Notre Dame Football: I'm Sorry, but You Just Can't Take Tommy Rees Out

Over the past few weeks, I have just been amazed at some of my fellow Notre Dame fans' perspectives on the quarterback situation in South Bend. All I am hearing about is Andrew Hendrix and Everitt Golson. In the meantime, very few people are giving Tommy Rees his credit where it is due.

Since Rees took over for the injured Dayne Crist, the team has beaten a ranked opponent in Utah, defeated Army handedly at Yankee Stadium and snapped an eight-game losing streak to arch-rival USC. Many of my fellow domers say it was all the defense. I am not saying the defense led by Manti Te'o hasn't been really good. It has been the best I have seen in years.

But c'mon, Rees has been outstanding. In all of those games he has thrown multiple touchdown passes. Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen were two of the best quarterbacks in Notre Dame history, yet neither of them ever led the team to a victory over USC. Notre Dame never beat a ranked opponent with Clausen at the helm. To be honest, I just haven't seen the team on this kind of roll since the BCS years with Quinn.

Yet so many don't even see him as a contender for the starting quarterback job next season. They say it will be between Crist and Hendrix while Golson redshirts. Of those three, the only one who deserves a chance to even be considered for the starting job is Crist. He played really well when he was the starter. However, he is injury prone and the team is just playing better with Rees in there.

I am not saying that Hendrix and Golson aren't good. It is just that neither is proven. It doesn't matter what they have done on the scout team or in high school. What matters is proven game experience. That is why Brian Kelly just can't take Tommy Rees out.

The Rees doubters say that the team has run a very simplified offense with Rees in. My response to that is what is your point? Both Quinn and Clausen had simplified packages as freshmen. The Pittsburgh Steelers won a Super Bowl with a simplified package with Ben Roethlisberger. Simplified packages are just how young quarterbacks are developed. So that argument holds no water.

Critics of Rees also say that Rees was never the long-term plan. My response to that is that it may or may not be true, but if it is true, plans change. Plans change based on performance on the field during games.

Rees has done a really good job since he took over. Barring a horrible performance against Miami in the Sun Bowl, he should go into spring as the starter. Then barring a horrible spring he should go into camp as the starter. If during training camp, somebody clearly outperforms him, then fine. But if not, Rees has earned the right to open next season as the starter and be allowed to play his way out.

Just my opinion.