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Notre Dame Football: I Like the “Turnover Tommy” Hire

By Noah Strackbein

Dec 28, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive tackle Zack Martin (70) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Tommy Rees (11) celebrate against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights after the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankees Stadium. Notre Dame Fighting Irish won the game 29-16. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive tackle Zack Martin (70) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Tommy Rees (11) celebrate against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights after the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankees Stadium. Notre Dame Fighting Irish won the game 29-16. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Another one…. Notre Dame football’s newest hire is former QB, Tommy Rees, who will become the Irish’s quarterback coach.

According to und.com, Notre Dame football has hired former Irish play-caller, Tommy Rees, as their new quarterback coach.

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“I’m very excited to have Tom join our staff,” head coach Brian Kelly said in a released statement. “He possesses an understanding of the game, and most importantly the quarterback position, that’s unique. He’s a true student of the game and a great communicator that will offer immediate dividends toward guiding our quarterback room.”

It’s easy to tell that not everyone is as happy about the move as coach Kelly. For Irish fans, all they remember “Turnover Tommy” for is just that. During his four years in South Bend (2010-2013) Rees threw 37 interceptions. Not a number that is overly concerning, but when you consider he only threw the ball 59 times in 2012 while sitting behind Everett Golson, you begin to see why Irish fans weren’t his biggest fan.

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Rees was never a failure at Notre Dame, though. Coming into the program as the underdog prospect to Andrew Hendrix who was the higher rated recruit. But Rees did what he needed to for the Irish and worked his way to their full-time starter for two seasons. On top of that, he surpassed or stayed ahead of two other five-star quarterbacks in Dayne Crist and Gunner Kiel.

When he left the program in 2013, Rees was in the top five of 21 Notre Dame passing statistics. He also finished his career 23-8 (the seventh-most wins by an Irish quarterback), threw for 7,670 career yards (third all-time), and 61 touchdowns (second all-time).

People don’t like Rees. Heck, I didn’t like Rees. When he played, he caused Notre Dame fans more stress than the average person feels during their lifetime. He wasn’t a bad player, though. He may not have been as good as Golson, but he earned every snap he got.

As Notre Dame’s new quarterback coach, Rees will excel. For one, he doesn’t actually have to throw a ball. Which is good considering he had some of the best mechanics in the game, yet some of the worst decision making.

Rees knows the game. Before coming to Notre Dame, he was found himself as a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2015. During his time there, he worked with redshirt QB, Clayton Thorson, who lead the Wildcats to 10 wins for the first time under a first-year starting quarterback.

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He knows what he’s doing. As long as he doesn’t step foot on the field or tell Brandon Wimbush to throw to a receiver in the back of the end zone when you’re down by one with 38-seconds left on the 19-yard-line, he’ll be a great addition.

Not everyone is thrilled about “Turnover Tommy” joining the coaching staff. “Tom” Rees is a different person, though. A person who’s going to work well on this coaching staff.

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