QB Ian Book
Measurables: 6-1, 195
School: El Dorado Hills (Calif.) Oak Ridge
Rivals rankings: Three stars, No. 14 pro-style QB.
247Sports ranking: Three stars, No. 17 pro-style QB.
Notable numbers: Book completed 224 of 346 passes (65 percent) for 3,049 yards and 30 touchdowns with only five interceptions in his senior season. He also rushed for 779 yards and 12 TDs.
First scholarship offer: Idaho.
Best advice I received through the recruiting process: Live in the moment, don’t take it all for granted, just let it happen and be patient.
One word to describe Brian Kelly: Honest.
The one thing I won’t miss about the recruiting process: Playing phone tag with a bunch of coaches.
Moment I knew I wanted to be Irish: The second I heard coach Mike Sanford was moving from Boise State to Notre Dame. I thought maybe there could be that chance and it worked out.
My secret off-the-field talent: I’m pretty good at lacrosse. I played for eight years and started on varsity for three of them.
Song on my iPod I’m embarrassed to tell people about: “Hello” by Adele.
Sports idol: Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.
Preferred social media: Snapchat.
Favorite football accomplishment: Committing to Notre Dame and starting on varsity as a sophomore.
Dream job (other than the NFL): I can’t even pick a major yet. I used to think being a fireman would be cool.
Quarterbacks coach Mike Sanford on Book: "We believe we found the best football player and the best fit for the University of Notre Dame in the country in the 2016 quarterback class. After really watching the season play out and watching the all-star games play out, having a chance to be present for more workouts of Ian’s even after the season was over during the contact period, it confirmed all the stuff that we believed. We went out and found the best fit for Notre Dame in the 2016 class.
"The thing about Ian in particular is production. You’re always looking for a quarterback that’s a winner. He made his team better by his presence. He’s a guy that took a program that hadn’t had a lot of double-digit wins in the last couple years and really resuscitated that program and really came together his senior year. He’s also a guy that I believe allows us to do everything that we do offensively. Tremendous runner. He does a lot with his legs. When you see this young man, he’s a lot bigger than people think. There’s a difference. Sometimes people get caught up in height. He’s not 6-foot-3, he’s not not 6-foot-4. But when you watch him play football, when you watch him on the field, he doesn’t have a small presence about him."
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Audio: Notre Dame assistant head coach Mike Denbrock evaluates Book's athleticism.
