Quick-hitters: Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees on Tyler Buchner, Logan Diggs, Ohio State

It’s been a while, but Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has been to a game at Ohio Stadium. He’s not walking into a completely foreign ambiance when the No. 5 Fighting Irish take on the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes one week from today.

And by a while, he means 20 years.

Rees attended fabled Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett‘s first game as a Buckeye on Aug. 24, 2002. That was a day game. Ohio State beat Texas Tech 45-21, and Clarett went for 175 yards and three touchdowns. The Horseshoe was rocking. But the atmosphere is still bound to be a bit more raucous for a night game in a consensus top-five matchup.

“I anticipate a great environment for college football,” Rees said Saturday. “I think we have done a really nice job preparing ourselves for that. There is going to be an element we are not prepared for because we are not in that stadium every night.”

Here’s what else Rees said about Ohio State, Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner and more.

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On Ohio State’s defense led by former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for coach Knowles and the defenses he has put together going all the way back to Duke. Obviously a bright mind. I’m excited by the challenge of going against him. They do a really nice job of mixing up fronts and keeping it simple for their guys but complicated for the offense.

“They can build fronts certain ways, they can build coverages certain ways that you don’t see every day. We have to be extremely diligent, all 11 guys making sure we recognize things the same way. Make sure the communication is really smooth. If we can get all 11 guys on the same page, we can operate. But coach Knowles does a really good job of creating indecision for the offense.”

On Notre Dame vs. Ohio State in general

“These are the types of opportunities you live for. Being at a place like Ohio State, being at a place like Notre Dame, having the opportunity to match up with a great coaching staff, head coach and defensive coordinator, that’s why you’re at a place like Notre Dame. That’s why you’re at a place like Ohio State. For us, it’s similar as players. You want to go against the best and be challenged. That’s what we’re here to do.”

He added, “We’re playing football at Ohio State in the first week of the season. If that doesn’t get your blood going, you got to find a new sport.”

Notre Dame post-fall camp depth chart projections

• Offense

• Defense

On Notre Dame running back Logan Diggs recently returning to full contact after offseason shoulder surgery

“He’s done a nice job for us. Logan’s talent is apparent when you watch him play. I think he’s comfortable running the ball, taking a hit. I think he looks comfortable, and I think he’s hungry to get back out there. When you’re out for an extended period of time, you lose the feeling of really being a part of the group. Now that’s he’s back in the swing of things he’s very eager to be playing and wants to prove he can play at a high level.”

On Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner

“I want him to get to a point where next Saturday he can take the field with a ton of confidence and a ton of decisiveness with what he wants to do. When Tyler plays that way, he is a really good player. It’s my job to make sure he gets there.”

On the Irish receiver room going into Week 1

“We’ve done a nice job all camp. Coach (Chansi Stuckey) has really improved that room. He’s done a really good job of technically getting guys better in areas that they needed to. That’s why he’s here. We’re thrilled with what coach Stuckey has done in preparing those guys. You look at that first group and you feel good about those guys jogging out there. It’s good to have (Jayden Thomas) back. He had a really good camp for us. Shoot, we feel good about the guys there.”

On the status of graduate student Jarrett Patterson’s injured foot

“That’s up to Coach Freeman. I don’t answer those questions.”

On Notre Dame tight ends coach Gerad Parker

“G has been awesome. Shoot, he’s come in and hit the ground running. He’s been an unbelievable help to me. Great for our room. The back and forth we can have, the conversations about different areas of the game plan, having a guy you can really just trust to take part of the game plan and say, ‘What are your thoughts here? Let’s kick these back and forth.” He’s an invaluable member of what we have going on right now. He’s sharp. He has a great demeanor about him. He’s great with our players. I trust him like he’s been here for 10 years.”