In a resurgent season for the Fighting Irish, most of the talk has been centered around new defensive coordinator Mike Elko and the remarkable turnaround of a group that was trampled far too often last season. Of course, Heisman candidate Josh Adams has received his fair share of the limelight as well. The most overlooked player on this team? Brandon Wimbush, the best dual-threat QB in Notre Dame history.
Starting with the obvious, Wimbush has 13 rushing touchdowns, already a school record for a quarterback. He’s only five away from breaking the single season school rushing touchdown record. That includes every single Notre Dame running back. How crazy is that stat? For a player criticized for his lack of passing prowess, and somewhat justifiably so, he has a combined 24 TDs and just two picks. Those are JT Barrett numbers, for those of you keeping score at home.
Secondly, in terms of raw rushing yards, Wimbush has 639 yards in the eight games he’s played, good for nearly 80 yards per game. Those are respectable numbers for a team’s starting halfback, but they’re nearly unheard of for QBs not named Lamar Jackson or Khalil Tate (and Tate has attempted half as many passes as Wimbush). Combined with Josh Adams and the stable of Irish rushing weapons, Wimbush has made Notre Dame nearly impossible to stop on the ground. Here’s a small sample of just how dynamic Wimbush can be.
As a faithful fan, I’ve watched every second of every game. Wimbush has passed the eye test with flying colors. His poise in the pocket has developed steadily since the Georgia game, in which he looked constantly afraid of the imposing Georgia defense – and I can’t say I blame him. Georgia has the fastest defense in college football, including Bama. When nothing is there or the pocket is collapsing, Wimbush expertly navigates his way through the pressure and scrambles out of trouble. I can’t count how many third downs have been converted thanks to Wimbush’s mobility.
Now, on to a more murky subject: Wimbush’s ability as a pure passer. The stats aren’t great: just under 52% completion rate, 160 yards per game, only 11 touchdowns. The stats don’t show the intangibles, though. Wimbush isn’t asked to do much. This team is of a different offensive mold than 2016; there is no need to lean on the passing game with Adams fully healthy and Kizer gone. Wimbush only has to make about three big passes every game, and he executes that role more than adequately. Skip to 0:14 in the video below to see one example (you’re also more than welcome to watch the whole video of this beatdown).
Those few passes can result in a couple touchdowns per game for the Irish, even if not directly produced by Wimbush. In the run-heavy Notre Dame offense, Wimbush makes just enough plays through the air to extend drives and score points.
He does have his weaknesses, though.
Accuracy is definitely an issue, evidenced both by his completion percentage and number of sailed throws, all of which I’ve witnessed live. Brian Kelly and his staff have done a great job of playing to Wimbush’s strengths, giving him easy bailout options and good spacing down the field. His arm is no joke; it just isn’t too accurate.
He can also be too quick to take big hits, unwilling to slide on his runs. It got him hurt last week against Wake Forest, forcing him briefly out of the game. To prevent serious injury, he’s got to sacrifice a few yards on his carries.
On a CFP contender with a ground and pound approach, Brandon Wimbush is just as much a rushing threat as he is a passing threat. He fills his role to perfection, and Notre Dame is grateful to have him as a fantastic leader and talented dual-threat quarterback. All he has to do is continue to make plays and keep turnovers to a minimum.