What happens if fifth-year senior quarterback Ian Book is unable to play in a game, or two, or … this season?
After all, in head coach Brian Kelly’s 10 years at Notre Dame, he has never had a quarterback who started every game in back-to-back seasons. Book will attempt to become the first after starting all 13 during last year’s 11-2 campaign.
Book also started the final three games in 2018 — he sat out the November game that year versus Florida State with an injury — so his current streak entering the Sept. 12 opener versus Duke is 16.
The record under Kelly is 23 by DeShone Kizer: the final 11 in 2015 after starter Malik Zaire suffered a season-ending injury in the second game, and all 12 in 2016 before turning pro as a junior.
With junior Phil Jurkovec having transferred this past January to Boston College, and receiving his waiver from the NCAA to be eligible right away in 2020, the backup options are sophomore Brendon Clark and freshman Drew Pyne.
