Tommy Rees - Offensive Coordinator

[FDNYIrish1]

My guess is that MF would repeatedly drop stuff about "the Buckeye Way" and "that's not how we did it at tOSU," like:

• "That sounds like a good plan for getting to the Fiesta Bowl, but what if we want to win the Fiesta Bowl?"
• "Look, another 5-star QB recruit going to Columbus . . ."
• "Aren't Catholics supposed to have a bunch of kids and go to Mass before games? When Luke Fickell was interim HC at tOSU. . ."

And Tommy got fed up, "All I hear all day at the Goog is how great the Buckeyes are at this, or how the Buckeyes did that, its Buckeyes, Buckeyes, Buckeyes!!!"

Reps for effort. This took time and energy.

 

[NDRock]

It was widely reported that BK tried to bring Rees with him to LSU - which I believe is also in the SEC - but he stayed. Largely out of loyalty to Notre Dame's football program.

People have been shitting on Tommy Rees since the 2010 Tulsa game. Thirteen years now. All he did in that time is everything Ulukin said. All he did us wrong in leaving was... maybe poaching Tyler Buchner? Let the man be.

I was at the Tulsa game. Rees came in and was very decisive and played well. Immediately looked better than Crist. Kelly was to blame for having him throw when we were already in field goal range and only down 1.

 

[HouseofPain]

Saturdays game vs Texas to me just showcased Tommys subparness as as a OC. To run an offense that is loaded with 5 star talent and in a system with elite coaches and you crap the bed offensively is unexcusable. If Tommy was half of the OC that some of you guys swear he is, he would have done a lot more. Far and away the best talent he ever had and subparness. I knew Tommy was a bad hire when it happened but was fully okay because Im not a Bama fan anyway and I knew ND had plateaued offensively as long as he would be there.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Based on what we know about Tommy...

1) Committed to ND as part of Brian Kelly's first class, when no decent QBs were interested
2) Willing to play as a "place holder" starter, while BK tried to replace him for 3 years.
3) Took the fall with the SB cops in 2012, when it looked like Carlos Calabrese and possibly all his people were going down
4) Came back to ND as QB coach after Kelly's putrid 2016 season
5) Did not fake back injury, like Coach K at Duke, when Buchner got hurt and Drew Pyne was his QB

. . . It seem like the most likely explanation is that we went undercover to Tuscaloosa to kill that program once and for all.

Personally, I wish him nothing but the best.

 

[drayer54]

Based on what we know about Tommy...

1) Committed to ND as part of Brian Kelly's first class, when no decent QBs were interested
2) Willing to play as a "place holder" starter, while BK tried to replace him for 3 years.
3) Took the fall with the SB cops in 2012, when it looked like Carlos Calabrese and possibly all his people were going down
4) Came back to ND as QB coach after Kelly's putrid 2016 season
5) Did not fake back injury, like Coach K at Duke, when Buchner got hurt and Drew Pyne was his QB

. . . It seem like the most likely explanation is that we went undercover to Tuscaloosa to kill that program once and for all.

Personally, I wish him nothing but the best.

Not to mention, had an opportunity to go work with Nick Saban and fill a role where all the predecessors went on to sweet HC gigs. I don't blame him. It's not a bird fip like BK.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Saturdays game vs Texas to me just showcased Tommys subparness as as a OC. To run an offense that is loaded with 5 star talent and in a system with elite coaches and you crap the bed offensively is unexcusable. If Tommy was half of the OC that some of you guys swear he is, he would have done a lot more. Far and away the best talent he ever had and subparness. I knew Tommy was a bad hire when it happened but was fully okay because Im not a Bama fan anyway and I knew ND had plateaued offensively as long as he would be there.

Not sure we watched the same game...

Bama's QB looked awful. Tommy called plays that had multiple WRs open for would-be TDs on multiple occassions. The QB either didn't see them or he threw a shitty pass that they couldn't catch.

Also, the defense didn't do the team any favors. Which obviously isn't Tommy's fault.

I think TX has a good team this year and caught Bama at a time when they have one of the worst QB situations we've seen there in recent memory. I plan to reserve judgement OC Rees until after they play LSU and Tennessee.

 

[IrishLion]

Tommy is a Notre Dame Man.

Tommy is an above-average offensive coordinator.

Tommy is a really good recruiter when he doesn't get played by a high schooler's support system.

Tommy learned a lot of really good stuff from BK.

Tommy took some problematic traits from BK, including a frustratingly stubborn attachment to certain ways of running his offense, including but not limited to:
- Not molding his playcalls and philosophy to his personnel early enough (ND almost all of 2022; Bama's first real test 2023)
- Not going away from his predetermined call sheet in-game, even when things are obviously not working (Navy 2022)
- Not diversifying the focus points of his offense and letting secondary weapons develop/flourish due to "traits" (Wide Receivers at ND, QB's at ND)

A lot of the things that make him a good OC are the same things that hold him back, simply because he seems to be set in certain ways. That stubborness actually kept ND in the Ohio Stage game in 2022, and resulted in a blowout of Clemson in 2022, as well. It also almost cost ND the Navy game in 2022, and held back the development of several QB's and the entire WR group, IMO.

I bet Saban helps break him of some of those habits, while reinforcing some of the good ones he picked up from BK.

I hope Tommy continues to succeed and finds his place in the NFL, because he is a great representative of ND, playcalling issues be damned.

 

[Jeffwantpoppers]

Not sure we watched the same game...

Bama's QB looked awful. Tommy called plays that had multiple WRs open for would-be TDs on multiple occassions. The QB either didn't see them or he threw a shitty pass that they couldn't catch.

Also, the defense didn't do the team any favors. Which obviously isn't Tommy's fault.

I think TX has a good team this year and caught Bama at a time when they have one of the worst QB situations we've seen there in recent memory. I plan to reserve judgement OC Rees until after they play LSU and Tennessee.

I’m convinced Rees can call a really good game and with an elite passing QB he’ll dominate. He sees the field well and understands the game very well. I think he’ll be great in the nfl.

The problem is he entered the season knowing what his qb was and still didn’t look to focus on those strengths. That’s all on Rees.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

It was widely reported that BK tried to bring Rees with him to LSU - which I believe is also in the SEC - but he stayed. Largely out of loyalty to Notre Dame's football program.

People have been shitting on Tommy Rees since the 2010 Tulsa game. Thirteen years now. All he did in that time is everything Ulukin said. All he did us wrong in leaving was... maybe poaching Tyler Buchner? Let the man be.

Truly does boil down to this. I'm actually glad he's gone now, if for nothing else, the Hot Pocket eaters can scream from mom's basement about people like O'Leary and Al Washington now. It might be misguided and annoying, but hell, it's' something different other than bashing Rees at long last.

So I'm here for it. I could really care less about Rees because I have no beef with the guy, and if Kelly loses a game or two, I lose zero sleep on it.

 

[IrishLax]

Truly does boil down to this. I'm actually glad he's gone now, if for nothing else, the Hot Pocket eaters can scream from mom's basement about people like O'Leary and Al Washington now. It might be misguided and annoying, but hell, it's' something different other than bashing Rees at long last.

So I'm here for it. I could really care less about Rees because I have no beef with the guy, and if Kelly loses a game or two, I lose zero sleep on it.

In a roundabout way he also got us Marcus Freeman, because the admin was not going to go with him unless he was a "package deal" with Rees.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

In a roundabout way he also got us Marcus Freeman, because the admin was not going to go with him unless he was a "package deal" with Rees.

I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out in the end to this point. What's done is done, and going forward I think Freeman should be making his own hiring decisions on staff from this point on.

Kelly. Rees. Lea. Elko. Spokes on a wheel. They're part of the past.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Explain how he gave ND the double bird on the way out?

He left the offense in the best shape it's been in a long, long time. There are NO discernable holes at any position and we're witnessing an explosion of production between our experienced starters he recruited and coached up along with the addition of Hartman.
He stuck around for a year when he had the option to make more money and follow BK.
How long did you think he was going to hang around? He's given 1/3 of his life to ND at this point and he likely has dreams of coaching in the NFL or becoming a HC. Neither of those things he can achieve at ND at this time.

Some of you "fans" are the sorriest lot I've ever seen. He may not be deserving of a statue on campus, but the guy gave a lot back to this university and some people just want to spit on him. You'd think he ran over your cat. As a player he helped break the losing streak to USC, he helped get us back to the national championship, he gave MSU their only loss in 2013 and he won 2 of the 3 bowl games he started. As an OC he knocked off Clemson twice, once when they were ranked #1, got to the playoff, and beat a majority of the ranked teams he faced with half of the losses coming to playoff teams.

I'm sorry, but this is just a shitty ass take toward a former alumni that has only worked to try and help the team succeed. The fact is he's given back to the university more than any of us ever will. Criticize his playcalling or athletic limitations if you want, but if you're going to attack his character or contributions that's just ridiculous.

This x100

Some of you guys are out of your gd minds. Really read Ulukinatme's post and tell us what you disagree with. Rees gave everything he could to ND and many of you paint him as a villain. I'm rooting for Rees at his next stop. I'm obviously tired of seeing Bama win so much and tired of the SEC claim superiority by association with Bama and, more recently, Georgia.

I'm very happy we have our current staff. I'm also happy we had Tommy in our program.

 

[arrowryan]

I just never understood why the beat, mainly Prister, pounded the table for Rees as a coach/recruiter/developer.

 

[DONTH8]

I just never understood why the beat, mainly Prister, pounded the table for Rees as a coach/recruiter/developer.

He was their source inside the Gug.

Same reason they lift up Lance Taylor.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I just never understood why the beat, mainly Prister, pounded the table for Rees as a coach/recruiter/developer.

He did win 9 games last year with Arizona State's third string QB.

 

[RDU Irish]

I wish Bama the worst and Tommy the best.

 

[dankgesang]

Based on what we know about Tommy...

1) Committed to ND as part of Brian Kelly's first class, when no decent QBs were interested
2) Willing to play as a "place holder" starter, while BK tried to replace him for 3 years.
3) Took the fall with the SB cops in 2012, when it looked like Carlos Calabrese and possibly all his people were going down
4) Came back to ND as QB coach after Kelly's putrid 2016 season
5) Did not fake back injury, like Coach K at Duke, when Buchner got hurt and Drew Pyne was his QB

. . . It seem like the most likely explanation is that we went undercover to Tuscaloosa to kill that program once and for all.

Personally, I wish him nothing but the best.

It's a funny post, but the point that we should wish Tommy the best is uncontroversial. He's an alum and desperately needed real coordinating experience under a true master, which is to say outside the Kelly bubble. This is a best case scenario for him and no one with any sense thinks he should have turned it down.

 

[stlnd01]

I wish Bama the worst and Tommy the best.

Fair.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

It's a funny post, but the point that we should wish Tommy the best is uncontroversial. He's an alum and desperately needed real coordinating experience under a true master, which is to say outside the Kelly bubble. This is a best case scenario for him and no one with any sense thinks he should have turned it down.

The problem for Tommy at Bama is Saban needs someone to handle the offense so he can work big picture items and help with the defense. He is not going to work with Tommy on play calling. The only input he gets is for game to game scheme. This is from a source directly in the program.

 

[NDohio]

The thing is, 'Bama really weren't a great team last season. They had Bryce Young though. No superstar QB this season and I think ole Nick is gonna be pretty stressed in 2023.

 

[dankgesang]

The problem for Tommy at Bama is Saban needs someone to handle the offense so he can work big picture items and help with the defense. He is not going to work with Tommy on play calling. The only input he gets is for game to game scheme. This is from a source directly in the program.

I think Saban will be able to address the issue of in-game adjustments with Tommy in a more holistic and practical manner than Kelly was able to and this will probably be the main benefit, as a coordinator, of his time at Alabama. Probably also going to learn a ton about how to properly delegate practice time to different aspects of play. And then obviously as someone who wants to head coach the list of shit he's picking up every day is priceless.

 

[ulukinatme]

It's clear Bama doesn't have a clear cut Young/Hurts type at QB this season. They knew they had problems in the Spring. That could be why Tommy won the job, he can mitigate that. The penalties and turnovers killed them, those can be fixed. The defense needs to get off the field too. The QB situation may not get resolved till the offseason though, I'd expect them to make a big splash for a Hartman-like guy if one is available.

 

[Wild Bill]

The thing is, 'Bama really weren't a great team last season. They had Bryce Young though. No superstar QB this season and I think ole Nick is gonna be pretty stressed in 2023.

They only have eighteen 5 stars on the roster this year. Gonna be tough for them to compete with the big boys.

 

[NDohio]

They only have eighteen 5 stars on the roster this year. Gonna be tough for them to compete with the big boys.

I don't care how many five stars they have now or had last season. Bryce Young bailed them out of two games that they absolutely could/should have lost last year. He isn't there to do it this year. Their defense isn't making stops the way the Saban defenses of old did, and they have a major QB issue. Now, that doesn't mean that 'Bama is terrible, but if they lose three games this season that's a drop off of what 'Bama usually is and what college football expects from the Tide.

 

[Wild Bill]

I don't care how many five stars they have now or had last season. Bryce Young bailed them out of two games that they absolutely could/should have lost last year. He isn't there to do it this year. Their defense isn't making stops the way the Saban defenses of old did, and they have a major QB issue. Now, that doesn't mean that 'Bama is terrible, but if they lose three games this season that's a drop off of what 'Bama usually is and what college football expects from the Tide.

They lost two games last year by a combined three points, both on the road against ranked teams. If they would have made the playoffs, it's safe to say they would have been considered favorites against all teams, except Georgia, and my guess is that would have beaten the shit out of two of those teams, Michigan and TCU.

It wasn't a great bama team relative to some of the other teams he's trotted out but they were absolutely one of a handful of teams that were a threat to win a title last year.

I don't disagree with the overall point you're making - college football is often driven by the quarterback's performance and their qb situation looks like shit. I'm just adding a bit of perspective here - a team with 18 five stars and shitload of high 4 stars can absolutely compensate for limitations at the QB position. I won't be the least bit surprised if this team rips off 10 straight wins and ends up in the SEC title game. I guess we'll see.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Nick Saban has created an incredibly high bar for himself. Forget everyone else.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Nick Saban has created an incredibly high bar for himself. Forget everyone else.

Yep, but at some point in time age catches up with you mentally. We may be seeing the start of the decline.

 

[greyhammer90]

They were 3 points away from going undefeated, but 11 points away from being 7-5.

These two things can both be true:
1) They are the 2nd most talented team in the country, and can beat anybody on their best night.

2) They weren't one of the 4 best teams in the country last year, and there's nothing (except an admittedly justified faith in Saban being "him") to indicate that they'll be better this year.

 

[Wild Bill]

They were 3 points away from going undefeated, but 11 points away from being 7-5.

These two things can both be true:
1) They are the 2nd most talented team in the country, and can beat anybody on their best night.

2) They weren't one of the 4 best teams in the country last year, and there's nothing (except an admittedly justified faith in Saban being "him") to indicate that they'll be better this year.

According to 247 team composite, they are the most talented team, and I'm sure there are some people who believe they were a top four team last year, despite not making the playoffs. They don't necessarily have to better than they were last year, they just have to be in the top four. The SEC looks like shit overall and bama's path through the SECW is seemingly easier this year, and the most talented teams, Georgia, Bama, OSU, have inexperienced QBs. Seems a bit more wide open this year regarding who can get in and who can actually win.

 

[stlnd01]

Yeah. Bama is certainly capable of winning the SEC West, and while they probably wouldn't be favored to beat Georgia, it's hardly unimaginable that they could, which puts them in the CFP. They're not dead yet, they just have less margin for error than they did a week ago.