Earlier this week Christian McCaffrey signed a record deal to remain a Carolina Panther and is set to make more money than any running back in NFL history as a result. We went over at the time how some of the congratulatory tweets being sent McCaffrey’s way weren’t all meant for just McCaffrey to see.
Well, a few days later and more of the same, this time coming from the new Notre Dame offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees.
Enough said. Get coached & developed by the best to become the best. Oh, and not a bad pay day along the way. pic.twitter.com/PqTnAwIRjR
— Tommy Rees (@T_Rees11) April 16, 2020
Listen, I don’t blame them at all. If I had that card in my hand I’d being playing it as much as I could in order to try and land top talent. Notre Dame has had some good running backs lately, but how many are truly great? It’s been since Ryan Grant, Julius Jones and Jerome Bettis and that’s many moons ago that Notre Dame put anything into the league at running back that you’d consider anywhere near special (obviously Bettis is in a league of his own in that group of three).
I think Pete Sampson of The Athletic put it well in his tweet on Thursday in regards to Notre Dame’s new-found love for an old rival:
Imagine USC hiring Harry Hiestand and pitching “Be the next Zack Martin, Quenton Nelson, Ronnie Stanley, etc.” and suddenly USC turning into a national power recruiting offensive linemen.
That’s sort of what’s happening with Notre Dame and running backs with Lance Taylor.
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) April 16, 2020
Does it come off a bit weird hyping up a guy that not only didn’t play at Notre Dame but also a guy who starred at an annual rival? No doubt, and I’m sure Tommy Rees himself even thinks that a bit.
But in the world of recruiting when you’re trying to win the commitments of star prospects it’s clearly worth that awkward feeling that comes with it. It may be uncomfortable but they’d be foolish not to be hyping up their rising star of a coach having a mega-star connection twice over.