Notre Dame’s Kyle Brindza, rear, follows through on a field goal as Ben Koyack (18) and Alex Welch (82) block during the Pinstripe Bowl NCAA football game against Rutgers Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013, at Yankee Stadium in New York. Brindza kicked five field goals and Notre Dame won the game 29-16.NEW YORK – This nicely sums up Tommy Rees’ Notre Dame career.
The senior threw for 319 yards and no interceptions in his final college game, leading No. 25 Notre Dame to a 29-16 victory against Rutgers that was far from pretty but ultimately successful – and an offensive lineman won the MVP award.
“I was giving Tommy a hard time,” said senior tackle Zack Martin, who took home the award. “I think he got snubbed a little bit.”
Rees finished four years of football for the Fighting Irish packed with both memorable and forgettable moments with a solid performance, going 27 for 47. He has been “The Closer,” rallying Notre Dame to victories with late drives, and “Turnover Tommy,” making crushing mistakes at the most inopportune times during his time in South Bend, Ind.
For his finale, against one of the worst pass defenses in the nation, Rees was mistake free and productive. He missed some throws that could have broken open the game, but, typically, he persevered.