Michigan was a blowout until the 4th. Don’t think he was ‘forced to throw’ there. USF is really the only game where that was the case. Against Pitt he played bad, until the last drive.

Rees also kept the UM game close by turning the ball over, repeatedly.

A very plausible reason – but still a guess, as other factors (continuity, stubbornness, etc. also make sense) – for sticking with Tommy, though it doesn’t adequately explain the quick hook for Dayne, which was well before the game was lost. For that initial choice, more plausible hypotheses given the evidence seem:

1) Kelly lost control and panicked a bit – purple face, ranting and screaming, snap change;

2) Kelly was never really hot for Dayne – restrained praise, intense criticism, demanding expectations, clearly all changed standards when Tommy was qb.

You need only think long-term to understand why Kelly’s playing Rees over Crist. As soon as the USF game was lost, a chance at a “very special season” was lost for Notre Dame, and Kelly calculated: 1) That he can probably win just as much with Rees as with Crist and 2) With Rees, he’s got the opportunity to grow the kid out of the mistakes and then have a really solid #1QB in case Golson/Hendrix don’t live up to potential. With Crist, he’s got less long-term pay-off.

I bet you’re pleasant at dinner parties. “Rees supporters?” Seriously? What’s happened to the ND fanbase that it’s as polarized as national politics?