After “an extensive national search” Notre Dame has found their newest offensive coordinator. Shockingly, the nationwide search led Brian Kelly and company right down the football office hallway to the office of Tommy Rees.
The former Notre Dame quarterback (2010-13) returned to campus in 2017 to coach the quarterbacks and has had success as the Fighting Irish have gone 33-6 over the last three seasons, winning 10 games or more for three consecutive years for just the second time in school history.
In a statement released by the Notre Dame Athletic Department Tuesday, Brian Kelly had the following to say about Rees:
“Tom’s ability to connect with our players and staff and accepting and embracing the incredible opportunity in being the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame made him the right choice. While Tom’s leadership ability and knowledge of the game was evident, it was his humble approach to his own development and desire to continue to grow and learn that were also key factors that set him apart in a talented pool of candidates.” – Brian Kelly on January 14, 2020
Also getting a promotion will be Lance Taylor who goes from being running backs coach to the new run game coordinator. Taylor has brought value to the run game in just one season with perhaps his biggest strength coming in the recruiting aspect of the job as he’s helped get five-star running back Chris Tyree to join the team and appears to have a seat at the table for five-star all-purpose back Will Shipley in next year’s class.
“Lance’s ability to gain consensus within the staff by implementing a running game plan that fits our personnel and is tactically and technically sound makes him a great fit for this position.” -Brian Kelly on January 14, 2020
I hope all the best for Tommy Rees, I really do. Success for him would mean success for Notre Dame football which I think we’re all on-board for. However, I question how motivated Kelly was to find a worthy candidate from elsewhere.
Rees has obviously done a good job helping develop Ian Book into a player nobody saw coming when he committed back in August of 2015, but many, myself included wonder how much more of a step he’ll be able to take in 2020 to make Notre Dame a College Football Playoff contender again.
I’m hopeful but not overly thrilled. Like I said previously, I question how thorough of search was conducted or if it was simply a “don’t mess this up and the job is yours” type of thing for Tommy Rees in the Camping World Bowl.
I’m hopeful but not necissarily that optimistic that things will change much for the better.
For example, I look at LSU who won the national championship less than 24 hours ago. Previous to 2019 they had won 36 of their last 50 games and were a fine but far from great offense.
Instead of sticking with what had only worked at times they decided to overhaul their entire offense this off-season and almost overnight they see their good quarterback turn into a legend and Heisman Trophy winner.
Sure their talent is deeper than Notre Dame’s at the recevier position but they wouldn’t have been title-caliber had they stayed with what worked for 10 wins last season. I just don’t feel confident that we’ll see much of a change in 2020 which may mean things remain fine, but that they still won’t be good enough to do any damage in the CFP.
Now please go prove me wrong, Tommy.