Tommy Rees Talks Notre Dame Run Game, Chris Tyree, Tobias Merriweather, Quarterbacks

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - It’s pretty rare to hear from a Notre Dame football assistant coach once the season starts. Tuesday broke that long standing trend as Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees spoke with the media shortly after the Irish completed their practice.

He had a lot to say on various topics concerning his offense, which has struggled to find consistency through its first two games.

On The Run Game

It’s not that Rees hasn’t tried to run the football, it’s just that the run game has been woefully unable to get on track. The Irish currently rank No. 111 in rushing offense at 103 yards a game. It’s also played a part in the No. 118 third down conversion rate in the nation.

"We believe in our group,” Rees said. “We believe in our ability to run the football. That’s not going to change. We want that to be part of our identity from the very top down. So, we’re going to continue to attack that week in and week out and make sure that we give our guys a chance, that’s important. Then allow them the confidence in the ability to go execute it. We’ll continue to find ways, and we’re going to continue to improve and get those guys ready to go.”

On The Offensive Line

The first problem the line faced came when Jarrett Patterson severely sprained his left foot about two weeks before the season started. He missed the opener at Ohio State, but returned to play left guard vs Marshall. Patterson’s return didn’t provide an immediate impact as the team ran for just 130 yards and 3.5 yards per carry against the Herd.

"Stay the course,” Rees said of his message to the Irish line. "Keep working, keep listening to Coach (Harry) Hiestand. Keep believing in each other and trusting each other. Our two tackles have played like nine games combined. It’s going to take some time to continue to get those guys comfortable with who they’re playing next to. Obviously having 55 (Patterson) back, we’ll continue to improve and get that group going. He’ll help the center. (Josh) Lugg will help the center. Just having the continuity continue to build as we get going.”

Are there hints that the line is starting to figure things out?

"First and foremost, whether it’s running the ball or protecting the quarterback, whatever it is, that people will just point to the offensive line, it really takes all 11,” Rees said. "There’s probably other issues that are naked to some eyes. Yeah, the line will get pointed at, but it could have been this or it could have been that. When we look at some of those things, it takes all 11 to be successful in the run game. Quarterback, tight ends, receivers, it takes all 11. It takes all 11 to be successful in protecting the quarterback. From the back to the communication to the routes, the sights, whatever it may be, it takes all 11. 

"We look at this thing completely as how do us as a group continue to improve. And yes, there’s individuals and position groups that all need to improve in certain areas, but it’s a group collective that we’re trying to improve at."

Rees was willing to take responsibility for the struggles of the line, and the offense as a whole.

"It starts with me,” Rees stated. "I’m trying to improve and make sure that we give the offensive line the best looks possible to run the football. We try to give them the best plan possible to protect the quarterback, try to make it crystal clear. It starts with me, but it’s all 11 plus the coaches. It takes all of us to make this thing go. I’m not a huge believer in, ‘Oh, it’s this position.’ It’s really everybody. We have to make sure that we continue to put them in positions to be successful. 

"Then continue to improve them through the weeks, so they go out on Saturday and can play to their ability," continued Rees. "We have more than enough talent, we have to make sure we develop it. We have to make sure we put it in position to be successful. I will take every ounce of frickin’ blame for all of it, because I’m in charge of the offense. That’s fine. We continue to improve them, we continue to get them better.”

On Getting Chris Tyree More Involved

A simple solution to helping the running game improve would seem to be simply bigger doses of junior running back Chris Tyree. He averaged 6.6 combined rushing attempts and receptions per game last season with Kyren Williams as the lead back, but Notre Dame’s most experienced current back has a total of 12 touches through two games, and two were end of the half, run out the clock carries.

Tyree averaged 5.7 yards on three carries against Marshall, which was the best per-carry average of anyone who had multiple carries for Notre Dame. He also had 14 yards on two receptions, with 11 of those yards coming after the catch.

"Just expand what we’re asking him to do,” Rees said of getting Tyree more involved in the attack. "We have three backs that we think can all help us win. It’s hard to play three backs, that’s just the truth of the matter, it’s hard to play three guys at that position. Chris is somebody that we explicitly trust. He’s been through this with us for three years. He’s a guy we’ve counted on through a lot of really good wins and a lot of big moments. I have nothing but trust in Chris Tyree. I love that kid. We have to find a way to highlight his ability. That’s my job.”

Simplifying The Offense For The Rookies

Freshmen tight ends Eli Raridon and Holden Staes both saw the field Saturday. There are other young, skilled players who would seem capable of helping the offense.

"For those guys who don’t have a ton of experience yet, can we give them a handful of things,” Rees said of how young players might get up to speed. "Hey, go do this Saturday. Then in two weeks, it’s a handful more, and in six weeks, now they have a third of the offense. So you can slowly build that in. That’s important. That’s going to be something we continue to look for.”

On Tobias Merriweather

Besides bigger doses of Tyree, the most specific player absent from the offense through two games is freshman wide receiver Tobias Merriweather. He had a good training camp and his combination of speed and size could be the shot in the arm the depleted receiving corps could use. Rees was asked about what he must do to get on the field.

"Just consistency in what’s your job (and) what are you doing,” Rees explained. "Then he possesses length and speed, so that’s a huge plus. But it’s the consistency to say, ‘Hey, this is what I’m doing play in and play out,’ and just continuing to build that trust. We can give you a package, go operate this six plays and see how it goes.”

Drew Pyne At Practice This Week

Junior quarterback Drew Pyne will make his first career start Saturday against Cal, due to the season ending shoulder injury to Tyler Buchner. He took snaps on 11 plays after Buchner’s injury last week, throwing both a touchdown and an interception.

"His care factor is through the roof,” Rees said. “.... So he's going to walk into the building and do everything in his power to be ready to play Saturday. That's just who the kid is. That's why he's here, he has that energy. He kind of has that respect of his teammates that can inject some life into our group right now, which we need. He has that, which is tremendous.

"I told him on Sunday, ‘you're the perfect guy to help us through this right now. You have the perfect mentality and energy.’ All that stuff is great. He had a sharp practice today. He's going to continue to be sharp mentally. Then we want to get him to a point Saturday where he can go out there and doesn't have to press. Just go out there, play free play with some confidence and go be himself.”

Rees knows he has to figure out ways to put Pyne in position to be successful.

"I don't want to give out too much here, but we know what he's good at,” Rees explained. "He knows what he's good at. We got to make sure he keeps that in the front of the mind. Then I've got a call a game that highlights that. I'm not going to go into the details of what those things are, but we know plays, we know concepts, we know things that we refer to as blankets — there's a certain comfort level there when you call it. So we've got to put them in as many of those positions as we can while also attacking what Cal does defensively.”

On Getting Angeli Ready

The number two quarterback is always the most popular player on the field and freshman Steve Angeli has already been at the front and center of some people’s minds since he scored the game winning touchdown against a group of mainly reserve players in the Blue-Gold game.

The freshman started training camp as the scout team quarterback, but he is now one snap away from having his number called.

"He moved into the Gug,” Rees said jokingly of Angeli. "We have a great support staff of guys that help with quarterbacks. I have a lot of trust in the guys that we have in place. Obviously, I drive it, but if I'm with Drew somebody's with Steve, and if I'm with the offense, somebody's with both of them, and just making sure that always stays sharp. I texted Steve at seven o'clock last night, I said, 'why aren't you in the building still.' And he was here at 7:05. He said, 'I'm still down here, coach.' I said, 'okay, just making sure.'

“His demeanor is perfect,” Rees continued. “He's pretty unflappable, he's got a nice calmness to him. He plays the position with ease. So I told him, there's no easing into this thing. You're getting the offense or the expectations are what they are of any player that's playing quarterback for us. We've got to continue to hold him to that and put it in some positions to be challenged. He's gotten more work this week than he has in a while, but he's handled it really well. He had a good day to day, and just continue to build the confidence in him and build his ability to run the show.”

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