Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1061429
20 JANUARY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY COREY BODDEN N otre Dame junior quarterback Ian Book claimed Most Valu- able Player honors Dec. 7 at 2018 Echoes, this year 's ver- sion of the program's annual awards banquet. The junior took over the starting quarterback role going into the fourth game of the season against Wake For- est and never looked back. The honor is voted on by the Irish players. "It's awesome," Book stated. "I'm extremely thankful and feel really honored to win that award. "They played the video, and it had Joe Montana and everyone on it. To be able to get the same award as them is a dream come true. There are so many people that helped me get to where I am today." Book finished the regular season completing 70.4 percent of his passes for 2,468 yards with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He became the first Football Bowl Subdivision quar- terback to win his first five starts of a season while completing better than 70 percent of his passes since Russell Wilson at Wisconsin in 2011. Book ranked sixth nationally in completion percentage and eighth in pass efficiency (162.5 rating) heading into the bowl season. Becoming the starting quarterback at a program such as Notre Dame with the tradition at the position can bring a ton of pressure and expecta- tions from the outside. Book is em- bracing it all and relishing the spot he is in. "I try to make the most fun out of it," he explained. "Just to be in the spotlight and take everything in as the Notre Dame quarterback is extremely fun. I came here to be the starter and to play football. "This is what comes with it. I feel very fortunate to be in this spot." The signal-caller's favorite target — senior wide receiver Miles Boykin — went home with the Offensive Player of the Year award after leading the team in catches (54), receiving yards (803) and touchdown grabs (eight) during the regular season. Boykin had a stretch of six straight contests with a receiving touchdown, which made him the first Irish player to do so since Will Fuller in 2015. The Illinois native had three games of at least six catches for 100 yards, with his best effort (11 receptions for 144 yards ECHOES OF 2018 Quarterback Ian Book claimed MVP honors at Notre Dame's annual awards banquet Book, who took over as head coach Brian Kelly's starting quarterback in the fourth game of the season, was voted Notre Dame's MVP by his teammates. PHOTO BY MIKE BENNETT/LIGHTHOUSE IMAGING "I'm extremely thankful and feel really honored to win that award. They played the video, and it had Joe Montana and everyone on it. To be able to get the same award as them is a dream come true. There are so many people that helped me get to where I am today." BOOK ON BEING NAMED MVP