Quick-hitters: Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees on 0 blitzes, screens, running game, batted passes

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees spoke to the media Tuesday three days after the Irish beat Navy and four days before they host Boston College in the home finale. Here’s what Rees said to reporters with plenty to discuss in the stretch run of the season.

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On Navy’s 0 blitzes

“They played us similar in the first half. Probably more aggressive in the second half in terms of eight-man fronts and all-out pressure. To me, it’s a very unique situation. You’re playing a triple-option team. You’re up three scores. They’re trying to get momentum and the ball back. I had the chance to talk to their defensive coordinator after the game, and he said, ‘It’s the only call I felt like I had left.’ It’s the only thing they were going to do. I said, ‘Yeah, you guys set a record for blitz 0 there in the second half.’ He’s a great guy and a great coach. He does as well as anybody in the country at presenting challenges to offenses with his pressures and his different looks. We felt like we had some stuff that we thought we had in the second half there. Just got to coach it a little better and execute it a little better.”

On facing 0 blitzes in the future

“I would welcome the challenge if teams want to play us that way. It can be a lot like it was in the first half. The first three touchdowns were against cover 0. You’re risking a lot there as a defensive coach. Guys are going to see it and be aggressive. We feel like we have a good plan of how to attack it and how to beat it. You got to get guys down if you’re going to play that way. We would welcome that.”

On Notre Dame’s lack of screens vs. Navy

“Slow screens are hard because you’re not going to have time with that much pressure. We threw the one to [Michael Mayer]. We threw two to [Lorenzo Styles]. We kind of threw those same line of thought, get the ball out of his hands, those perimeter-type screens. Slow screens are extremely tough. You saw the pressure. Imagine having less blocker on a screen. You’re going to have a tough time getting those off.”

On Notre Dame not being able to run on Navy

“That’s their deal. They’re seventh in the country in rush defense? They sell out to stop the run. We knew that going in, that we were going to have to attack them down the field. That was our plan. We carved out enough in the run game in the first half. I think we were around 90 yards in the first half.

“If you look at it, you’re up, 90 in the first half, if you’re playing in the second half with a lead and you’re able to run it out there, you’re probably going to end up around 200 if you can carve that out, then they fully sold out to stop the run.

“You’re a little bit in a mode where you want to run the ball in the second half with the score being what it was. They go on a long drive. You want to keep your defense off the field and slow it down for them too. So they sold out to stop the run. Eight, nine-man fronts are tough. We carved enough out in the first half, but we knew we were going to have to throw it over their heads to score.”

On Notre Dame QB Drew Pyne having passes batted down

“I think there are windows. Very few people throw over the top. Everybody is looking for lanes. Now, his lanes are going to be less than a guy who’s 6-4. It’s just the way it is, right? So, constantly finding when we can take a quick five [yards] on a play so we get a little more depth. That’s something we’ve talked about.

“If we’re getting rushed, can we slide? If we’re looking for throws that are outside the pocket, can we find that clean window to our left and to our right and really slide? Find opportunities to climb and find alleys. It’s hard, man. Defensive coaches do a good job of using their hands. One was a corner off the edge blitzing a B gap. You never think a corner is going to be a guy to get his hands on a ball, but we have to be a little more sound in our protection and communication. That’s a tough one to avoid. We’re in the right slide. We have to get that covered up a bit to help him.

“There are others when, ‘Hey, Drew, side-step this a little and come outside the tackle.’ We try to work at it as much as we can. Really the only simulation is going against our defense and encouraging them to get their hands up. We encourage our scout guys to try to bat balls so he works at it during the week. Just got to continue going at it that way.”