Tommy Rees - Offensive Coordinator

Irish#1

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The quality of the OL players is supposed to be BETTER than last year. No Cain Madden. The difference is Kelly left. Kelly for all his faults was not a "players' coach" - he was a screw turner and expected results. Its hard for many fans to grasp but that is likely the difference. We have to assume HH is better than his predecessor but I do think Kelly's experience and demeanor as a HC and his experience and play calling on the Offensive Side of the Ball are the current difference markers from last year to this year. Hopefully this gets changed.

I love MF but he might be too nice for this job. Perhaps Players won't bust through walls for a HC they like but they might for one that is tough on them.
But Harry and Chris Watt (Tommy's friend and former roommate) were his top picks. We gave Tommy a "pass" (of sorts) last year under Quinn's line...Now we give him a pass again. with his chosen hire?

With that said, I am more optimistic then most on HH righting this ship. The line was able to "imporve" last year, under Quinn. I think there are still bad habits that need broken. I think it can/will happen. Why are we experiencing back to back years of this slow Oline start? That is the bigger question that needs addressed. The culture has to change, fast. I am tired of players playing anxious/nervous/timid/slow.
Madden was playing pretty good ball the second half of the season.

I think most including me were too optimistic about this years line. Alt is just starting his second season. Fisher is essentially playing in his first. Patterson gets moved to a new position and loses valuable time do to an injury. You put two career backups in at C & RG. I would like to see Patterson go back to C so he can help either guard and stop the middle from being a sieve.
 

Jiggafini19Deux

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If everyone wants him out, who they bringing in come offseason would be my question.

Realistic candidates.
 

notredomer23

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If everyone wants him out, who they bringing in come offseason would be my question.

Realistic candidates.

@StPaul_Irish with the Warren Ruggiero shout in another thread I think is a good one. Need more Italians on the staff anyway.
Curious where Fresno's OC Kirby Moore goes next. Probably would need one more stop and a bigger body of work before ND.
No idea what Alex Golesh makes at Tenn but he'd be worth a call. Coaches TEs though.
Promote Gerard Parker and hire the best QB coach possible.

The funny part of all this is the offensive start makes it more likely Rees is here in 2023 than not IMO.
 

phillyirish

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Agree that I’ve liked a lot of his play calling so far from a very high level scheme POV. The team hasn’t executed plus I don’t think he’s catered it correctly to Buchner’s strengths. Think a guy like CJ Carr would light it up in this scheme assuming a decent OL.
I agree. A better QB and upgraded offensive line, and this offense would look better. Maybe add in a few high caliber WRs as well. A 3 down back, would could pass block sure would be nice too. Pretty much everything but a TE, although a reliable backup wouldnt hurt. Most importantly though, all these would probably still go to waist if we didnt upgrade the OC position as well.
 

dublinirish

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@StPaul_Irish with the Warren Ruggiero shout in another thread I think is a good one. Need more Italians on the staff anyway.
Curious where Fresno's OC Kirby Moore goes next. Probably would need one more stop and a bigger body of work before ND.
No idea what Alex Golesh makes at Tenn but he'd be worth a call. Coaches TEs though.
Promote Gerard Parker and hire the best QB coach possible.

The funny part of all this is the offensive start makes it more likely Rees is here in 2023 than not IMO.
i dont think how the offense performs would affect Rees' NFL future TBH. Hes gonna end up with McVay sooner or later in LA even if its not as OC. He could go there and be a QB coach/assistant or whatever for a year before he gets the OC title
 

irishnd31

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I agree. A better QB and upgraded offensive line, and this offense would look better. Maybe add in a few high caliber WRs as well. A 3 down back, would could pass block sure would be nice too. Pretty much everything but a TE, although a reliable backup wouldnt hurt. Most importantly though, all these would probably still go to waist if we didnt upgrade the OC position as well.
So, you want us to be Alabama, Ohio State, or Georgia then? ;)
 

Jiggafini19Deux

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@StPaul_Irish with the Warren Ruggiero shout in another thread I think is a good one. Need more Italians on the staff anyway.
Curious where Fresno's OC Kirby Moore goes next. Probably would need one more stop and a bigger body of work before ND.
No idea what Alex Golesh makes at Tenn but he'd be worth a call. Coaches TEs though.
Promote Gerard Parker and hire the best QB coach possible.

The funny part of all this is the offensive start makes it more likely Rees is here in 2023 than not IMO.
Ruggiero and Moore are the two guys that jump immediately to mind. Both are OC who coach QB.

Moore is significantly younger.
 

notredomer23

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i dont think how the offense performs would affect Rees' NFL future TBH. Hes gonna end up with McVay sooner or later in LA even if its not as OC. He could go there and be a QB coach/assistant or whatever for a year before he gets the OC title

No doubt about the NFL, I moreso meant any shot at a G5 or lower P5 school taking a chance as HC is out the window.
 

Jiggafini19Deux

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From what I can gather about Hartline, he's a great recruiter and has an Ohio State connection to Freeman. Apart from that, he's coached WR and has yet to call plays as a coordinator. The recruiting element is one part of this and it's the part that makes him most attractive to ND fans. Call it what it is.

Ideally you have a creative offensive mind that has called plays before, can coach QBs and will recruit his ass of with results. If any of those three are missing, I'm inclined to take a pass as a fan.
 

Irish4life

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@StPaul_Irish with the Warren Ruggiero shout in another thread I think is a good one. Need more Italians on the staff anyway.
Curious where Fresno's OC Kirby Moore goes next. Probably would need one more stop and a bigger body of work before ND.
No idea what Alex Golesh makes at Tenn but he'd be worth a call. Coaches TEs though.
Promote Gerard Parker and hire the best QB coach possible.

The funny part of all this is the offensive start makes it more likely Rees is here in 2023 than not IMO.
I wouldn't mind looking at Kalen DeBoer's OC at Washington, Ryan Grubb. DeBoer is one of the more underrated offensive minds in CFB, wouldn't at all mind raiding that offensive brain trust. One to keep an eye on at least.
 

Some Irish Bloke

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Top 2 candidates for me are Warren Ruggiero (Wake Forest OC) and Jeff Grimes (Baylor OC). Mike Yurcich would be a dream hire but that's probably a pipedream.
Really? Even after that performance in Utah Saturday night? They looked lost offensively.

I do like Ruggiero though.
 

Dale

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Grimes you’d have to fire Hiestand or have an abrupt “retirement” but I would be in favor in general of him. You’d need a QB coach too.

With how decision making tends to swing, it wouldn’t be that shocking since NDs issues have been rooted in OL during Freeman’s stay here and ND when good has a good OL, for a OC to be a OL guy. It’d bet on Parker or DMC though.
 

Irish4life

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Really? Even after that performance in Utah Saturday night? They looked lost offensively.

I do like Ruggiero though.
Baylor didn't have a great game offensively this past weekend but Grimes was great at BYU (developed Zach Wilson). The turnaround he instrumented at Baylor took them from a 2-7 team to Big 12 champs in 1 year. If their offense significantly regresses this season then that changes things, but as of today I'd have Grimes as my #2 want (assuming Yurcich is indeed a pipe dream).
 

Irish4life

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Grimes you’d have to fire Hiestand or have an abrupt “retirement” but I would be in favor. You’d need a QB coach too.
Keenan Bailey time!?!? And look, if the OL doesn't improve, it might be necessary. Or hell, just thinking outside the box here, have Harry coach the OTs and Grimes handle the interior OL + the TEs. Let Parker go be a G5 OC.
 

Dale

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Keenan Bailey time!?!? And look, if the OL doesn't improve, it might be necessary. Or hell, just thinking outside the box here, have Harry coach the OTs and Grimes handle the interior OL + the TEs. Let Parker go be a G5 OC.

I don’t think it’d be just a can’t fit both numbers wise thing as much as I don’t see Hiestand bending to what Grimes wants and I’m not a OL scheme guru but I doubt they perfectly align.
 

Irish4life

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I don’t think it’d be just a can’t fit both numbers wise thing as much as I don’t see Hiestand bending to what Grimes wants and I’m not a OL scheme guru but I doubt they perfectly align.
That's fair, and like I said if the OL doesn't improve, then so be it.
 

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I’d give Dan Mullen a call. Previous HC experience like Golden. His weakness (recruiting) is Freeman’s strength so he could help cover that aspect.
 

dublinirish

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I’d give Dan Mullen a call. Previous HC experience like Golden. His weakness (recruiting) is Freeman’s strength so he could help cover that aspect.
too much of a dipshit for ND i'd say. He'd rub too many people up the wrong way
 

StPaul_Irish

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Would be a homerun. Idk why but Freeman having two veteran HCs under him I just don’t see happening though.

I think it shows humility and intelligence if he were to do so. Agree, Mullen isn't my 1st choice, but would be a Homerun
 
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