With Chip Long reportedly out at Notre Dame, Ian Book-Tom Rees collaboration set to grow

Mike Berardino | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly on Ian Book, Isaiah Foskey at Stanford Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly on play of quarterback Ian Book and the opportunity for freshman Isaiah Foskey on punt-block unit

SOUTH BEND – It was one of those exchanges that seemed minor at the time but now carries a bit more significance in light of this week’s developments inside the Guglielmino Athletics Complex.

Asked back in October about offensive coordinator Chip Long’s ban on running out of bounds, all part of his “seekers of contact” mantra at Notre Dame, coach Brian Kelly stopped short of a full endorsement.

“I think they understand what we’re asking for,” Kelly said of his players. “We don’t want them to be foolish and initiating contact that’s not necessary.”

To hear the players, including the seemingly indestructible Chase Claypool, Long’s directive was non-negotiable. Those that stuck their nose in there got on the field; those that shied away from contact stood on the sideline with Long, the plainspoken former tight end from North Alabama.

Now that Long and the Fighting Irish have mutually agreed to part ways, according to multiple reports, justifications will begin to surface. One of those, it seems, is that even after three highly productive seasons Long’s hard-driving coaching style had begun to grate on some of those around him.

It especially stood in contrast to the lighter touch displayed in the quarterbacks room by the beloved Tom Rees, who could now get the biggest opportunity of his fast-moving coaching career. That would be welcome news to quarterback Ian Book, who has developed an especially close relationship with his Notre Dame predecessor since he returned to campus for the 2017 season.

Perhaps this could change if Kelly brings in a new voice from the outside, but early indications are that Book intends to return as a fifth-year senior in 2020. That would give him a chance to push his career totals near the very top of all Irish quarterback categories while making frequent use of an All-America candidate at tight end in Cole Kmet.

It also would give Book one more year to learn from the 27-year-old Rees, who interviewed recently for the coordinator opening at Northwestern — where his grandmother still lives two blocks from Ryan Field — but lost out to former Boston College assistant Mike Bajakian.

“He has helped me tremendously since the day he’s gotten here,” Book said of Rees this fall. “Through confidence, Xs and Os and what it’s like to be the Notre Dame quarterback. He’s done it, he’s lived it and I’m truly honored to be able to be coached by Coach Rees.”

As Book suffered through a puzzling midseason slump, one that reached its nadir with a 73-yard passing night in the blowout loss at Michigan, Kelly talked repeatedly about the incredible expectations placed on any starting quarterback at Notre Dame.

It seemed possible that Long, who last offseason tried to push Book into altering his safety-first playing style after a 9-1 start, had become the “bad cop” to Rees’ soft-spoken, reassuring presence.

“I think if you build a good relationship with the guys in your room, they know when the coaching gets hard that it’s not a personal attack,” Rees said in August. “It’s more of, ‘We’re trying to get things right.’ And then on the field I kind of just let my emotions take over at times. You just have a feel for how your guys are going to respond to that and you react accordingly.”

Long’s acerbic wit and no-nonsense attitude will serve him well in a coaching career that should soon include his first chance to run his own program, but perhaps it was time for a softer tone at Notre Dame.

After all, that cerebral style has worked wonders for Clark Lea through his first two seasons as the defensive coordinator. And more than once this season, Kelly has praised special-teams coordinator Brian Polian, once known as a hard charge and a screamer, for plugging into his inner Eckhart Tolle.

With Bill Rees, Tom’s father, on staff since 2017 as director of scouting, the family synergies only increase.

“I love that it’s someone who has done it himself; I think that helps tremendously,” Book said of the younger Rees. “I can’t give enough credit to him. Every day I learn something new from him. He’s willing to work with me. He’s always pushing me to do better.”

It was Rees who, even before Book replaced Brandon Wimbush as the starter before the first road game of 2018, sat down with the northern Californian and challenged him to be more like Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. Accuracy was a Book hallmark, so why not ride that to its natural destination?

“I know he holds my game to a high expectation, and you can’t ask for more, especially from your own position coach,” Book said. “He’s pushed me every day. He’s never let up. I appreciate him for that. I can’t totally say how much he’s helped me. I can’t put it into words.”

The two 20-somethings watch tape together, eat pizza together and get together outside of the football building for frequent chats.

“Digging deeper,” Book said. “Every game I have a ton of questions. We’ll watch an NFL game together, I’ll have questions. He knows what’s going on. He’s extremely smart. He’s got a ridiculous memory. He’s always there with the right answer. He’s someone I totally rely on and totally trust and he’s always someone I can go to with any questions.”

It meant a lot to Book this year to put his name alongside Rees’ in the record book and then go beyond with multiple five-touchdown passing games. It no doubt would mean even more to Book to be the one that helps Rees make a successful transition as one of the nation’s youngest coordinators.

Soon their collaboration could reach another level, starting with the Camping World Bowl on Dec. 28 against unranked Iowa State.

“There’s been a couple times he’s said a couple key words I’ve never forgotten,” Book said. “They’ve always happened or come to light or come true, and next thing you know he’s saying, ‘I told you so.’ It just shows how much he believes in me.”

Follow Notre Dame Insider Mike Berardino on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @MikeBerardino. His email is mmbermo@aol.com.