Tommy Rees - Offensive Coordinator

[IrishTusker]

Some bad play calls, but ask yourself (not you specifically), how does this team look with a Coan like quarterback at QB? A slightly above average QB that is going to pick you a part if given time would have had us winning easy last night with everything else the same. To me that’s that’s where Rees deserves blame on two parts- A) a good OC will tailor his plan for his players, and B) if that plan won’t be tailored for the players, why doesn’t the team have that key player that is needed.

And of course Coan was developed elsewhere.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

I don't think we have to worry about Carr when Tommy is shown the door. A couple names who would be upgrades at OC:

Warren Ruggiero (Wake Forest)
Phil Longo (UNC)
Tom Herman

Love all 3, but are we forgetting a guy who isn't a bad QB guy former OC/HC and just got canned? Bring in Cryst as an analyst QB guy?

 

[Sea Turtle]

Is anybody else tired of seeing run of the mill teams like Arkansas dropping 50 points on teams like BYU while we struggle to shoe string a couple of first downs together against anybody?

 

[T-Boone]

It took a chant from the student section to can BVG. The same thing may need to happen this week.

What was the chant?

 

[T-Boone]

I reckon if Merryweather runs that 4th down play it’s a TD

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I'm a list maker. So here goes. This feels more productive and engaging than just wanting people fired in the caverns of my mind.

Kevin Johns Duke OC/QB
Warren Ruggiero Wake Forest OC/QB
Garrett Riley TCU OC/QB
Zach Kittley Texas Tech OC/QB
Barry Lunney Jr. Illinois OC/QB
Ryan Grubb Washington OC/QB
Willy Korn Coastal Carolina OC/QB
Tim Cramsey Memphis OC/QB
Matt Mattox UTSA OC/OL
Casey Woods SMU OC
Bryan Ellis Georgia Southern OC/QB
Mike Shanahan James Madison OC/WR
Chip Lindsey UCF OC/QB
Kasey Dunn Oklahoma State OC/WR
Brent Dearmon FAU OC/QB
Kevin Barbay Appalachian State OC/QB
Mike Bloesch North Texas OC/QB

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills QB Coach
Rob Calabrese NY Jets QB Coach
Tee Martin Ravens WR Coach
Troy Walters Bengals WR Coach
Ben McDaniels Texans WR Coach
Jim Bob Cooter Jaguars Passing Game Coordinator
Tim Kelly Titans Passing Game Coordinator
Klint Kubiak Broncos QB Coach
Chris Beatty Chargers WR Coach
Shea Tierney NY Giants QB Coach
Ronald Curry Saints QB Coach
Zac Robinson Rams QB Coach

The top part of the list I have made some subtractions and additions to from earlier in this thread. The NFL guys remain the same. I know Joe Brady had Joe Burrow and loads of talent at LSU, but he's been in the room now with both Sean Payton and now Sean McDermott during his career. He was fired last year by Matt Rhule, who just got fired himself, so maybe that was a scapegoat firing by someone who knew his clock was ticking.

You can keep Tom Herman and Dan Mullen. I doubt they're viable options to begin with, but they're both working in TV studios and Tom Herman spent last year as an analyst for the Chicago Bears.

 

[anarin]

I was hoping to see Mike Shanahan on that list. That's a rock star right there with the rock star name behind it.

I wouldn't be mad to see him make a leap to ND.

 

[Dale]

Coaching hires are often a trial in hiring the opposite of the last person. So we obviously want any new OC to excel at everything, but I would ask what you think Freeman possibly dislikes about Rees most and that would start my list:

- Is it lack of experience? > Vet OC
- Is it QB development? > Accomplished QB Coach
- Is it recruiting? > Recruiting ace
- Does he not trust him? > Familiar face

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I was hoping to see Mike Shanahan on that list. That's a rock star right there with the rock star name behind it.

I wouldn't be mad to see him make a leap to ND.

32 years old, played at Pitt, JMU recruiting coordinator as well. No relation to the NFL Shanahans.

JMU just lost their first game to GA Southern 45-38.

 

[NDohio]

Coaching hires are often a trial in hiring the opposite of the last person. So we obviously want any new OC to excel at everything, but I would ask what you think Freeman possibly dislikes about Rees most and that would start my list:

- Is it lack of experience? > Vet OC
- Is it QB development? > Accomplished QB Coach
- Is is recruiting? > Recruiting ace
- Does he not trust him? > Familiar face

I think this is a good place to start the conversation.

I do think that Freeman is going to figure this thing out, but my one big concern is that he does seem to want this really slow, methodical offensive game plan. Similar to what the teams he played on executed. I hated, as a college football fan, watching Tressel ball and hope that Freeman doesn't go that direction. Let's not become Iowa.

I also hate, again as a football fan, the Wake Forest style offense. I know it can be successful, but I really don't want the team I am a fan of running that style of offense. I watch to be entertained and that offense is not entertaining to me.

My top choices from the list above:

Garrett Riley TCU OC/QB
Bryan Ellis Georgia Southern OC/QB
Mike Shanahan James Madison OC/WR
Chip Lindsey UCF OC/QB

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I also hate, again as a football fan, the Wake Forest style offense. I know it can be successful, but I really don't want the team I am a fan of running that style of offense. I watch to be entertained and that offense is not entertaining to me.

Can you expound, please?

 

[NDohio]

Can you expound, please?

Sure - I am not a fan of the zone read style offense to begin with. It's simply personal taste, but it just isn't visually appealing. The slow mesh takes it to a whole different level of not being entertaining. The slow handoff and delayed decision making by the QB makes each individual play kind of sluggish and ugly.

I know WF is extremely successful offensively in using it, I just don't like it.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Sure - I am not a fan of the zone read style offense to begin with. It's simply personal taste, but it just isn't visually appealing. The slow mesh takes it to a whole different level of not being entertaining. The slow handoff and delayed decision making by the QB makes each individual play kind of sluggish and ugly.

I know WF is extremely successful offensively in using it, I just don't like it.

Fair enough.

Ruggiero's track record going back to Bowling Green shows potential.

 

[stlnd01]

Sure - I am not a fan of the zone read style offense to begin with. It's simply personal taste, but it just isn't visually appealing. The slow mesh takes it to a whole different level of not being entertaining. The slow handoff and delayed decision making by the QB makes each individual play kind of sluggish and ugly.

I know WF is extremely successful offensively in using it, I just don't like it.

Watching Stanford running those slow mesh plays was a viscerally unpleasant experience. Like: This is not how football is supposed to be played. So just, aesthetically speaking, I hope we don’t go that way because I don’t want to watch a hole season of that. I also think it negates what is currently the strength of our offense: a whole stable of RBs who run like hell. Just hit the damn hole.

Agree it appears Freeman prefers a slow, ground-based offense that keeps the other team off the field. Which, strategically, I don’t really disagree with. But you then have to execute b/c when you have so few possessions each one matters more. Will be curious to see if he sticks with that or goes with something a little more freewheeling in his next OC hire.

 

[Free Manera]

Watching Stanford running those slow mesh plays was a viscerally unpleasant experience. Like: This is not how football is supposed to be played. So just, aesthetically speaking, I hope we don’t go that way because I don’t want to watch a hole season of that. I also think it negates what is currently the strength of our offense: a whole stable of RBs who run like hell. Just hit the damn hole.

Agree it appears Freeman prefers a slow, ground-based offense that keeps the other team off the field. Which, strategically, I don’t really disagree with. But you then have to execute b/c when you have so few possessions each one matters more. Will be curious to see if he sticks with that or goes with something a little more freewheeling in his next OC hire.

For that reason, I don't think the ball control offense is a good idea unless your offense is extremely efficient. You need to convert 3rd downs at a high clip, you need an extraordinary quarterback that can keep drives alive with good accuracy and reads, etc.

Limiting your possessions and relying on methodical drives with a ton of plays is not a great formula when your offense is just good, let alone when it totally sucks like ND's does. Also, with the way games are refereed and the explosive nature of offenses, you need to score points. You can't count on winning games against good teams unless you can put up 35 points without blinking.

 

[greyhammer90]

Sure - I am not a fan of the zone read style offense to begin with. It's simply personal taste, but it just isn't visually appealing. The slow mesh takes it to a whole different level of not being entertaining. The slow handoff and delayed decision making by the QB makes each individual play kind of sluggish and ugly.

I know WF is extremely successful offensively in using it, I just don't like it.

Wait you want a fast, fun offense? That's not allowed at ND.

 

[ND4418]

Some bad play calls, but ask yourself (not you specifically), how does this team look with a Coan like quarterback at QB? A slightly above average QB that is going to pick you a part if given time would have had us winning easy last night with everything else the same. To me that’s that’s where Rees deserves blame on two parts- A) a good OC will tailor his plan for his players, and B) if that plan won’t be tailored for the players, why doesn’t the team have that key player that is needed.

Great question. I have never understood with the O lineman we get, and the top notch TE’s why we continue to recruit and develop the QBs we have. Add the quality of wide receivers we recruit compared to other schools, and it blows me away what happens with QBs from development to recruiting evaluation. Why offer Buchner instead of McCarthy and several others in the 21 class. You could know nothings about QBs, and understand Tyler was very green in experience in high school with really only playing two years, and his accuracy was not good. Why offer Gavin Wimsatt, his accuracy was poor at best, instead of jumping on Brady Allen or Drew Allar earlier! Those were two top ten QBs! It just blows me away how poorly recruitment has been at this position. I don’t know who this falls on BK or TR.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

For that reason, I don't think the ball control offense is a good idea unless your offense is extremely efficient. You need to convert 3rd downs at a high clip, you need an extraordinary quarterback that can keep drives alive with good accuracy and reads, etc.

Limiting your possessions and relying on methodical drives with a ton of plays is not a great formula when your offense is just good, let alone when it totally sucks like ND's does. Also, with the way games are refereed and the explosive nature of offenses, you need to score points. You can't count on winning games against good teams unless you can put up 35 points without blinking.

It also makes it extremely difficult to play from behind.

 

[Dale]

 

[NDPhilly]

Respect Freeman for standing up for Rees. Were they expecting Pyne to audible??

 

[SoIll]

That is fucking hilarious. Sounds like Tommy told him to take one and he never called a timeout.

 

[Dale]

Respect Freeman for standing up for Rees. Were they expecting Pyne to audible??

A rehearsed short yardage play likely always has a check built in.

 

[Dale]

This is exactly what I was saying Saturday, this idea that Rees is a brain dead play caller is so off base from the main things he should be criticized for. Literally all other issues are bigger. He bares significantly more responsibility on how Pyne played than any the calls made.

They knew Mayer was getting bracketed, so they cooked up a bunch of 1-1s for damn near every WR on the roster. Pyne didn’t make the throws. The stake through Rees’ job is the development and recruiting not the calls.

 

[thekid33]

I don’t know who this falls on BK or TR.

Both.

TR for not doing a great job of evaluating talent and BK for not being invested in recruiting enough to know that TR wasn't doing a great job of evaluating talent.

 

[thekid33]

The stake through Rees’ job is the development and recruiting

THANK YOU

Although, the play calling can be frustrating too.

 

[SoIll]

This is exactly what I was saying Saturday, this idea that Rees is a brain dead play caller is so off base from the main things he should be criticized for. Literally all other issues are bigger. He bares significantly more responsibility on how Pyne played than any the calls made.

They knew Mayer was getting bracketed, so they cooked up a bunch of 1-1s for damn near every WR on the roster. Pyne didn’t make the throws. The stake through Rees’ job is the development and recruiting not the calls.

Yep, Does he make some bone head mistakes? Yes.

But dude called 3-4 touchdowns that never actually happened. He needs to run the ball more sure, but Pyne misses so many layups. That said, Pyne on the roster is also his fault.

I'm in the boat of idc if he gets fired or stays, but the QB room doesn't look to be getting any better, so maybe It's time he does go.

I also think he'd do a better job then Freeman on the sidelines (not saying he should of been the head coach) but I love his fire and I believe he "understands" how to manage a football game more. Freeman is a beautiful typical 12 point whitetail in a bean field with the trucks high beams on.

 

[NDMatt91]

Some bad play calls, but ask yourself (not you specifically), how does this team look with a Coan like quarterback at QB?

Some posters have said that JT Daniels was interested in ND and wanted to come but Rees said no. I have no clue if that's actually true, but let's assume it is. If he were here we're likely 5-1. I don't think he's a great talent, but he's much better than Pyne and Buchner and even with Tommy boy as the OC I think he'd make enough plays against Marshall and Stanford to put us over the top.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I just don't care if an offense is aesthetically pleasing or not. What wins a championship?

It begins with an elite QB. ND has not had one of those in a very long time. Rees hasn't been able to get that room where it should be and that has probably been his biggest drawback for me on top of everything else.

 

[IrishLion]

This is exactly what I was saying Saturday, this idea that Rees is a brain dead play caller is so off base from the main things he should be criticized for. Literally all other issues are bigger. He bares significantly more responsibility on how Pyne played than any the calls made.

They knew Mayer was getting bracketed, so they cooked up a bunch of 1-1s for damn near every WR on the roster. Pyne didn’t make the throws. The stake through Rees’ job is the development and recruiting not the calls.

I still blame Rees for the BK-esque near delay-of-game on the first offensive play, which resulted in a Patterson false start. We can blame Patterson for the 1st-and-15 to start the drive, but I think he was anticipating a snap with the play-clock expiring, because it looked like Alt was kind of leaning over with him. This was like the BK and Denbrock era, where the call came in wayyyyy too late from the sideline. That's on Rees to start the drive.

I also blame him for getting too cute with the playcalling in general. Scheming up plays to counter Mayer getting bracketed is great!... but what's NOT great is refusing to attack the edges of a defense that is undersized and undermanned at DE. Even if it's not super successful, you're at least wearing out the two decent pass rushers they have on the roster... instead, Herron was fresh and rushing with increasing effectiveness as the game wore on. At best, you get your RB's going earlier, and help your QB settle back in for another high-percentage day.

I ALSO blame him for continuing to rely on Braden Lenzy in his play calling. Lenzy hasn't been faster than anyone since 2019. He hasn't won a contested catch since Cincinnati last year, and that was probably a fluke itself. If you're going to use Lenzy, keep making the hitch a weapon in the playbook, instead of a just a play you call once per game. Or let the kid run a slant in short yardage. He's not out-running anyone with his stride these days, but he does still run decent routes in short bursts.

And I don't care if Merriweather being on the field is a signal to the safety that he needs to cover a fade and/or post... he should've been getting 2-3 chances to run that play in every game this year, regardless of the rest of his knowledge. If a kid knows how to run straight and catch a jump ball, let him run straight and catch a jump ball. If the defense sees him on the field and bails out to defend it, you open up other opportunities. This isn't Daniel Smith jogging onto the field to run block for an outside zone play... this is a kid that can be a legit weapon, so let him go out and do it.

 

[ulukinatme]

I'm a list maker. So here goes. This feels more productive and engaging than just wanting people fired in the caverns of my mind.

Kevin Johns Duke OC/QB
Warren Ruggiero Wake Forest OC/QB
Garrett Riley TCU OC/QB
Zach Kittley Texas Tech OC/QB
Barry Lunney Jr. Illinois OC/QB
Ryan Grubb Washington OC/QB
Willy Korn Coastal Carolina OC/QB
Tim Cramsey Memphis OC/QB
Matt Mattox UTSA OC/OL
Casey Woods SMU OC
Bryan Ellis Georgia Southern OC/QB
Mike Shanahan James Madison OC/WR
Chip Lindsey UCF OC/QB
Kasey Dunn Oklahoma State OC/WR
Brent Dearmon FAU OC/QB
Kevin Barbay Appalachian State OC/QB
Mike Bloesch North Texas OC/QB

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills QB Coach
Rob Calabrese NY Jets QB Coach
Tee Martin Ravens WR Coach
Troy Walters Bengals WR Coach
Ben McDaniels Texans WR Coach
Jim Bob Cooter Jaguars Passing Game Coordinator
Tim Kelly Titans Passing Game Coordinator
Klint Kubiak Broncos QB Coach
Chris Beatty Chargers WR Coach
Shea Tierney NY Giants QB Coach
Ronald Curry Saints QB Coach
Zac Robinson Rams QB Coach

The top part of the list I have made some subtractions and additions to from earlier in this thread. The NFL guys remain the same. I know Joe Brady had Joe Burrow and loads of talent at LSU, but he's been in the room now with both Sean Payton and now Sean McDermott during his career. He was fired last year by Matt Rhule, who just got fired himself, so maybe that was a scapegoat firing by someone who knew his clock was ticking.

You can keep Tom Herman and Dan Mullen. I doubt they're viable options to begin with, but they're both working in TV studios and Tom Herman spent last year as an analyst for the Chicago Bears.

Most times when ND fans are calling for heads they either have no idea who they would fill the gaps with or they have unrealistic options like Urban Meyer, or whoever Alabama's OC is. This is a pretty damn good list of realistic candidates. For a lot of these guys it would be a step up from their current position, although some arguments could be made about some NFL guys depending on the program.