Notre Dame entered this season with national championship aspirations, but a surprising 0-2 start quickly dashed those hopes.
That ugly turn of events has certainly ratcheted up the tension in South Bend. Exhibit A: NBC showed Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees barking orders at quarterback Drew Pyne during Saturday’s game against the California Golden Bears.
You don’t need to be especially gifted at lip reading to see that Rees tells Pyne, “Do your job!”
That’s the PG version. Rees seemed to stick the “F” word in there as well.
Tommy Rees bitching about a QB playing poorly is rich: pic.twitter.com/u7qzISISLa
— Eli Hershkovich (@EliHershkovich) September 17, 2022
Here’s what Rees’ rant looked like on the other end from Pyne’s perspective.
Guessing this wasn't a cordial phone chat for Drew Pyne. pic.twitter.com/k0vEH2r83c
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 17, 2022
NBC color analyst Jason Garrett wryly noted, “I can only imagine how that phone call’s going right now.”
It’s a tough spot for Pyne. The junior is starting in place of Tyler Buchner, who underwent shoulder surgery this week and will likely miss the rest of the season. Pyne had played in only five games and attempted 39 passes entering Saturday’s contest.
Maybe Rees should go a little easy on Pyne because he’s walked in his shoes before. Rees, who played quarterback for the Fighting Irish from 2010-13, had his share of struggles in South Bend, earning the nickname “Turnover Tommy.”
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.