Phil Jurkovec, as the kids say, wanted the smoke.
Back in January, during his first media availability since transferring from Notre Dame to Boston College, he hinted at one game he was already eyeing.
That contest was in 2022, when the redshirt sophomore once anointed the Fighting Irish’s answer at quarterback would be a fifth-year senior. At the time, it was the next scheduled opportunity for the Eagles and Irish to play. He relished in the idea of playing his former team and against old friends.
“They are on the schedule in a couple years,” Jurkovec said, offering a toothy grin and shrug. “If the chance comes, that’d be awesome to play.”
That was, of course, before COVID-19 took its grip on the world and forced college football down some alternate routes. Notre Dame joined the ACC for a year. The conference schedule expanded to 10 outings, with four new games for each ACC team. The new version threw him a bone: a Nov. 14 meeting between Notre Dame and Boston College in Massachusetts. The NCAA also gave him his wish: a waiver for immediate eligibility.
“I’m really excited for that,” Jurkovec said in August. “I know all those guys. We wanted them on the schedule and I’m glad they made it happen.”
All in a span of a couple weeks, fun speculation turned into reality and an inevitable deluge of hot takes, the temporary renewal of the contrived Ian Book versus Jurkovec quarterback battle and referendums issued on both players with every throw they make. The ebbs and flows that will come with every Jurkovec dart or Notre Dame passing offense misstep will be strong enough to knock a building off its moorings.
