Tommy Rees named starter for Champs Sports Bowl

[NDFANnSouthWest]

This is just Coach Kelly not wanting to create an issue. The QB job will be either Golson's or Hendrix's. Please have some perspective over reactors. LOL

What does this mean...? Golson is a red shirt...we are talking for the Champs bowl. What issue are you referring to...?

 

[rikkitikki08]

What does this mean...? Golson is a red shirt...we are talking for the Champs bowl. What issue are you referring to...?

Im assuming he meant come spring time

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

Im assuming he meant come spring time

I'm not worried about spring time.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

Perfect game for Hendrix to start....a meaningless game against a quality opponent. What is the point of starting Rees? For those who worry about Hendrix getting overwhelmed by starting, would you rather him start in a meaningless game or a game that matters? The other point about FSU gameplanning for Hendrix...that is again a positive because it would reveal what Hendrix's strengths and weaknesses are. Hendrix could then work on them in the spring. Hendrix coming in some kind of package is pointless. Kelly could have done that in numerous games...he didn't. What would be the point in a meaningless game?

 

[Cali_domer]

I refuse to get banned over this so I will just say I strongly disagree with the choice.

 

[mvanbv00]

This could just as easily be an attempt by Kelly to keep Hendrix from getting completely overwhelmed by the moment. Throwing everything on him and giving him his first start in a bowl game against Florida St. is a lot to shoulder. He's going to be a big part of he gameplan I'm sure, but I think letting Tommy start is just a way to soften the potential burden on Andrew.

To be fair, Tommy started his first four games under equal or even more of an overwhelming situation. First against #14 Utah at a time where we needed a big win in front of 80,000+. Then he plays in Yankee stadium, the coliseum, and in a bowl vs. Miami. It doesn't seem to make sense for BK to hold back on Hendrix to keep the pressure off. He has done it before.

Hendrix provides a spark on offense that is needed at this point. We are hurting with injuries and it is no secret that we can struggle offensively against good defenses (USC,Stanford). We could use something like the versatility of Hendrix's run/pass game.

 

[Chicago Irish Fan]

I think Hendrix ends up playing most of the game anyway after Tommy gets an early hook.

 

[gspjeb]

smart move is to start Rees.....if you kill his confidence and Hendrix struggles....then what? I think this is absolutely the right call and maintains the confidence of both players

 

[Buster Bluth]

(rant resume)

I don't know about you guys,but I'm sick and f'ing tired of the damn QB carousel we have going on.
To Coach Kelly: If Rees is your guy,then stick with him. If he is your guy, don't take him out at the half against Stanford...let him get his licks and the experience. Quit screwing with your QB's minds and the fans...

I dont understand how any of our guys are supposed to have ANY confidence playing under Kelly right now. You can play almost perfect football,and not be shown any kind of recognition for it.Happened to Crist(he didn't play great,but he should've never been pulled 1st game) and now it's happening to Hendrix...I don't know how you don't start him this game after what he showed against Stanford...

So when a MLB or NG doesn't play well enough and they lose their spot, no one has any problem with it and it's the next guy in.

When a QB gets benched for not performing, everyone flips ****. "Ahhh you're crushing confidence! You can't do this to them!"

Please please please stop assuming that everyone is losing personal confidence, and that Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix are gigantic pussies who can't handle it emotionally. They aren't prima donnas.

Also, Kelly doesn't care about "screwing (the minds of) the fans..." Nor should he. He's there to get W's and will bench players who aren't performing that day, and will play the guy who gives the team the best chance to win. It's as simple as that.

 

[Irish Man3]

I am certainly not thrilled with this but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't expect it. I don't like it at all but I'm Irish through it all.

Go Tommy and go Irish!

 

[gspjeb]

I see absolutely no correlation between Crist and Hendrix. I cannot believe anyone would even draw that conclusion. I want to see Hendrix just like the next guy but Tommy got us to this point....he deserves the bowl start. I think Hendrix will play quite a bit. Everyone needs to relax a bit.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

I don't get the whole Tommy got us to this point he deserves it mind set. He was the starting QB but I don't remember him out there on defense making plays.
He may have been a part of the machine, but when a part doesn't work properly anymore it's time to replace that part.

 

[NYMIKE6]

OMG OMG OMG OMG........<panic setting in.....

The mind games begin.

 

[Irishman77]

this sucks. I was hoping Hendrix would start, tommy boy got pissed and transferred. Then we got Golson to finally turn this program around. Hendirx and Kiel would be 2 great back ups. With that being said I hope we tear up FSU and Floyd scores 5 TD's in his last game.

 

[Black Irish]

I'm just hoping Coach Kelly is smart enough to play multi-level meta-strategy in this scenario. To wit:

-He names Rees the starter to keep intra-Irish practice drama to a minimum (i.e. Rees vs. Hendrix)
-He plans on throwing a healthy dose of Hendrix in anyway, and he knows that FSU knows, so FSU will have to do a defensive game plan for both QBs
-He lets it leak that Crist is doing well and will take some snaps to reward him for his classy behavior during the season (uh-oh, 3 different QBs for FSU to plan for)

I'm hoping Kelly is this crafty, but he has more on his plate than I do at the moment, so these meta head games might get lost in the day-to-day of being Notre Dame's football coach.

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

I don't know about you guys,but I'm sick and f'ing tired of the damn QB carousel we have going on.
To Coach Kelly: If Rees is your guy,then stick with him. If he is your guy, don't take him out at the half against Stanford...let him get his licks and the experience. Quit screwing with your QB's minds and the fans...

While I don't necessarily disagree with you, it's pretty clear that Kelly has absolutely no qualms about using multiple quarterbacks. In fact, I think Kelly wants to have at least two options, especially when they are as different of player as Rees and Hendrix are.

 

[kmoose]

(rant resume)

I don't know about you guys,but I'm sick and f'ing tired of the damn QB carousel we have going on.
To Coach Kelly: If Rees is your guy,then stick with him. If he is your guy, don't take him out at the half against Stanford...

Kelly didn't have any choice but to pull Rees. He was trying to win the game, and Rees was totally ineffective. You can't leave a guy in, in that situation (guaranteeing a loss). He had to pull Rees, just like he had to pull Crist in the USF game. It's not like he was playing Mike Bellotti, and using a new starter every week, rotating them in and out every other series all season long.

 

[Rudy89]

I dont understnad what everyone is so mad about, unless he throws a pick 6 on his first drive or something bad that puts us in a hole if he struggles we will see Hendrix come in. Hendrix might still get first team reps in practice its not like by starting Rees we cannot play any other QB in this game I cant beleive Im the one out of all posters saying this but yall just need to chill.

 

[koonja]

I'm not even going to touch this thread. I value the info I get from being a member of this site too much.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Hendrix is going to play...a ton. Rees being the starter means that FSU will have to prepare for both.

Face it, do you really want all the pressure put on Hendrix going against an SEC type defense giving up like 14 pts a game? If and when Rees struggles, Andrew can play the hero role in a back-up situation. If Hendrix were to start and struggle, then where do we go from there? Back to limited Rees?

I think we all saw that Kelly will finally pull Rees when the team is struggling. Hendrix will play a lot (Kelly said he'll have a 'package', which I'm sure is being expanded big-time), so I'm not even worrying about this one at all.

 

[NDdomer2]

For those who think this is going to mess with FSU youre crazy. They know the possibility of both playing and with the weeks to prepare they will have watched enough film and practiced multiple scenarios. Kelly didn't have to sst anything about his qb situation for the FSU coaching staff to know they need to prepare for both.

 

[BobD]

Dear Coach Kelly,

You and your shenanigans! Now FSU doesn't have a clue about who to prepare for. I know you have a plan, so I'll support you. Go Irish!

Regards, BobD

PS: Please have a plan

 

[GoldenDomer87]

All I'm going to say is that I disagree with the decision.

This defense is fast, but young. ND needs to find a way to get them out of position because Rees won't be able to throw the ball all over the place and it's tough to run on them.

 

[DillonHall]

How much does it take to prepare for Rees? The blueprint's already out there and pretty simple to execute

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

All I'm going to say is that I disagree with the decision.

This defense is fast, but young. ND needs to find a way to get them out of position because Rees won't be able to throw the ball all over the place and it's tough to run on them.

Are they faster than Da U from last season?

 

[ColinKSU]

At least he didn't name Heggie the starter.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

If I were Kelly I wouldnt have told reporters that I was starting Tommy. Coach D on power hour said Kelly would be dumb if he announced who the starter was. Now FSU has a month to plan for Tommy.

Nah, let them gameplan for Tommy and see more of Hendrix than expected. But in reality, they will prepare for both QBs.

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

Are they faster than Da U from last season?

I hope not, or else Rees may complete less than 50% of his passes (15/29 vs. Miami last year).

 

[IrishMoore1]

Hendrix not starting simply means he's not ready to manage the offense for 60 minutes. Relax, people. His time will come. You can't throw a guy who's as green as he into a bowl game against FSU.

For those of you who think this is a meaningless game, it's actually pretty important. A 9 win season and a win over a Florida team will go a long way in recruiting. This is a must win for Kelly.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

I hope not, or else Rees may complete less than 50% of his passes (15/29 vs. Miami last year).

The correct answer was supposed to be....NO. They do not. We've been here before, done all of that and have the t-shirt to prove it. Quit egging on the piszing down our own leg brigade.