When Ian Book looks in the mirror these days he sees an NFL quarterback looking back at him, and what they talk about is pretty important.
Well, only one side is speaking in those situations. And he’s got a good reason to do it: The Saints rookie is trying to perfect his new team’s notably complex play calls for gameday, and learning it in your head just isn’t enough.
“I’ve learned that you can’t just say it to yourself, in your head, because that’s not what it’s like. You actually need to say the words,” Book said after Tuesday’s practice. "So I’ve learned that already and I’ve got a mirror. I just say it in the hotel room.”
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Book said he’s also used FaceTime for that purpose, a steep learning curve from his time at Notre Dame where they used hand signals and he had a wristband to reference. Book said the team had issues getting lined up properly during the first drive he led against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, after which he said he put even more emphasis on things like enunciating and taking time in the huddle to ensure everyone knew the plan.
“You can’t miss one word or it'll to screw up an entire play,” he said. "So it’s about going out there, we got the call sheet and I just wanted to make sure I knew everything and really enunciated it. You don’t want to go in there and say it really fast and just get it all out, and next thing you know it’s just a clutter.”
Book settled in, playing out the entire second half after Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston split the first half, each throwing 12 passes. The rookie didn’t lead a scoring drive, but had some strong throws and finished 9-for-16 for 126 yards. A low moment came when he lobbed a game-sealing interception on a potential tying or go-ahead drive. The highlight play was a 38-yard connection to Juwan Johnson earlier in the series.
If the 23-year-old looked especially confident, that’s a result of another thing he tells himself before he steps out there.
"My whole career I’ve prided myself on having a lot of confidence,” Book said. "Especially at the quarterback position, every time you step out on the field you’ve got to tell yourself, you’re the best person on the field. … The ball’s in your hands every play. As a quarterback confidence is everything.”
While the rookie doesn’t seem to have a path to the starting job this offseason, he does appear to have the inside track at the Saints’ backup job if they carry three quarterbacks. Veteran Trevor Siemian was active but didn’t log a snap against the Ravens. If Winston won the starting job, Hill would likely return to his typical Swiss Army knife role, creating the need for a traditional backup would. Should Hill win the job, that role could become expendable with Winston serving as the backup.
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Regardless, Book will get his chance to study and show off in the next two preseason games. The Saints host the Jacksonville Jaguars in the newly rebranded Caesars Superdome. Unless the Saints get in the building for pregame prep work, that would mark his first time inside the iconic building he drives past daily.
"I’m just excited to go out there. I’ve heard about how loud it is. I’ve seen film in there and everything,” Book said. "But I’m really excited to go in there and play, and have fans in there, too."