The New Jersey, sorry, New York Giants made a run at new, yet to be announced, running backs coach Deland McCullough this weekend. Like most attempts at anything football-related over the last decade by that franchise, their attempt was unsuccessful. According to Irish Illustrated, McCullough rejected the Giants’ offer and will stick with Notre Dame.
Landing Deland McCullough last week was a big win for Marcus Freeman and Tommy Rees. McCullough is one of the best running backs coaches in the country and, much like Lance Taylor a few years ago, seen as a future OC and potential head coach down the road. It’s no surprise that he had other suitors this off-season – specifically from NFL teams after his successful stint as the RB coach with the Kansas City Chiefs.
With more and more rising-star, up-and-coming type coaches on the staff, Notre Dame fans will have to get used to some more staff turnover than we’re typically used to. Losing McCullough before he started obviously would have been bad, but situations like that come with the territory when you target the best assistants. No one comes gunning for bad assistant coaches.
The Giants’ unsuccessful attempt at luring McCullough back to the NFL does highlight a significant challenge for Freeman, though. He will have to balance having a staff full of rising stars who all have higher aspirations with providing some continuity on his staffs year to year. Losing coaches like Taylor and John McNulty for OC jobs will happen when you have a good culture in place that attracts top talent. Freeman will, however, need to balance the staff he builds with the need to provide stability year to year.
For today though, Freeman gets a nice win by retaining McCullough and not starting the search for an RB coach all over again. Keeping McCullough is no small accomplishment either. The Giants were set to make him the highest paid running backs coach in the entire NFL according to Bruce Feldman.
There was also some smoke over the weekend that Miami was making a big run at Rees, but on Sunday morning, the Hurricanes hired Michigan OC Josh Gattis away from the Wolverines, eliminating any of those fears. Jim Harbaugh, who flirted with the NFL before learning that there wasn’t actually an offer for him to accept with the Vikings before returning to Michigan and professing his love, now has to replace both of his coordinators head into the 2022 season.
We are still waiting on a defensive coordinator to be named, but all indications are the hold up is related to waiting for Al Golden and the Cincinnati Bengals to conclude their season before he officially interviews. That isn’t to say that its a lock Golden will be named to the DC immediately following the Super Bowl, but rather the process has been delayed as Notre Dame waits for Golden before it moves forward in any direction.
For today, Notre Dame fans can rest a bit easier knowing that, at least for the moment, there is still just one open position on Notre Dame’s staff.
The Super Bowl will feature 25 players from the SEC, most of any FBS conference.
What are the odds that such a large number of overrated losers would be THIS lucky?? To end up on the payrolls of the 2 teams in the championship game ?!
Make sure you buy a lotto ticket, Joe Burrow!
Looks like that CBS article I mentioned couple weeks ago nailed it……
The National College Players Association filed a labor complaint Tuesday afternoon to the Los Angeles-based regional office of the National Labor Relations Board.
……asserting that the federal government should view all FBS-level football players and Division I men’s and women’s basketball players as *employees* of their schools.
All I have to say is Good things keep happening, looking forward to an exciting 2022
Things keep happening…..we’ll see which are good.
Best IMO: The dancing witch is dead.
Never forget that same “New Jersey” Giants franchise somehow beat your beloved NFL team, Frank, this year even. That’s quite awful. For future reference, if you must rely on 8th grade humor, please be technical and refer to the Buffalo Bills as the “Orchard Park Bills”, the Washington Commanders as the “Landover, Maryland Commanders”, the San Francisco 49ers as the “Santa Clara 49ers”, the New York Jets as the “New Jersey Jets” and the Dallas Cowboys as the “Arlington Cowboys”.
In terms of the interest in our assistant coaches, Notre Dame is looking more like Alabama this year than in the past. I think that’s probably a good thing.
I agree Bob. I like to see Notre Dame competing for coaches (and recruits) with the likes of Alabama, OSU, and USC née Oklahoma. One would hope it will lead to competition on the field, and dare I say, a win.
I believe Tommy Reese has done a good job in his 2 years as Notredames offensive coordinator. You have to take into consideration the hand he was dealt with. In 2020 the loss of Patterson and the injury to Kramer the last few games of the season hurt a great line. Also the injuries and poor coaching of the receivers by Del have yo be factored in. Also, he was working with a good but certainly not elite quarterback in Book along with having yo run an offense that was 50% Kelly’s. Kelly said so himself. Then this past year hamstrung by a young poorly coached o line I’m not sure anyone would have done much better. I think this year is going to tell us a lot about Tommy. I believe he now has the supporting cast of talent ,coaching and autonomy to finally have a 40 points + offense. Notredames offense will have to be that good to beat Ohio State, Clemson,USC, North Carolina imo.
Instead of the long-winded posts, heres’ a good way for everyoen here to show the guy some appreciaition and respect….
Learn. to Spell. His goddamn name.
Soon as you learn to spell everyone and appreciation.
So that’s your excuse? Typos?
Groe a pear.
Yes, please grow a pair Peter. And hurry. Young Davey will keep talking until he has something to put in his mouth.
Either ‘Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman’ needs serious reassessment, or my little fan here might be a Cailin.