Tommy Rees named starter for Champs Sports Bowl

[Patulski]

FSU defensive line will have Rees for suppper if he remains stationary. I think a mobile Hendrix was the obvious choice for this game. But Kelly has forgiven Rees on numerous occasions of non-performance...only wish he had done the same for Crist.

I wish every ND fan could have been in the stadium when Dayne fumbled the snap, pushed it between his legs so USC's players could get it, and then ran helplessly watching a close game turn on a 14 point swing. He was a senior in a golden moment where he could redeem himself, and he blew it in fantastic fashion. The entire stadium deflated and the game was effectively over. To me, it was so symbolic of Dayne, who never showed much poise under pressure, and I saw it as a symbolic end to the Weis era, which was marked by some of the worst football I saw in my 46 years of watching ND. So, I wish Dayne well, but will not cry about what a victim he was of that meanie Brian Kelly any more than I'll cry for poor Tommy if Kelly sits him on the bench.

 

[greyhammer90]

I wish every ND fan could have been in the stadium when Dayne fumbled the snap, pushed it between his legs so USC's players could get it, and then ran helplessly watching a close game turn on a 14 point swing. He was a senior in a golden moment where he could redeem himself, and he blew it in fantastic fashion. The entire stadium deflated and the game was effectively over. To me, it was so symbolic of Dayne, who never showed much poise under pressure, and I saw it as a symbolic end to the Weis era, which was marked by some of the worst football I saw in my 46 years of watching ND. So, I wish Dayne well, but will not cry about what a victim he was of that meanie Brian Kelly any more than I'll cry for poor Tommy if Kelly sits him on the bench.

Yep, I'll never forget it. Completely killed the crowd, and all hope. (I'll always have the Atkinson return though. That was LOUD.)

 

[returnofthemack]

Right...that was obviously the worst moment. Not having the ball fall backwards out of the "gamer"'s hand in the Michigan red zone, not the innumerable backwards passes that resulted in fumbles, not the fumbles from sacks, and not the unforced interceptions. I'm not saying Dayne did great, but Tommy had plenty of cringeworthy moments.

 

[returnofthemack]

Btw, did Rees delete his twitter account?

 

[Patulski]

2 To's against Michigan State
2 Turnovers against Stanford (in 1 half)
1 Turnover agains SC
3 Turnovers against Michigan
1 Turnover against BC

Absolutely unacceptable.!

I suspect that Kelly is also looking at this as he surveys the QB competition between his two sophomore QB's"

Tommy Rees (15 starts):

353-548 (64%)
31 touchdowns
3814 yards passing

If you're going to look at the bad, you should look at the good as well.

That being said, just as Kelly pulled Crist for Rees, I'm sure he'll pull Rees for Hendrix if he's better.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

I wish every ND fan could have been in the stadium when Dayne fumbled the snap, pushed it between his legs so USC's players could get it, and then ran helplessly watching a close game turn on a 14 point swing. He was a senior in a golden moment where he could redeem himself, and he blew it in fantastic fashion. The entire stadium deflated and the game was effectively over. To me, it was so symbolic of Dayne, who never showed much poise under pressure, and I saw it as a symbolic end to the Weis era, which was marked by some of the worst football I saw in my 46 years of watching ND. So, I wish Dayne well, but will not cry about what a victim he was of that meanie Brian Kelly any more than I'll cry for poor Tommy if Kelly sits him on the bench.

This is what really pisses me off. What does what you just posted have ANYTHING to do with Rees being a starter for the bowl game!!! You take that mistake Crist committed and use that one mistake to basically crucify him again. Why? To support Tommy. To say look at Christ the bumbling crybaby who can't handle pressure. LEAVE HIM ALONE. If you want to defend Rees, defend him. I have never known a ND player/young man who has been ruthlessly treated the way Crist has been treated by Kelly. Kelly never made an ounce of effort to try to help Crist regain his confidence.

In turn, Tommy is frankly a Saint. He can do no wrong. The team loses because of the OLine. The Team loses because of the defense. The teams struggles because of this and that...but all Tommy does is win and apparently the ONLY gamer we have. Forgive me for my tone but this has reached the absurd level.

 

[DillonHall]

I wish every ND fan could have been in the stadium when Dayne fumbled the snap, pushed it between his legs so USC's players could get it, and then ran helplessly watching a close game turn on a 14 point swing. He was a senior in a golden moment where he could redeem himself, and he blew it in fantastic fashion. The entire stadium deflated and the game was effectively over. To me, it was so symbolic of Dayne, who never showed much poise under pressure, and I saw it as a symbolic end to the Weis era, which was marked by some of the worst football I saw in my 46 years of watching ND. So, I wish Dayne well, but will not cry about what a victim he was of that meanie Brian Kelly any more than I'll cry for poor Tommy if Kelly sits him on the bench.

This is absolutely false. I was at the stadium. Yes, it deflated the crowd, but we came right back down the field, scored a touchdown, and got the ball back down only 7. It was the fumbled lateral that ended the game.

 

[Patulski]

This is what really pisses me off. What does what you just posted have ANYTHING to do with Rees being a starter for the bowl game!!! You take that mistake Crist committed and use that one mistake to basically crucify him again. Why? To support Tommy. To say look at Christ the bumbling crybaby who can't handle pressure. LEAVE HIM ALONE. If you want to defend Rees, defend him. I have never known a ND player/young man who has been ruthlessly treated the way Crist has been treated by Kelly. Kelly never made an ounce of effort to try to help Crist regain his confidence.

In turn, Tommy is frankly a Saint. He can do no wrong. The team loses because of the OLine. The Team loses because of the defense. The teams struggles because of this and that...but all Tommy does is win and apparently the ONLY gamer we have. Forgive me for my tone but this has reached the absurd level.

I was responding to Irish52, in post #143 in this thread. He wrote " But Kelly has forgiven Rees on numerous occasions of non-performance...only wish he had done the same for Crist." Did you miss my original post where I quoted it?

So, I posted about how Kelly had given Crist a chance (again) and what he did with that chance. I think that ended Dayne's career at ND. You just can't make that kind of a mistake as a senior QB in a rivalry game and survive it imo. I think Dayne, Kelly and the team understands that. I think that's the way it is in college football, even more so when you have a new regime and promising young talent like Rees and Hendrix and Golson. That being said, I wish Dayne would have risen to the moment. He didn't. He's gone. It's time to move on.

Also, if you would have read the entire post, and my other posts, you would have seen that I have posted numerous times that if Hendrix is better, he should play. And if Golson is better than Hendrix, he should play. So, I have no idea why you think I think Rees is invulnerable. I do however counter the posts that only point out Rees's faults with the positive things he has done,, and point out that there are other factors in winning and losing a football game than QB play. I think that's the fair approach

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Patulski, I understand the good. And of course that is against lower tier teams.

Now lets take a look on how he did againts teams with a solid to good defense (USC, MSU, BC, Pitt, Michigan, Stanford)

122-195 63% Good completion rate. A lot of short throws, but still a good rate.
1198 yards 199 yards a game, kinda SUCKS FOR A SPREAD TEAM!!!!!
5 td Throws. Unacceptable when you have Floyd and Eifert!
11 Turnovers, Unacceptable!!!!!

His stats are VERY inflated with athe Navy, Wake, Maryland type teams. When he goes up against a D that can play, well just look at the stats.

Tommy great kid, not a good QB against good teams. Unless you think 5 TDs and 11 Turnovers are great. And I don't want to hear that TJ got hit in the ear hole for an Int--So many ints were dropped by defenders and we don't count them.

Go Irish!

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

Tommy played all year he deserves this bowl game if healthy . That's it he deserves this game next year he will earn his job agian but for now Tommy Rees has earned his spot and my respect.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Great, I want a QB that turns it over at an epic rate against good teams starting. Oh well, I don't think it really matters what I think. Rees is starting and FSU have to be super excited. All they have to do is worry about the pass, Tommy is a statue back there.

Anyhow, I am excited for the game. But, sick to my stomach with Tommy throwing the ball. All I know is that he has 5 TDs/11 Turnovers against good teams! Heck Andrew had 2 TD's against one of the best TEams in all of football in 1/2 of a game.

 

[Patulski]

Patulski, I understand the good. And of course that is against lower tier teams.

Now lets take a look on how he did againts teams with a solid to good defense (USC, MSU, BC, Pitt, Michigan, Stanford)

122-195 63% Good completion rate. A lot of short throws, but still a good rate.
1198 yards 199 yards a game, kinda SUCKS FOR A SPREAD TEAM!!!!!
5 td Throws. Unacceptable when you have Floyd and Eifert!
11 Turnovers, Unacceptable!!!!!

His stats are VERY inflated with athe Navy, Wake, Maryland type teams. When he goes up against a D that can play, well just look at the stats.

Tommy great kid, not a good QB against good teams. Unless you think 5 TDs and 11 Turnovers are great. And I don't want to hear that TJ got hit in the ear hole for an Int--So many ints were dropped by defenders and we don't count them.

Go Irish!

I don't think they're great stats. I do think not having a running game against better teams hurts Rees, who needs situations where he can find windows in zones since he can't make things happen with his feet. I think improved offensive line play against the better teams would help Rees, but like Rees they are what they are and we have to have the best QB that gives us a chance to win. It is going to be interested watching Hendrix and Rees compete. Hendrix can run the spread option. Can he be consistent in the pass game? Can he lead the team down field in crucial times? I think we're going to find out a little more against FSU. May the best man win.

 

[irishff1014]

Tommy played all year he deserves this bowl game if healthy . That's it he deserves this game next year he will earn his job agian but for now Tommy Rees has earned his spot and my respect.

You deserve nothing at college football. You earn it. Tommy has had just as many bad games as good ones. I think think Kelly made a bad choice.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Great, I want a QB that turns it over at an epic rate against good teams starting. Oh well, I don't think it really matters what I think. Rees is starting and FSU have to be super excited. All they have to do is worry about the pass, Tommy is a statue back there.

Anyhow, I am excited for the game. But, sick to my stomach with Tommy throwing the ball. All I know is that he has 5 TDs/11 Turnovers against good teams! Heck Andrew had 2 TD's against one of the best TEams in all of football in 1/2 of a game.

Let's be real though. Andrew got to play against a defense that wasn't prepared for him. He threw a crucial, horrible pick. He also had his first pass of the game hit a defender in the chest. He later hit another defender in the arms. He was VERY lucky at least 2 more passes weren't picked off. He also took some really bad sacks, and he was under 50% for the game.

I think people are romanticizing Andrew's game vs. Stanford. Believe me, I was pumped watching him too, but let's not act as if he was perfect while Tommy can do nothing right against good teams. Andrew had his share of bonehead plays as well. People are ready to knight Andrew, when in fat he has a LONG way to go still. That's why not starting him, for me, makes perfect sense. He'll still play a TON, but let him ease his way into this thing, while we ease Rees out.

 

[OCIrish]

Tommy played all year he deserves this bowl game if healthy . That's it he deserves this game next year he will earn his job agian but for now Tommy Rees has earned his spot and my respect.

Holy ****!! Worst ****in' post I've read all season.....and there's been some bad ones. Tommy deserves nothing but to find some pine. On top of that.....Swarbrick needs to find another answer for a HC if this is the best decision BK can come up with. This is a business of winning football games. Rees can't and won't beat FSU. I don't care if Hendrix gets any PT, if he's not starting, then it makes no sense to bring him off of the bench as a change of pace guy. That's just ****in stupid.

 

[BeauBenken]

Let's be real though. Andrew got to play against a defense that wasn't prepared for him. He threw a crucial, horrible pick. He also had his first pass of the game hit a defender in the chest. He later hit another defender in the arms. He was VERY lucky at least 2 more passes weren't picked off. He also took some really bad sacks, and he was under 50% for the game.

I think people are romanticizing Andrew's game vs. Stanford. Believe me, I was pumped watching him too, but let's not act as if he was perfect while Tommy can do nothing right against good teams. Andrew had his share of bonehead plays as well. People are ready to knight Andrew, when in fat he has a LONG way to go still. That's why not starting him, for me, makes perfect sense. He'll still play a TON, but let him ease his way into this thing, while we ease Rees out.

This. People do act like Hendrix played incredibly well, but there were LOTS of mistakes. I did grade his second half performance a B+ but that was only considering the circumstances.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Let's be real though. Andrew got to play against a defense that wasn't prepared for him. He threw a crucial, horrible pick. He also had his first pass of the game hit a defender in the chest. He later hit another defender in the arms. He was VERY lucky at least 2 more passes weren't picked off. He also took some really bad sacks, and he was under 50% for the game.

I think people are romanticizing Andrew's game vs. Stanford. Believe me, I was pumped watching him too, but let's not act as if he was perfect while Tommy can do nothing right against good teams. Andrew had his share of bonehead plays as well. People are ready to knight Andrew, when in fat he has a LONG way to go still. That's why not starting him, for me, makes perfect sense. He'll still play a TON, but let him ease his way into this thing, while we ease Rees out.

On the other side of the ledger... Tommy almost threw a pick 6 on his first pass of the game, and had others that were nearly picked, like Andrew He also took sacks, and fumbled on one of them. Just saying. I hope both play well in the Bowl and any time they see action in the future.

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

You deserve nothing at college football. You earn it. Tommy has had just as many bad games as good ones. I think think Kelly made a bad choice.

Ya your right Andrew did have a great half . Screw Rees last minute drive in Michigan before defense blew it. Screw him leading us to a win over Michigan st.( Our best win this year.). He never should have started over Crist right cause rivals said Dayne was better ? All this kid has done is win more then then Clausen or Dayne did . We have a bowl win Miami , a win over USC, and we are playing florida State in a bowl. All stuff that has been reached with Tommy at the wheel . Look he is slow as anything and can't throw a long ball well but he wins more games than he loses . Coach kelly wants to win and he will pick someone who will win . Next year I think a young man from Myrtle beach will be under center anyway.

 

[PJWhitfield]

Some coaches deserve to be second-guessed by fans -- such as Joe Kuharich. But BK knows the game and knows his players in ways we fans can't. ... Also, some posts make it sound like Hendrix changed water into wine, recharged the U.S. economy and brought us world peace. Well, yes, with the offensive line failing to protect the QB, a mobile Hendrix is and was the better choice against Stanford. But, if I remember right, Hendrix threw an interception and took some sacks when he could've and should've tossed it out of bounds. How well he reads defenses is a question I am unqualified to judge, but some say Rees does that well (the coaches can judge that better than we can). Hendrix might be the future (I don't know) but his performance against Stanford was not Touchdown Jesus come down from the building to run the offense. Also, the Irish have a pretty good record with Rees starting. The kid is not chopped liver. And unless you're a USC or a Michigan fan or some other N.D. hater posing as a Dame fan so you can drop vitriol on Rees, I don't understand the asinine remarks. For Crist's sake, try to show as much class as a fan as Crist did as a QB. Maybe I'm nuts, but I trust BK to handle an imperfect situation in the most advantageous way. Go Irish!

 

[General Colon Bowel]

I think this question is pertinent to our qb situation, so I'll go ahead and ask it. How good do y'all think we'll be next year? I ask this, because I was reading The Forde Yard Dash on bowl games and came across this:

8. Champs Sports Bowl
Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The two traditional heavyweights had disappointing records after entering the 2011 season with very high expectations. But both schools have storied traditions and have enough young talent to enter 2012 as BCS contenders. FSU won six of its last seven games; the Irish won four of their last five. The winner of this game gets a top-three preseason ranking.

 

[Touchdown_Jesus]

QB status at Notre Dame

QB status at Notre Dame

Tommy Rees is a young kid who has the smarts to be successful in kelly's system, may not be the most athletic or the most physically talented. Is he the answer next year? I dont think so..Hendrix is a Ohio kid pretty darn tough kid who loves the game of football and hes good at it..He is not a starting QB nor will he ever be. He is good to use in different packages in the spread and is agile on his feet... But next years QB has to be everett golson. Kelly yet would be making another QB mistake if he didnt start Golson next year. He has a ton of upside and he had alot of experience playing the spread in highschool, he is built to play in that offense..plus the kid can throw the ball. It was a good thing he got redshirted so that he can learn and grow under BK's system.. Im pumped to see him ball next year. GO IRISH

 

[EddytoNow]

The QB job is Tommy's to lose. Kelly values experience over potential. That's why Tommy has been starting all season. Once Kelly lost confidence in Dayne's leadersip ability, Tommy would have had to have been a total bust before Henrix or Golson got a shot. Kelly was so afraid of the whole season collapsing around him due to the early season mistakes that there was no way he was going to put an inexperienced quarterback out there. He was hoping the defense would be good enough to cover Tommy's inadequacies as a QB, and it worked on 8 of 11 occasions, just enough to keep the wolves away for another season.

Unfortunately, Tommy will be starting next Fall, and he will continue to start until the season collapses around him or Kelly once again loses confidence in his QB. Hendrix and Golson will contend for the back-up spot and a shot to be the starter if and when Tommy fails or gets injured.

 

[DillonHall]

The QB job is Tommy's to lose. Kelly values experience over potential. That's why Tommy has been starting all season. Once Kelly lost confidence in Dayne's leadersip ability, Tommy would have had to have been a total bust before Henrix or Golson got a shot. Kelly was so afraid of the whole season collapsing around him due to the early season mistakes that there was no way he was going to put an inexperienced quarterback out there. He was hoping the defense would be good enough to cover Tommy's inadequacies as a QB, and it worked on 8 of 11 occasions, just enough to keep the wolves away for another season.

Unfortunately, Tommy will be starting next Fall, and he will continue to start until the season collapses around him or Kelly once again loses confidence in his QB. Hendrix and Golson will contend for the back-up spot and a shot to be the starter if and when Tommy fails or gets injured.

The thing Kelly values most is his ego. He probably thinks he can turn Rees into another Tony Pike.

 

[DillonHall]

Some coaches deserve to be second-guessed by fans -- such as Joe Kuharich. But BK knows the game and knows his players in ways we fans can't. ... Also, some posts make it sound like Hendrix changed water into wine, recharged the U.S. economy and brought us world peace. Well, yes, with the offensive line failing to protect the QB, a mobile Hendrix is and was the better choice against Stanford. But, if I remember right, Hendrix threw an interception and took some sacks when he could've and should've tossed it out of bounds. How well he reads defenses is a question I am unqualified to judge, but some say Rees does that well (the coaches can judge that better than we can). Hendrix might be the future (I don't know) but his performance against Stanford was not Touchdown Jesus come down from the building to run the offense. Also, the Irish have a pretty good record with Rees starting. The kid is not chopped liver. And unless you're a USC or a Michigan fan or some other N.D. hater posing as a Dame fan so you can drop vitriol on Rees, I don't understand the asinine remarks. For Crist's sake, try to show as much class as a fan as Crist did as a QB. Maybe I'm nuts, but I trust BK to handle an imperfect situation in the most advantageous way. Go Irish!

You don't have to be an ND hater to criticize Rees. He literally has no strengths. He's inaccurate despite his misleading completion percentage, he has a weak arm, he's completely immobile, he doesn't see the field well so he throws lots of interceptions, he has poor pocket presence so he fumbles each time that he gets sacked, and he's not that tough, as seen by the way he bailed on his throws against Stanford.

 

[Anchorman]

I think this question is pertinent to our qb situation, so I'll go ahead and ask it. How good do y'all think we'll be next year? I ask this, because I was reading The Forde Yard Dash on bowl games and came across this:

8. Champs Sports Bowl
Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The two traditional heavyweights had disappointing records after entering the 2011 season with very high expectations. But both schools have storied traditions and have enough young talent to enter 2012 as BCS contenders. FSU won six of its last seven games; the Irish won four of their last five. The winner of this game gets a top-three preseason ranking.

Saw that. Three possibilities.

1. Typo
2. Sarcasm.
3. Mental incapacity

 

[returnofthemack]

I think this question is pertinent to our qb situation, so I'll go ahead and ask it. How good do y'all think we'll be next year? I ask this, because I was reading The Forde Yard Dash on bowl games and came across this:

8. Champs Sports Bowl
Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The two traditional heavyweights had disappointing records after entering the 2011 season with very high expectations. But both schools have storied traditions and have enough young talent to enter 2012 as BCS contenders. FSU won six of its last seven games; the Irish won four of their last five. The winner of this game gets a top-three preseason ranking.

He's being sarcastic by referring to the fact that both teams are usually wildly overrated before the season starts.

 

[returnofthemack]

Some coaches deserve to be second-guessed by fans -- such as Joe Kuharich. But BK knows the game and knows his players in ways we fans can't. ... Also, some posts make it sound like Hendrix changed water into wine, recharged the U.S. economy and brought us world peace. Well, yes, with the offensive line failing to protect the QB, a mobile Hendrix is and was the better choice against Stanford. But, if I remember right, Hendrix threw an interception and took some sacks when he could've and should've tossed it out of bounds. How well he reads defenses is a question I am unqualified to judge, but some say Rees does that well (the coaches can judge that better than we can). Hendrix might be the future (I don't know) but his performance against Stanford was not Touchdown Jesus come down from the building to run the offense. Also, the Irish have a pretty good record with Rees starting. The kid is not chopped liver. And unless you're a USC or a Michigan fan or some other N.D. hater posing as a Dame fan so you can drop vitriol on Rees, I don't understand the asinine remarks. For Crist's sake, try to show as much class as a fan as Crist did as a QB. Maybe I'm nuts, but I trust BK to handle an imperfect situation in the most advantageous way. Go Irish!

My friends at michigan love Rees. They hope he's the QB next year too because they enjoy watching me writhe on the floor after mistakes by Rees.

 

[NDinL.A.]

You don't have to be an ND hater to criticize Rees. He literally has no strengths. He's inaccurate despite his misleading completion percentage, he has a weak arm, he's completely immobile, he doesn't see the field well so he throws lots of interceptions, he has poor pocket presence so he fumbles each time that he gets sacked, and he's not that tough, as seen by the way he bailed on his throws against Stanford.

But yet he was 12-3 as a starter. Hmmmm.

Your complete hatred for all things Tommy makes it painfully obvious that either: A. You're too bias to make a true assessment and he'll never do anything right in your eyes, thereby making it unreasonable to argue with someone so unreasonable, or B. You know nothing about football.

Seriously...Tommy has literally no strengths? WTF? Sorry, but you don't get an offer from ND if you have no strengths. You don't EVER see the field as the QB of ND is you have no strengths, you don't EVER beat out a 5 star QB if you have no strengths, and you sure as hell don't have the winning percentage if you have no strengths. GTF outta here with that b.s.

* How about balls under pressure? Down to Michigan, on the road, night game, the world on your shoulders, ALL the momentum against you, and a minute later you're in the endzone. Down to Pitt, you suck all day, people begging for you to be pulled - boom, 9-9 including a TD and a HUGE 2 pt conversion. MSU making a surge, late in the half - boom 93 yd TD drive.

* How the eff do you put up scores in the 40's and 50's if you have no strengths as a QB? And before you say those defenses suck, those defenses held better QBs than Tommy to less yds/pts.

* How about toughness? Yes, he did flinch vs. Stanford (pissed me off). But if you're going to call him out for that, then you need to remember the times he came back to play when he was knocked the hell out of the game (Miami last year, when we had NO back up; USC this year, Stanford this year). To say a kid his size who has come back from every single hit he has ever talke has no toughness is complete and utter bullsh!t.

* How about intelligence? He came in as a true freshman and knew the offense really, really well. To the point that Andrew Hendrix still is far behind him as far as learning the entire playbook. It takes intelligence to be able to recognize a defense and change the play at the line, protections included, so that the play is successful. And Tommy does that all the time.

Yes, Tommy is limited, no doubt, and I personally hope that the young, mobile QBs step up and win the job this spring. But some of the nonsense about him, like the post above, coming from ND fans no less, is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe we can't do better than that when discussing our own players.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Holy ****!! Worst ****in' post I've read all season.....and there's been some bad ones. Tommy deserves nothing but to find some pine. On top of that.....Swarbrick needs to find another answer for a HC if this is the best decision BK can come up with. This is a business of winning football games. Rees can't and won't beat FSU. I don't care if Hendrix gets any PT, if he's not starting, then it makes no sense to bring him off of the bench as a change of pace guy. That's just ****in stupid.

And one can say that your post is the worst post one has ever ****in' seen. We all know that you've hated Kelly from the jump, especially obvious last year when you ridiculously and prematurely ripped his recruiting to shreds on every single recruits' thread (ooooops, turned out we did all right with Lynch, Tuitt, Niklas, etc, didn't we?). Saying Swarbrick should fire BK because he's going to start Rees (when it's obvious to anyone with a brain that Hendrix is going to get a ton of time) is more ridiculous than anything that other poster said.

Sure makes a lot of sense to fire a coach after 2 years. Yeah, that'll get us back on top!

 

[Irish Man3]

But yet he was 12-3 as a starter. Hmmmm.

Your complete hatred for all things Tommy makes it painfully obvious that either: A. You're too bias to make a true assessment and he'll never do anything right in your eyes, thereby making it unreasonable to argue with someone so unreasonable, or B. You know nothing about football.

Seriously...Tommy has literally no strengths? WTF? Sorry, but you don't get an offer from ND if you have no strengths. You don't EVER see the field as the QB of ND is you have no strengths, you don't EVER beat out a 5 star QB if you have no strengths, and you sure as hell don't have the winning percentage if you have no strengths. GTF outta here with that b.s.

* How about balls under pressure? Down to Michigan, on the road, night game, the world on your shoulders, ALL the momentum against you, and a minute later you're in the endzone. Down to Pitt, you suck all day, people begging for you to be pulled - boom, 9-9 including a TD and a HUGE 2 pt conversion. MSU making a surge, late in the half - boom 93 yd TD drive.

* How the eff do you put up scores in the 40's and 50's if you have no strengths as a QB? And before you say those defenses suck, those defenses held better QBs than Tommy to less yds/pts.

* How about toughness? Yes, he did flinch vs. Stanford (pissed me off). But if you're going to call him out for that, then you need to remember the times he came back to play when he was knocked the hell out of the game (Miami last year, when we had NO back up; USC this year, Stanford this year). To say a kid his size who has come back from every single hit he has ever talke has no toughness is complete and utter bullsh!t.

* How about intelligence? He came in as a true freshman and knew the offense really, really well. To the point that Andrew Hendrix still is far behind him as far as learning the entire playbook. It takes intelligence to be able to recognize a defense and change the play at the line, protections included, so that the play is successful. And Tommy does that all the time.

Yes, Tommy is limited, no doubt, and I personally hope that the young, mobile QBs step up and win the job this spring. But some of the nonsense about him, like the post above, coming from ND fans no less, is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe we can't do better than that when discussing our own players.

I am in no way a Tommy fan, haven't been all year. But to say he has no strengths is asinine. The kid has poise and heart and I respect him for that. Limited? Yup. But, last year could have been a nightmare if Tommy doesn't fill in nicely. Nothing great, but it was a nice stop gap. I have nothing but respect for what he has done for ND.

Those of you that think we are 8-4 only because of Tommy simply haven't watched us play this year.

Well said NDinLA.