In a move that might have been almost as predictable as the sun rising from the East, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly confirmed that third-year Fighting Irish quarterbacks coach Tom Rees will be calling the plays — with some collaboration from the sidelines — in the Camping World Bowl versus Iowa State on Saturday.

Tommy Rees will relay the plays from the press box down to head coach Brian Kelly. (Mike Miller)

Former offensive coordinator Chip Long (2017-19) and Kelly parted ways earlier this month, leaving the play-caller role vacant. Kelly had indicated thereafter that Rees would coordinate the passing efforts and first-year running backs coach Lance Taylor the ground attack, but ultimately play-calling duties had to be handled by a main figure. That will be Rees, who started 31 games at quarterback for Kelly from 2010-13 and passed for 7,670 yards, third most in the program's history, 61 touchdowns (second most) and 37 interceptions (third most). “It’s pretty obvious that Tom is going to call the plays,” Kelly said. “I don’t know that there’s any secrets out there. There will be certainly collaboration as there has been. Tom will be in the box. He’ll send the plays down through me — not that I’m going to be micro-managing what he’s doing.” Notre Dame held its 10th and final practice Thursday for the bowl game, and Kelly indicated that throughout each session there have been 15-to-20-minute windows where Rees would call unscripted plays.

