Tommy Rees - Offensive Coordinator

[Irishdrunk]

I try and be positive about Rees, but he sucks and makes horrible decisions. They just compound and get worse. All in on Dante Moore, no relationships with other '23 kids. No transfer QB's, even ones that wanted in at ND, no development of Buchner, Pyne, no to analysts, bland personality and needed others to recruit for him, regression of OL, no points in second half vs Ohio State, no adjustments in bowl game, no progress vs Marshall, no running game, no Merriweather, not using Tyree, waiting until the bowl game to utilize Styles. The list goes on and on. I am likely forgetting numerous blunders and head scratchers. The TR lovers and apologists have to admit they were wrong at some point.

LOL. You didn't need to say anymore.

Frankly the ND QB Room should be always open for any recruit. Stuff it baby and let them fucking compete. Kelly has a strong QB Room because he is taking all legit QBs that want in at LSU. This is a joke of a QB Room. This is clearly Rees's doing.

 

[du Lac]

It's looking more and more like there will be a mutual parting of ways this offseason. Between the analyst thing and the Parker hiring, it sounds like there's a bit of a tug of war over authority.

I hope it doesn't (or hasn't already) lead to a deteriorating locker room situation.

If Parker becomes OC I might end my life

 

[ThePiombino]

It's becoming more and more clear that Kelly actually made Rees better, not worse. The proof is in the pudding. The worst thing leadership could have done was to neuter Freeman by giving Rees full autonomy. Can anyone list a single POSITIVE "autonomous" decision Rees has made? I can't. Have to think Freeman will be way more involved in offensive-side decision making moving forward. Not only for the program's sake, but his own. I suspect there will be a mutual parting of ways after the season. Most likely Rees will leave for another opportunity.

 

[du Lac]

It's becoming more and more clear that Kelly actually made Rees better, not worse. The proof is in the pudding. The worst thing leadership could have done was to neuter Freeman by giving Rees full autonomy. Can anyone list a single POSITIVE "autonomous" decision Rees has made? I can't. Have to think Freeman will be way more involved in offensive-side decision making moving forward. Not only for the program's sake, but his own. I suspect there will be a mutual parting of ways after the season. Most likely Rees will leave for another opportunity.

I think being held accountable to BK likely gave TR nightmares and motivated him to work harder. I am assuming Freeman puts less pressure on him. Perhaps why Rees chose to stay in SB. Easy money.

 

[ThePiombino]

I think being held accountable to BK likely gave TR nightmares and motivated him to work harder. I am assuming Freeman puts less pressure on him. Perhaps why Rees chose to stay in SB. Easy money.

Yeah, the situation just isn't good for anyone. Rees prolly thought he was ready to take the training wheels off. Wrong. I just hope they can steer the ship in a good enough direction this season so that next year the OC position will still be considered desirable because God help me if Gerad Parker is our next OC...

 

[du Lac]

Yeah, the situation just isn't good for anyone. Rees prolly thought he was ready to take the training wheels off. Wrong. I just hope they can steer the ship in a good enough direction this season so that next year the OC position will still be considered desirable because God help me if Gerad Parker is our next OC...

I'd take Rees over Parker. I highly doubt there's a difference. Probably worse.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Yeah, the situation just isn't good for anyone. Rees prolly thought he was ready to take the training wheels off. Wrong. I just hope they can steer the ship in a good enough direction this season so that next year the OC position will still be considered desirable because God help me if Gerad Parker is our next OC...

Why? Genuinely curious

 

[NDMatt91]

I swear to God. If this is true...between this and turning down Daniels/Slovis is straight up fireable.

He'll be fired or encouraged to move on after the season.

 

[Dale]

God help me if Gerad Parker is our next OC...

So dislike Rees’ autonomous decisions and dislike Freeman’s overruling of Rees as well?

 

[du Lac]

Only thing I worry about with Rees's firing is still getting CJ Carr on this team as our QB to compliment those receivers. If losing Rees for Parker means losing Carr, I keep Rees over Parker and tell him to get better or fire him after Carr gets on campus. I don't think Parker is an upgrade to Rees. If it means you bring in the best OC in the country and lose Carr, then so be it. Hopefully a stud OC can retain CJ and excite Ringo and company. That would be best scenario.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

These types of situations never end well. The AD hires the HC, the HC hires his staff (based on football) in conjunction with the administration (background checks, etc.).

I am puzzled as to why Swarbrick thinks this is a good dynamic giving Rees not only the job but this alledged autonomy.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

It's becoming more and more clear that Kelly actually made Rees better, not worse. The proof is in the pudding. The worst thing leadership could have done was to neuter Freeman by giving Rees full autonomy. Can anyone list a single POSITIVE "autonomous" decision Rees has made? I can't. Have to think Freeman will be way more involved in offensive-side decision making moving forward. Not only for the program's sake, but his own. I suspect there will be a mutual parting of ways after the season. Most likely Rees will leave for another opportunity.

Waayyyy to early to say that. Nothing has become clear yet other than Rees put way to much faith in Buchner and it backfired. Now we need more data points.

I understand this is a "fan board" so hot takes are expected but can we pull back a little and see what happens, at least 6 games before we start making grand proclamations on what Rees is capable of? I was an ardent supporter and my faith is being shaken but we need more data points before claiming Kelly made Rees better or vice versa. The Kelly/Rees combo had what, 2 or 3 years of games together. Rees has had 3 solo?

 

[du Lac]

These types of situations never end well. The AD hires the HC, the HC hires his staff (based on football) in conjunction with the administration (background checks, etc.).

I am puzzled as to why Swarbrick thinks this is a good dynamic giving Rees not only the job but this alledged autonomy.

I think Freeman would have hired Rees.

 

[stlnd01]

If Rees vetoed Cutcliffe, hired Heistand and got overruled on Parker, who's responsible for Stuckey and McCullough?

 

[stlnd01]

I think Freeman would have hired Rees.

Agreed. The "Rees was forced on Freeman" narrative feels a bit overplayed. The two guys worked together. They knew each other. Maybe it was a marriage of convenience in the moment, but if Freeman really did not want Rees, ultimately Rees wouldn't be the OC right now.

 

[ACamp1900]

I’m grateful for Tommy,… twice in my life, just when I began to think ND had a chance to win another natty he came in with reality and brought me back from fantasy. Cheers to you Tommy, you harbinger of death, and destroyed dreams.

 

[Dale]

If Rees vetoed Cutcliffe, hired Heistand and got overruled on Parker, who's responsible for Stuckey and McCullough?

Again Rees did not veto Cutcliffe, who is working for the SEC, specifically based off that nugget. My understanding would be: Rees definitely wanted Hiestand back. Parker was Freeman. DMC I think was just so obvious best possible. Not sure what initiated Stuckey. I think the Purdue guy was clubhouse leader before interviews and Stuckey won, not sure if that who preferred what at what stage.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Here is a theory which does not involve Tommy being an idiot:

1. Freeman says, we are here to win championships, not for moral victories
2. The coaches recognized that: (a) there was no way we were going to win a championship based on Buchner's arm, (b) Buchner is injury-prone and the two back-ups can't run the offense that is best suited for him
3. So the hope was we'd have a dominant o-line and could build off a dominant running game
4. Freeman told Tommy that he needed to build a run first offense
5. We found out in the Ohio State game that wasn't going to happen
6. Freeman was disgusted by the OSU game and broadcast to the world that we were going to impose our will on Marshall
7. Instead of game-planning as if Marshall was an ordinary opponent, Freeman wanted a game-plan where ND did exactly what it wanted to do based on superior talent and will-power
8. This was a huge mistake and we stuck with it too long

Nevertheless, the running into numbers, running on 2nd and 3rd and long, incessant checking with the sidelines, are all exhausting. Tommy needs to stop overthinking it.

 

[Irish4life]

It's becoming more and more clear that Kelly actually made Rees better, not worse. The proof is in the pudding. The worst thing leadership could have done was to neuter Freeman by giving Rees full autonomy. Can anyone list a single POSITIVE "autonomous" decision Rees has made? I can't. Have to think Freeman will be way more involved in offensive-side decision making moving forward. Not only for the program's sake, but his own. I suspect there will be a mutual parting of ways after the season. Most likely Rees will leave for another opportunity.

If Rees stuck with the changes he made to the offense last year, ND would be 1-1 if not 2-0. I'm convinced of that. Unbelievably frustrating.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Agreed. The "Rees was forced on Freeman" narrative feels a bit overplayed. The two guys worked together. They knew each other. Maybe it was a marriage of convenience in the moment, but if Freeman really did not want Rees, ultimately Rees wouldn't be the OC right now.

Right. It all sounds way too strange and I'd have to think that Swarbrick is smarter than this because it all ultimately falls at him as the A.D.

 

[IrishTusker]

Agreed. The "Rees was forced on Freeman" narrative feels a bit overplayed. The two guys worked together. They knew each other. Maybe it was a marriage of convenience in the moment, but if Freeman really did not want Rees, ultimately Rees wouldn't be the OC right now.

It's not a narrative, I believe it's been reported that Rees was hired before Freeman. So if Freeman really didn't want Rees, Freeman wouldn't be the HC now. More likely it wasn't a dealbreaker (it wouldn't be for anyone who wanted their first HC job) but that doesn't mean that Freeman 'wanted' Rees.

And apparently we didn't just get Rees, we got Rees unbound, where he can veto analysts. If it is true that he vetoed Cutcliffe, it is completely intolerable and outrageous.

 

[Plankton]

He smirked because the question was snarky. And Tommys response isn't wrong - PA passing isn't going to be very effective with a shit run game.

Statistically, this statement is untrue.

Rushing Success and Play-Action Passing

Conventional wisdom says you need a strong running game to get the most out of play-action passing. Guest columnist Ben Baldwin breaks down the numbers to find if that's really true.

www.footballoutsiders.com

 

[Plankton]

It's sad that I am seeing some real parallels between Tommy Rees and the current TV color analyst for Notre Dame football on NBC.

 

[GATTACA!]

Again Rees did not veto Cutcliffe, who is working for the SEC, specifically based off that nugget. My understanding would be: Rees definitely wanted Hiestand back. Parker was Freeman. DMC I think was just so obvious best possible. Not sure what initiated Stuckey. I think the Purdue guy was clubhouse leader before interviews and Stuckey won, not sure if that who preferred what at what stage.

I remember the talk at the time being that Freeman went over Tommy’s head and hired Stuckey himself.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Tommy's Renaissance last season came against the following defenses.

Va Tech (92)
SC (112)
UNC (105)
Navy (101)
UVa (117)
G-Tech (116)
Stanford (115)

This is out of 130 schools in FBS last season.

He needs a mentor or he needs to be fired.

 

[irishff1014]

Rees was never my favorite but each week that goes by I dislike him more and more.

 

[Free Manera]

It's not a narrative, I believe it's been reported that Rees was hired before Freeman. So if Freeman really didn't want Rees, Freeman wouldn't be the HC now. More likely it wasn't a dealbreaker (it wouldn't be for anyone who wanted their first HC job) but that doesn't mean that Freeman 'wanted' Rees.

And apparently we didn't just get Rees, we got Rees unbound, where he can veto analysts. If it is true that he vetoed Cutcliffe, it is completely intolerable and outrageous.

Correct. Freeman would not have been hired if Rees didn't take the job first. There is no narrative on this issue. It is a fact that Rees was hired first and was a pre-condition for Freeman getting hired.

 

[Irishdrunk]

Correct. Freeman would not have been hired if Rees didn't take the job first. There is no narrative on this issue. It is a fact that Rees was hired first and was a pre-condition for Freeman getting hired.

All of which shows Swarbrick's arrogance in assembling the Coaching staff himself. It also shows a lack of deference to Freeman to oversee and administer the recruiting of the OC himself.

 

[ColinKSU]

He needs a mentor or he needs to be fired.

I think about this a lot, actually.

It seems like the best offensive minds have a line that you can direct to someone they learned the game from. Lincoln Riley learned from Mike Leech, Ryan Day learned from Chip Kelly and Urban. Sark was Norm Chow. Lebby was Art Briles.

Who was Tommy a disciple of before taking a coaching position at ND? Brian Kelly? He was a grad assistant under Mick McCall at Northwestern for a year and an offensive assistant under Mike McCoy in San Diego. I don't even know what offense Tommy runs, let alone who he learned it from and what is in his DNA as a playcaller.

 

[Free Manera]

I think about this a lot, actually.

It seems like the best offensive minds have a line that you can direct to someone they learned the game from. Lincoln Riley learned from Mike Leech, Ryan Day learned from Chip Kelly and Urban. Sark was Norm Chow. Lebby was Art Briles.

Who was Tommy a disciple of before taking a coaching position at ND? Brian Kelly? He was a grad assistant under Mick McCall at Northwestern for a year and an offensive assistant under Mike McCoy in San Diego. I don't even know what offense Tommy runs, let alone who he learned it from and what is in his DNA as a playcaller.

I think you answered your own question there. Brian Kelly was at ND for 11 years and I still couldn't tell you what kind of offense he ran. He was straight up air raid at Cincinnati then adopted whatever this is. I think everyone just calls it "pro style" because they don't know what else to call it.