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How the Saints are handling their quarterback dilemma.
Ian Book is the only quarterback on the roster for the Saints. (0:54)
6:00 AM
Ian Book knows this is a big deal and he isn't shying away from it.
The New Orleans Saints are going to start a rookies at quarterback against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night after two of their veterans tested positive for a drug.
Book's family will be in town. His former Notre Dame coach, Brian Kelly, will be coming from Baton Rouge after being hired by LSU.
Ian Book will make his first career start for the New Orleans Saints against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
I am going to be pretty buzzed, yeah. The book said so. I don't know what it will feel like. I have played in big games, but I think this is the biggest. Monday Night Football is on. I have been watching football since I was a kid. It is a dream.
Book insisted that neither he nor the Saints would let the moment overwhelm them.
The Saints have 16 players from their 53-man roster on the reserve/COVID-19 list, in addition to three practice squad players, one suspended player, and four assistant coaches who are not on the active roster. This is the latest in a series of hurdles that have the New Orleans Saints in serious danger of missing the playoffs.
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Book said that there were a million excuses and that they would use none of them. We have to go and play. When your name is called, you have to perform.
Notre Dame was close to pressure cooker when it came to the NFL. Book won more games than any quarterback in school history during his four years with the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame defeated LSU in the Citrus Bowl as a redshirt freshman, after coming off the bench. It included a come-from-behind win over the top ranked team.
Book was drafted by the Saints in the fourth round and his new and former coaches described him as calm and composed.
After returning from his own weeklong COVID-19 hiatus, Saints coach Sean Payton said it was important for him to have played in big games. He has done it consistently better than any other quarterback in Notre Dame's history. There is a transition to this level, but I think he is up for the challenge.
The 6-foot Book was only a three-star high school recruit and fell to the third day of the NFL draft, mostly because of his size. One of his most prominent assets in college should help him in this situation.
When the pocket broke down, Book had to either scramble or throw on the run.
There are certain things that he does outside the pocket that are very well. I think he gets rid of the ball well, I think he's accurate when he throws it, and I think he can move and escape. We have seen a little bit of that in his college tape.
I don't think you try to put a completely different game plan together.
Book didn't play in either game. He played in one preseason game, completing 9 of 16 passes for 126 yards with no touchdown and one interception.
The Saints have limited their practice schedule this week as a precautionary measure. On the day Book found out he was starting, they canceled Thursday's practice.
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Book has been in meeting rooms and in practice as a scout-team quarterback, and his teammates have expressed confidence in him.
"It's not easy for anyone who's stepping into their first NFL game, especially a quarterback," said Saints tight end Nick Vannett, who compared Book's mobility to Hill's. Ian is an unbelievable athlete and a quarterback. If you watched the scout team against the defense, you would wonder how he could pull that off.
I'm not sure if we're going to call any quarterback powers, but I think he's a very good passer in all areas of the field. We have to get him settled into the game and build his confidence up a little bit. I think we'll be fine once we do that.
Book said he received encouragement and advice from his fellow Saints quarterbacks within the first 24 hours of his promotion.
His brother just finished his Army boot camp in Georgia and was already in New Orleans to see his first game, so it was a lucky timing.
Book said that he felt a lot better than preseason. It feels like it was a long time ago. I had to take it seriously every time. The coaches have been with me. It is time to go out there and do it.
The main thing for me is to have fun, move on to the next play, and play with speed. Don't think all the time, that will slow my process down. I have to play and have fun. It is football.
