20 FEBRUARY 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED
BY PATRICK ENGEL
F
rom the moment the roof caved
in, Tommy Rees had a prefer-
ence, a hope for how this mess
would play out. Notre Dame's of-
fensive coordinator and one-time Irish
quarterback wanted to remain in South
Bend when it was all cleaned up.
There was, though, also the matter
of reality.
"Deep down, I always wanted to
stay," Rees said on a recent episode of
The Ryen Russillo Podcast, "but I didn't
know if that was going to be an oppor-
tunity or not."
On the night Brian Kelly set his course
for the South, Rees knew he had one
surefire job — with Kelly at LSU. It
would come with a raise. Notre Dame,
meanwhile, had his heart but suddenly
lacked a rudder. For a 29-year-old rising
coach, the certainty aspect must be part
of the discussion. And it nearly won out.
"I know what I'm getting with Coach
Kelly," Rees said. "I know what LSU is.
That was the safer of the two decisions.
I knew what I was getting into. Stay-
ing was a little more unknown. I know
Notre Dame and know the players, but
this is a new regime."
For about 48 hours between Kelly's
departure Nov. 29 and Marcus Freeman's
An Uncertain Week
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees pulls back
the curtain on a stressful 72 hours after Brian Kelly's
departure — and his own near-exit
Rees admitted he nearly followed Brian Kelly to LSU before deciding to stay at Notre Dame.
PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER
