Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 47 QUARTERBACKS POSITION COACH Tom Rees is in his first season as Notre Dame's quarterbacks coach. He is cur- rently serving in the role of a grad- uate assistant because the Irish al- ready had nine full-time assistant coaching spots filled at the time of his hiring. However, the NCAA has approved the addition of a 10th assistant coach. Starting in Janu- ary 2018, Rees officially will be a full-time assistant. Prior to taking the job at his alma mater, Rees spent one season as an offensive assistant with the San Diego Chargers. He worked with a unit that ranked tied for seventh in the NFL in passing offense (262.4 yards per game), ninth in scoring offense (25.6 points per game), tied for 12th in yards per play (5.6) and 14th in total offense (356.8 yards per game). The Lake Bluff, Ill., native broke into the coaching ranks as an offensive graduate assistant at North- western in 2015. That year he helped the Wildcats register a 10-3 record and final Associated Press ranking of No. 23. Rees posted a 23-8 record (.733 winning percent- age) as a starting quarterback for the Irish from 2010-13, and ranks in the top five in school history in 21 different single-game, single-season or career passing categories. He finished with 7,670 career yards and 61 touchdowns. As a senior in 2013 he was named team team's Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 3,257 yards and 27 touchdowns. Rees earned his bachelor's degree in management consulting from Notre Dame in 2013. RETURNING PLAYERS IAN BOOK • QB So. • El Dorado Hills, Calif. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 205 Career Highlights: Completed 17 of 22 passes for 277 yards with one touchdown and no intercep- tions in the 2017 Blue-Gold Game … Did not play during the 2016 campaign. Prep: Rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 57 player in California and the No. 14 pro-style quar- terback nationally by Rivals … Named Cal-Hi all-state first team after throwing for 3,049 yards, rushing for 779 yards and accounting for 42 touchdowns dur- ing his senior campaign at Oak Ridge High School … Passed for 2,025 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a junior. Personal: Born March 30, 1998 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. MONTGOMERY VANGORDER • QB Sr. • Buford, Ga. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 217 Career Highlights: Served as the team's holder in 2016 … Saw ac- tion in one game in 2015 while spending the season on the scout team … Did not play in 2014. Prep: Ranked as a two-star recruit by Rivals … Helped Buford win Georgia Class 3A state titles as a junior and senior … Also was a three-year letter winner in basketball and helped his team reach the state title game in 2014. Personal: Born Sept. 23, 1996 … Three older sib- lings played collegiate sports — his brother Mallory played football at Georgia; his sister Morgan ran track and cross country at Georgia; and his brother Mack played football at Auburn … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in manage- ment consulting. BRANDON WIMBUSH • QB Jr. • Teaneck, N.J. Ht.: 6-1½ • Wt.: 226 Career Highlights: Did not see any game action in 2016 … Played in two games in 2015, completing 3 of 5 passes for 17 yards, and car- rying the ball seven times for 96 yards and a score. Prep: Regarded as a four-star recruit, the No. 2 senior in his home state, and the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback and No. 60 overall prospect nationally by Rivals … Completed 192 of 265 passes (72.3 per- cent) for 3,187 yards with 37 touchdowns and four interceptions while leading St. Peter's Prep (11-1) to the Non-Public, Group 4 state championship as a senior … Added 723 yards and nine scores on the ground … Tabbed a first-team All-American by MaxPreps … Named the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey … Selected first-team all-state, named the 2014 Offensive Player of the Year in New Jersey and rated as the top player in the state by NJ.com … Played in the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Fla. Personal: Born Dec. 17, 1997 … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. Year G-GS Com. Att. Yds. TD INT 2015 2-0 3 5 17 0 0 2016 Did Not Play NEWCOMER AVERY DAVIS • QB Fr. • Cedar Hill, Texas Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 185 Prep: Rivals rated him as a three-star prospect, the No. 80 player in the Lone Star State and the No. 19 dual-threat quarterback nationally … As a senior, connected on 188 of 273 throws (68.9 per- cent) for 2,876 yards with 37 touchdowns and five interceptions … Also rushed 84 times for 369 yards and six scores … Named the 2016 Texas District 7-6A Offensive Player of the Year and a member of the first-team squad … Participated in the Under Armour All-America Game, and completed three passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Prep: Born Aug. 26, 1998 … Became the first quar- terback from Texas to sign with Notre Dame since Carlyle Holiday in 2000. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 47 Senior Montgomery VanGorder, the son of former Irish defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, provides the Irish with depth at quarterback and also serves as the team's holder on extra points and field goals. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND