kelly said. Wimbush, 12-3 as a starter in his college career, would replace Book if he can’t go.

“He’s 12-3 for a reason,” Kelly said of Wimbush. “The quarterback that is taking reps for us is a guy that you would say is of championship quality.”

Kelly has repeatedly praised Wimbush for the way he has remained engaged in weekly planning and communicated with Book, during practice and games. Highly touted freshman Phil Jurkovec, who has been running the scout team this season, is being prepared to play if needed.  

Book, a redshirt sophomore, downplayed the shot he took on a first-quarter scramble in last Saturday’s 31-21 win at Northwestern. Kelly said he thought the injury actually occurred in the second quarter, but wasn’t sure.

“It just knocked the wind out of me but I’m doing fine,” Book said after passing for a career-high 343 yards and two touchdowns.

Book, who got up slowly after diving headfirst to complete a 9-yard run on third-and-11 midway through the opening quarter, said he didn’t even know where he took the impact from cornerback Montre Hartage.

Third-ranked Notre Dame took a timeout after the play, and Book moved gingerly toward the home sideline without missing any action. He seemed to favor his right side as he trotted slowly across the field but ripped through a 15-for-19 passing second half with 236 yards and the clinching 23-yard touchdown run with under three minutes remaining.

Book, leading the nation in completion percentage at 74.5 and sixth in passer rating (169.95), has guided the Irish to 38.3 points per game in his six starts. Even if he misses Saturday’s game, he might be able to return for the final two regular-season games, against Syracuse on Nov. 17 at Yankee Stadium and at USC on Nov. 24.

Saturday’s forecast calls for a low of 23 degrees with a chance of snow, but Kelly downplayed the weather as a factor in his quarterback plans.  

Wimbush, who opened his second straight season as the starter, led the Irish to three straight wins by a combined 20 points. Notre Dame averaged 23.3 points in those games as Wimbush threw for 589 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions with a completion rate of 55.3.

Wimbush, whose 16 career rushing touchdowns are tied for fourth-most by a Notre Dame quarterback since at least 1940, brings an added dimension. While the Seminoles rank 120th among FBS teams in passing yards allowed (282.6), they are sixth on a per-rush basis (2.84) and 17th in rushing yards allowed (111.1).

“I don’t think it impacts preparations much,” Florida State coach Willie Taggart told reporters Thursday. “A lot of the work is in the books now. I don’t think the (Notre Dame) offense is going to change as much. They have a capable backup quarterback that’s played a lot for them and won some games for them, too.”

Kelly said after practice that “it’s awesome” to have such a seasoned veteran waiting in the wings.

“He’s handled himself great,” Kelly said Tuesday. “He’s been a great teammate to Ian Book, quite frankly. He’s been as supportive as any player on our team that I’ve ever coached.”

Kelly suggested Wimbush has contributed to Book’s strong second-half performance this season.

“He’s been there for him in the locker room at halftime,” Kelly said. “The first one that sits down with (Book) and talks him through what’s going on, what we need to do, is Brandon Wimbush. He’s been such a big part of our success this year.”

Wimbush, despite being bumped down to the second team since the third week of September, has practiced with the same intensity as if he were still the starter.

“Every week we remind him,” Kelly said. “He knows that he’s one step away from going back out on the field. It’s easy to lose your focus when you’re not starting. He’s fought that. He’s got to stay ready. Who knows what happens, right?”

Brandon Wimbush, who started Notre Dame's first three games, will likely get the nod if Book can't play.

Wimbush's struggles with consistency and accuracy led Brian Kelly to make the switch to Book in September. The senior QB completed 55.3 percent of his passes with one touchdown and four interceptions.

Earlier this week, Kelly addressed how Wimbush has adjusted to his role on the sideline.

"He's got to stay ready. Who knows what happens?," Kelly said, "He knows he's one step from going back on the field. Every week we remind him. It's easy to lose your edge when you're not starting and he's fought that.

"We've all had those tough conversations. You confront him. You sit him down. It's usually the follow-up that are more difficult conversations. You have to stay in constant communication. He's been a great teammate to Ian Book, quite frankly."