Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Upon Further Review todd D. burlage A Tommy Rees Keeps Title Hopes Alive s is customary during the weeks between the end of spring football and the start of fall training camp, every little sound bite or news nugget — no matter how insignificant — is turned into an ESPN scroll and a breaking-news alert when it concerns Notre Dame football. So when Irish head coach Brian Kelly mentioned during a mundane speaking engagement in June that senior Tommy Rees would replace starting quarterback Everett Golson this season, Kelly's easy decision was treated as a life-changing news event. With 33 career appearances (18 starts) and a full season under his belt as the starting quarterback in 2011, Rees was the only choice to replace Golson. Any quarterback drama this offseason was waiting on whether Kelly would make the Rees announcement before or during training camp. There was no chance Kelly was going to risk an entire season — or even the opener against Temple Aug. 31 — by gambling on unproven senior Andrew Hendrix or true freshman Malik Zaire. The news of Rees being named the starter was met with some mixed reaction, of course, ranging from the 2013 season is completely lost before it even begins, to a national championship is still in the works. And while I've been critical of Rees and his decision making at times, a Rees may not pass the eye test with his physical skills, but his experience — he has played in 33 games and boasts a 14-4 record as a starter — and steadiness will provide the Irish with a fighting chance to be a contender in 2013. photo by bill panzica run at a national title seems just as possible now with Rees as the starter as it did with Golson. In terms of arm strength, raw athleticism, size, "escapability" and the rest of the natural ability checklist, Rees has the fewest God-given talents among the three scholarship quarterbacks on the active roster. But what Rees fails in the eye test, he makes