With an assist from Jack Swarbrick

 

Notre Dame looks nothing like the program these two inherited. And that's from top to bottom.

 

But specifically as it relates to the on-field product, it's not even not your dad's Notre Dame it's not your older brother's Notre Dame either.

 

And Brian Kelly deserves all the credit.

 

From Day One there has been a plan, and it's now truly being reflected in style of play, talent level, depth, philosophy, confidence, power and strength and athletic ability.

 

There is talent all over the field, from the starters to the backups, and it's being utilized beautifully.

 

The thing I kept noticing over the last four years was the foundation that was being built. The talent that was being brought in. The process underway developing that talent.

 

It was unfortunate there wasn't a game-changing QB already on the roster, or that EG was lost for an entire season and his absence was reflected in the W-L record last season, but the buy-in was appreciating just how good the coaching actually was while playing with a quarterback who - God bless him - probably doesn't start on 90 percent of Div-I college football teams.

 

That, and the kind of talent being assembled around the QB position.

 

The pieces were being accumulated, it just took a little longer to solidify the QB.

 

BK stayed true to his plan while also adjusting to a glaring limitation.

 

And now it's all coming together.

 

And it's a beautiful thing.

Because he's playing Marhsall and Eastern Kentucky, not USC?

 

First of all, Marshall's pretty good but secondly, he barely could run a play when he was at ND (versus SC) and in his first game he throws the ball all over-the-place? Come on...

 

Look, I am on-record as saying BK did NOT do enough to get his QB's ready-to-play the kind of football needed @ ND and I place as much if not more blame on him and the staff then I do on the kids he had playing QB. I understand many of you place the blame at the feet of Rees and Christ. I don't and think, quite frankly, that is the easy way out...

First of all, Marshall's pretty good but secondly, he barely could run a play when he was at ND (versus SC) and in his first game he throws the ball all over-the-place? Come on...

 

Look, I am on-record as saying BK did NOT do enough to get his QB's ready-to-play the kind of football needed @ ND and I place as much if not more blame on him and the staff then I do on the kids he had playing QB. I understand many of you place the blame at the feet of Rees and Christ. I don't and think, quite frankly, that is the easy way out...

 

 

You're opinion is awful, for the record. And you sound like a total tool here.

My point is he sure looked LEAGUES BETTER than he did at ND! Why is that exactly?

 

Gee, Golson is looking better than he did two years ago as well. Why is that exactly?

 

Perhaps Hendrix getting all of the first team reps is making a difference. Perhaps knowing that he is starting has made him change his mental prep for a game.

For Andrew its also likely helped that he is playing against the defenses of marshall and eastern kentucky---4td and 4 INT is just OK considering

 

I'm sure he's enjoying himself though

 

aloha

First of all, Marshall's pretty good but secondly, he barely could run a play when he was at ND (versus SC) and in his first game he throws the ball all over-the-place? Come on...

 

Look, I am on-record as saying BK did NOT do enough to get his QB's ready-to-play the kind of football needed @ ND and I place as much if not more blame on him and the staff then I do on the kids he had playing QB. I understand many of you place the blame at the feet of Rees and Christ. I don't and think, quite frankly, that is the easy way out...

 

so all QBs who are not good enough at every school it is always the coach's fault?

 

crist did nothing at kansas. andrew is playing mediocre against less competition.

BK got lots out of tommy,'more than most would.

 

im sure some of it is on BK. but i suppose BK gets little credit for Golson?

also, martin was at ND with hendrix. you think chuck was just hiding all his secrets to get mediocre play out of hendrix then?

so all QBs who are not good enough at every school it is always the coach's fault?

 

crist did nothing at kansas. andrew is playing mediocre against less competition.

BK got lots out of tommy,'more than most would.

 

im sure some of it is on BK. but i suppose BK gets little credit for Golson?

also, martin was at ND with hendrix. you think chuck was just hiding all his secrets to get mediocre play out of hendrix then?

 

How much did BK get out of Rees exactly? He was around the 55th rated passer each of his two starting seasons. He was a fringe BCS prospect with mostly MAC offers, but a few BCS offers including Tennessee and Stanford. He was rated the 31st best QB in his class by Rivals.

 

I would say BK got out of him exactly what you would have expected, no more, no less. It isn't as though he turned him into an All-American or something or won a bunch if games you wouldn't have expected. Tommy performed great during his career against bad competition and poorly vs good competition, exactly as you might expect an average QB to perform. Let's not act like BK was upsetting the Alabamas of the world with Tommy Rees at QB.

Edited September 9, 201410 yr by corysold

How much did BK get out of Rees exactly? He was around the 55th rated passer each of his two starting seasons. He was a fringe BCS prospect with mostly MAC offers, but a few BCS offers including Tennessee and Stanford. He was rated the 31st best QB in his class by Rivals.

 

I would say BK got out of him exactly what you would have expected, no more, no less. It isn't as though he turned him into an All-American or something or won a bunch if games you wouldn't have expected. Tommy performed great during his career against bad competition and poorly vs good competition, exactly as you might expect an average QB to perform. Let's not act like BK was upsetting the Alabamas of the world with Tommy Rees at QB.

 

 

I am not sure how anyone can say whether BK would have gotten more about TR than anyone else, but it is clear that TR played to, and probably a bit above, expectations coming out of school. If TR was a MAC QB, and he's ranked 55th in FBS... that means he he was better than many QBs in the 5 Power conferences.

 

What we should acknowledge is that TR was the best option available to BK and ND to win games... and TR is not a natural fit for the system / program BK was trying to build. So, you have to make a choice... do you recruit a team around the skillset of TR (a power running team with some play action), or recruit the skillset for the system you want (read option / up tempo)? I would recruit to my go-to system, and suffer some 8-5 seasons.

 

We had square pegs and round holes.

 

Personally, many hats off to TR and BK ... I feel they did the most that they could with the self-imposed limitations. We are now starting to see the benefits.... I hope.

We've moved squarely into "agree to disagree" territory. Keep trying to find something to hang your hat on that proves BK is terrible at building QB's. The man's human, he isn't perfect, get on with life.

Same time next week guys?

Andrew Hendrix vs michigan this weekend.

How much did BK get out of Rees exactly? He was around the 55th rated passer each of his two starting seasons. He was a fringe BCS prospect with mostly MAC offers, but a few BCS offers including Tennessee and Stanford. He was rated the 31st best QB in his class by Rivals.

 

I would say BK got out of him exactly what you would have expected, no more, no less. It isn't as though he turned him into an All-American or something or won a bunch if games you wouldn't have expected. Tommy performed great during his career against bad competition and poorly vs good competition, exactly as you might expect an average QB to perform. Let's not act like BK was upsetting the Alabamas of the world with Tommy Rees at QB.

 

If BK got everything out of Rees, what is your beef?