For those of you who think Rees is "too inexperienced" for this job, consider this:
- Four years as a college QB, started 30 games
- Five years as a coach/analyst: One year with the Chargers, one with Northwestern, three with ND
That's nine solid years being deeply involved on offense at the college/pro level. If you think he's not qualified to be the OC, you're not saying much for his intellectual capabilities. An article referenced Sean McVay, so I looked it up. He was named Redskins OC after only one more year of coaching experience than Rees has. No, Rees does not lack experience for this job.
And while I'm at it, let's give Brian Kelly some credit here (take note, haters at NDN). I've seen, too often, statements like, "Kelly really runs the offense," "Rees will do Kelly's bidding," and other comments with no basis in known fact. Mike Golic Jr. said Rees didn't take crap from Kelly while he played for him, and Quenton Nelson thinks this is a home run hire. I'm going to give Nelson more credence than guys like Baron and Aragoto, and the NDN clown princes ACross and El Kabong.
So my speculation is that Rees and Lance Taylor, as tky21 said, will put their heads together and come up with some great stuff for 2020. What I'd like to see more of is, like everyone else, a solid running game. It's possible that Chip Long's running schemes sucked, not to mention head-scratching playcalling like insisting on running numerous sweeps with Tony Jones vs. Michigan. It's possible that Jeff Quinn really isn't that good, but again, maybe he was hamstrung by Long's offense somehow. I don't know.
While I will stop short of calling this a home run hire, I'd like to think it's a double with the runner rounding second.
Any info about how he was as a student, his intellect, his mastery of playbooks, knowledge of others' playbooks, etc?. Is he a good communicator, etc? Anecdotes re the same? I haven't heard much about this, and have not personally researched. Wondering if anyone has insight or color on this.
We've been flooded with testimonials about his intelligence, particularly his football intelligence. There have been plenty of stories of his terrific ability to communicate to the players and coaches. The hesitancy in cheering the hire is not Rees' intellect but his lack of much experience with any other offence than Kelly's. His play calling experience, his ability to game-plan and make adjustments isn't questioned because of his mental ability but because of the learning curve that could be ahead for him.
Yeah I missed that. Really good to hear. I watched him for so long, but personally did not have any intel on how he is perceived.
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and it will basically be like we got a whole new OC n stuff.
At best, Rees as OC is a gamble.
ND can afford any coach they want, but 10 wins and any bowl game is the standard.
Maybe...just maybe...Rees demonstrated to Kelly that he has the skill set to take this offense to the next level.
And I never understood this thing that the administration does not covet a national championship for football. Over at NDN, which I check periodically more for laughs, in one breath they will say Swarbrick doesn't care, and in the next they point out how he told Kelly to make wholesale improvements to the coaching staff. They (and you) then defend this by saying "10 wins is the new standard." I certainly never get that impression. A recognition of progress the last three years doesn't necessarily equal satisfaction.
about Rees' abilities as a D-1 OC.
It's a hunch.
And the admin is willing to bet $$$ millions on a hunch.
It may turn up roses, as you imply, but it is a huge gamble, and nothing more.
I don't think he can do any worse than Long did, not that that's a high bar.
I'm sure Kelly knows what Rees is capable of. And the other endorsements he's gotten are very encouraging.
Top 3 ppg of Kelly's 10 years.
While this is true, I certainly am hoping for a passing offense that consists of more than sideways passes to stationary receivers, and a running game that actually is proficient. I also give a large part of ND's success to the defense.
excellent if Kelly didn't have him chuck it so much; his skill set was such that he needed a good running game Hopefully he'll remember those pass happy games, and emphasize the run I think he'll do very good as many have said, he's smart.
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that I had forgotten about. Tom’s success will depend largely on Tom. I do know this for sure: he has plenty of brains and plenty of grit to get it done. Now that he has been hired into the OC role I will pull for him and wish him nothing but much success. Sometimes we don’t always know our true lot in life until someone gives us a chance at something we love. Might be Tom’s time.
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Unlike some people's speculation, such as "Kelly only cares about Kelly," "Kelly really runs the offense," etc, speculation with absolutely no basis in known fact.
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Which one bears more resemblance to promoting Rees?
Elko & Lea had established themselves by helping a lower tier P5 program, Wake Forest, perform above expectations. They were hired from outside BK's coaching tree/comfort zone.
BVG had great credentials as winner of the Broyles Award while DC at Georgia. He flopped as a head coach then spent some time in the NFL. He was with BK at GVSU, so he had experience both inside and outside BK's coaching tree
Why did BVG suck? It appears it's because he was an arrogant boob who had more confidence in his excessively complicated schemes than in letting his players use their natural gifts.
Does this shed any light on whether Rees will be a good hire? Only this, I think: experience suggests the best hires are proven coaches for whom coming to ND is a promotion. BK's worst hires have been his insiders. Fair or not, the history gives us good reason not to trust BK promoting his own proteges.
was pretty much a disaster. Remember he was run out of Auburn too.
about the intangibles related to the role. I’ll be supportive of Rees until it looks like he might be in over his head.
offense was always much more productive and confident when he was playing vs. other QBs during that time period. To me that speaks to his leadership and proves his ability to be someone other players put confidence in.
I think it likely translates here too.
he adjusted when he noticed it was there for the taking.
Can Rees run an offensive practice? I know Kelly will have input, but ND has ran about one successful screen pass in 11 years. There is a certain level of execution that isn't translating from the practice field to the games. New ideas, habits, drills, emphasis, etc are needed.
Can Rees manage a staff? I know the staff might like him, but that means nothing if they don't respect him. Means nothing if he can't or won't be critical of them when needed.
A book will be built on Rees. Can he adjust as DC's start figuring him out.
What does Rees do when the game plan and scouting is trash? It happens to the best coaches, everything you thought would work doesn't. The team does something completely different than you anticipated. Great coaches can go to the drawing board or pull out of memory previous situations that were similar and remember what worked. Quickly.
Can he handle the pressure? Sure he was QB at ND and that helps, but now he is getting paid some serious money and that brings an entire new set up pressure to the table.
I'm sure I've missed others, but as west cost said, there is a lot more than calling plays and scouting a team.
proven himself as a playcaller, but as I pointed out his understanding of audibles and doing it successfully on the fly in less than 20 seconds has to count for something?
I don't see much in many of your statements other than a subjective opinion that seems to be built around a stance that this isn't a hire you approve of. Totally fine, but you write as if this is a forgone failure. Doing so against guys that have survived previous forgone failed situations isn't the side I want to be on.
We'll see how well it turns out. I'm on the positive side at this point until I see real things that give me concern.
If he hasn't absorbed any feel for the rhythm of the game after all this time, and the adjustments necessary, then truly he hasn't been paying attention. I'm not worried about any in-game adjustments.
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Good coaches haven't spent years learning ancient secrets. Rees can watch film from other teams, go to coaches clinics, etc. to stay current with college offenses (and defenses). He doesn't need some 20 year apprenticeship to be a good coach.
Good coaches know how to relate to players in a way to get them to perform at their highest level. Rees is a gamble because he hasn't proven he can do it in an OC role, but the age/inexperience thing is overblown IMO.