Tag: notre dame assistant coaches

Notre Dame Football: Nearing Secondary Coach Decision?

Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerbacks coach Daronte Jones is said to have recently been on campus to go through a formal interview

Earlier this month Todd Lyght left his post as a Notre Dame assistant coach, leaving an opening on the coaching staff.

That spot remains open as of this posting but according to SI’s Irish Maven, that job may not be open much longer.

Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerbacks coach Daronte Jones is said to have recently been on campus to go through a formal interview and the SI report goes on to say that Jones met with multiple players and that “it is looking like he could very well be the ultimate choice”.

Now to your next question: who the heck is Daronte Jones? Continue reading “Notre Dame Football: Nearing Secondary Coach Decision?”

Notre Dame’s Rees: Tom or Tommy?

When he was Notre Dame’s quarterback it was Tommy Rees but when he moved to the coaching staff he apparently grew up and became Tom.

Former Notre Dame quarterback Rees from 2010-2013 returned to campus in 2017 as quarterbacks coach before being promoted Tuesday to offensive coordinator at the school.

When he was Notre Dame’s quarterback it was Tommy Rees but when he moved to the coaching staff he apparently grew up and became Tom. Or at least some people in more powerful positions or something wanted him to be.

What has happened is that we’ve entered to one of the hottest debates of our time: is it Tom or Tommy Rees?

Because I first heard of him as Tommy he has always been Tommy Rees to me.

Just like one of my best friends from childhood – I grew up calling him Ronnie. Just because we’re in our thirties now and he’s married doesn’t mean I’m going to call him Ron, even if he calls himself that now. You were Ronnie when I first met you and you’re Ronnie now, dammit.

But back to Rees. I have been a Tommy loyalist like I said. When others went with Tom, I’ve stayed with Tommy. Had he made some formal request to be called Tom I suppose I would have changed it, but I never got that memo.

The good news is this great debate that has captivated Notre Dame nation of whatever you want to call it can be officially put to rest because the man himself has spoken.

It doesn’t get much more official than that. Now get changing and fixing all your press releases, Notre Dame!

Good start.

Notre Dame Football: Kirk Herbstreit Weighs in on Tommy Rees Promotion

Now one of the biggest names in College Football media has weighed in on the Rees promotion as Kirk Herbstreit shared his thoughts on Twitter Monday morning.

Yesterday’s news didn’t come as much of a surprise to Notre Dame football fans but it was news nonetheless as Tommy Rees was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.

One of the first to endorse the move was Notre Dame legend and two-time All-Pro offensive guard for the Indianpolis Colts, Quenton Nelson, who spoke up the former Fighting Irish quarterback.

Now one of the biggest names in College Football media has weighed in on the Rees promotion as Kirk Herbstreit shared his thoughts on Twitter Monday morning.

Herbstriet says that players will love playing for him, a sentiment that has been echoed by several former Notre Dame players on Twitter over the last 24 hours.

Let’s hope that beyond players loving him, that points are scored with regularity against the toughest opponents in 2020 unlike over the last two seasons.

Tommy Rees Receives Huge Endorsement

If you’re a little pesimistic about the move like I am perhaps the best Notre Dame player in recent memory who happened to play on the offensive side of the ball will get you feeling a bit better about things than you were when you heard the news.

I’ll be honest, I’m less than thrilled with the promotion of Tommy Rees to offensive coordinator on the Notre Dame football coaching staff.  It just feels uninspired to me, but I shared those thoughts already.  If you want them, you can find them here.

In the meantime, someone that knows a lot more about football than I do has backed Rees on social media with a ringing endorsement.

There you go, nothing bad can happen if Quenton Nelson says it’s going to be alright.

If you’re a little pesimistic about the move like I am perhaps the best Notre Dame player in recent memory who happened to play on the offensive side of the ball will get you feeling a bit better about things than you were when you heard the news.

Nelson and Rees were never teammates at Notre Dame but Rees took over as the quarterbacks coach in 2017, Nelson’s final year with the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame Football: Harry Hiestand Back on the Market

That I have no idea but I’m for one hopeful that Brian Kelly is at least on the phone already attempting to get Hiestand back as the offensive line unit has been fine since his departure, but far from as dominant as it was under him.

If you start naming the best offensive linemen in the NFL today it won’t take long until a former Notre Dame player gets mentioned.

And then another.

And another.

And a few more after that.

When Harry Hiestand was employed by Notre Dame as their offensive line coach between 2012 and 2017 the Irish put not just good offensive linemen in the NFL but first and second round draft picks on the regular that have panned out.

Here’s just a short list as a refresher:

Zack Martin, Guard, No. 16 overall by Dallas in 2014
Nick Martin, Center, No, 50 overall by Houston in 2016
Mike McGlinchey, Tackle, No. 9 overall by San Francisco in 2018
Quenton Nelson, Guard, No. 6 overall (highest ever for a guard) by Indianapolis in 2018
Ronnie Stanley, Tackle, No. 6 overall by Baltimore in 2016

I think anyone who follows the NFL is familiar with more than a couple of those names for the right reasons.

Notre Dame was a mainstay under Hiestand as one of the best offensive line units in the nation and won the Joe Moore Award for exactly that in 2017.

Hiestand left Notre Dame after the 2017 season to take the same job with the Chicago Bears.

Things did not go according to plan as Hiestand’s offensive line didn’t progress like Bears brass would have liked (Pretty hard to be very good if you don’t invest in it if you ask me but that’s a question for the guys over at Bears Wire) and fired him Tuesday afternoon.

Would Hiestand want to go back to the college ranks again or is he only accepting another NFL job?

That I have no idea but I’m for one hopeful that Brian Kelly is at least on the phone already attempting to get Hiestand back as the offensive line unit has been fine since his departure, but far from as dominant as it was under him.

Also worth noting is that the Bears let offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich go as well.  Helfrich you may recall once helped direct Marcus Mariota to a Heisman Trophy and the Oregon Ducks to a national championship game appearance but was let go after going just 4-8 in 2016.

Dare I start to think aloud and wonder about what Notre Dame’s offense could look like if they hired a couple of recently fired Chicago Bears assistants?

I don’t know how it’d all work out with Helfrich but I’m certain if interested that Hiestand would continue to do exactly what he’s already done at Notre Dame if given the chance.

Something to ponder for you all as we approach 2020.