I was a proponent of Denbrock returning, but I think this could work out well. I think Rees REALLY appreciates the importance of running the ball and of having a run-first smash-mouth offense. I think he learned that first and foremost as a quarterback. He knows that being tougher and stronger and meaner up front, along with not making mistakes, is what the game of football is all about. I am very confident he will be running the ball a lot. I think the bowl game was a preview, although I think he will get better at it and that it will be more suited to the talent than the first dress rehearsal was.
While I think Rees will stick to the running game, I also think Taylor will be excellent at getting the best out of the running backs and designing a lot of the schemes and nuances that Rees will employ. I think they are both young, very smart, completely on the same page in what they'd like to do and that they're in a place in their careers that they will think outside the box and not be limited to already being "in the box." I think together, they will be able to stand up to Kelly and sway him and convince him if he is wrong, yet open to seeing when they are wrong, and that is good. I think the players will like them both very much and play very hard for them, which is very, very important.
Lastly, it is done without yet replacing Long's position. Because while the two of them are two of the steps, the third step and what is still missing is the super-important hire of a new OL coach. That position is the third piece of the puzzle. I actually think the OL coach and play may be more important than the OC coach. Because I don't care who the OC is, if the OL play is no better than the past two years it won't make a difference. A young, super sharp, charismatic and talented OL coach that is on the same page with Rees and Taylor is what must be done next.
And because the hire was internal, Quinn will be able to remain on staff as TE coach and will remain the excellent recruiter for us that he is and will not have to be removed or remain as OL coach. That is a very good thing and, if we are running the ball more, having a TE coach with OL coaching experience is a fit. So this can be very, very good. Now finish the puzzle.
ball out of bounds rather than going for 3-5 yards. I hope he was paying attention to how Clemson turned Lawrence loose for runs, and how that was a key to their beating tOSU, which had the more talented team overall.
him wasn't smart. Believe me, he is aware that turning and handing the ball off to a RB behind and OL that was steamrolling defenses would be much easier. And I don't think for a second he is too obtuse to miss realizing that we had the talent to do that.
It was the fact that he was slower than most of the offensive linemen that made him a non-existant running threat. Teams didn't have to blitz. They could simply play 8 men in a short zone, and take away most of the offense that Rees was capable of running (short passing game).
To compare Trevor Lawrence (who is a much superior athlete) to Tommy Rees in terms of running ability isn't a fair comparison. Trevor Lawrence can at least run around a 4.70 in the 40 whereas Tommy Rees was about an entire half second slower, not to mention, being physically stronger by a good bit.
To put it this way, when a football athlete gets caught by a slow-footed police officer, that should say something about his running abilities (or lack thereof).
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is still out on Taylor for me.
proving ground for unknowns.
hanging BK up by his nuts before this whole thing plays out. Chemistry, man. That’s what we need most. Coaches and players mostly on the same page, pulling for each other and staying humble. And maybe BK not pressing the panic button too early and stepping on the ties of the young coaches.