Five Wide Fullbacks returns with a discussion about Tommy Rees, Notre Dame in the ACC, picking players to return in 2021, the Heisman Trophy, and the weirdness to come with college football in a pandemic.

1) The decision to part ways with Chip Long and install Tommy Rees as Offensive Coordinator was one of the biggest off-season coaching moves among the top programs. Yet, like many things heading into real football this year we know so little about the offense and what to expect. Is this good or bad for the Irish?

I’m sure the team would’ve loved a more normal off-season that included a full set of spring practices. Yet, the same could be true for every other program in the country. This seems like it could be a huge advantage for the Irish. Rees is a combination of new yet familiar that feels like it brings so many advantages to a team with a veteran quarterback and offensive line.

If this were a young and inexperienced offense, particularly at quarterback, then I’d have major worries with the lack of reps and getting comfortable in Rees’ tweaks to the system. With Book being such a veteran and seemingly on the same page with Rees I have to think they will have a major advantage over opponents as they unveil a “new” offense against defenses with poor time to prepare.

2) Notre Dame has decided to join the ACC for 2020 and play in a league for the first time in school history. Keeping in mind any permanent move to a conference would be years, perhaps even decades, down the road would this 2020 season move the needle at all for the university? How about for fans?

I actually think it will move the needle in a not insignificant way with some string attached.

Obviously, if this season is a giant face plant by the Irish or the pandemic disrupts things and it just ends up being a shortened and forgettable year then no one will care all that much about playing in a conference. If it’s the former face plant it’ll solidify for everyone to never play in a league again.

If it’s the latter situation I think eventually when enough year’s pass people will only remember 2020 for the shortened schedule due to the pandemic and forget Notre Dame was ever in the ACC.

What if the Irish beat Clemson twice and actually win the whole league?

I do think that will move the needle, particularly for fans. Putting together a victory over Clemson that would likely be the best win for the program in decades would leave an awful lot of fond memories. Doing so twice would color a lot of the history surrounding conference play for the only time in program history.

Of course, a permanent move isn’t happening without major college football playoff reshuffling but I do think a memorable storm through the ACC would warm folks up to it just a tiny bit.

3) With no one losing eligibility this season you have the chance to pick two scenarios: One, in which Ian Book, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Jonathan Doerer return but all current seniors and 5th year players leave. Two, in which Tommy Kraemer, Liam Eichenberg, Robert Hainsey, Aaron Banks, Daelin Hayes, Ade Ogundeji, and MTA all return but all other current seniors and 5th year players leave. Which do you choose?

This is so tough. My gut instinct is to take the side with the very good quarterback no matter what. But then, breaking in 4 new offensive linemen starters could be super ugly and a huge core of the team would be gone to boot. I’d love to answer this question in November!

With a little more data on the team I might be apt to take the stability of more veteran players and roll the dice with Brandon Clark and maybe hope the Irish finally struck gold with a phenom quarterback like Tyler Buchner. I can see a scenario where that’s preferable, especially as the majority of the offensive weapons would be returning in 2021.

If I had to make a decision right now, I’d probably take the scenario with Book coming back and possibly an All-American linebacker and kicker too.

4) Who is your favorite bet based on the current odds to win the Heisman?

I’m fascinated by the AAC this year because the league has been so solid and entertaining in recent years and should get a nice bump in exposure this year with the Pac-12 and Big Ten, to date, not scheduled to play football.

The Heisman kind of sucks because it’s like betting on a golf tournament, only one guy from a huge field can win at the end of the day. As I look at recent odds from Odds Shark I have to say UCF’s Dillon Gabriel at +6600 is awfully enticing.

He had a couple of poor performances last year but otherwise put together a fantastic true freshman season with 3,731 total yards and 33 touchdowns while quickly snatching the job from Brandon Wimbush. With a bunch of transfers coming in this off-season to add more firepower to the Knights offense, I think Gabriel is a really smart underdog pick in a season where the Power 5 could beat each other up.

5) This college football season is going to be very weird. What do you think will be the most jarring aspect to watching games on television?

I’ve thought about this for way too long. I haven’t researched all of Notre Dame’s road games and how many fans will be allowed but in general we know stadiums are going to be either sparsely attended or even empty. So the weirdness has to come from the lack of television production available with a 20% full stadium at best.

I don’t think touchdowns or the aftermath of big plays will feel all that different because I’m guessing programs all over the country are ready to blast the music and fanfare from stadium speakers the second something big happens. But what about during the play?

I think this is where we’ll feel like things are so different. During a play where a running back makes a few guys miss and gets into open field or a linebacker sheds a block to make a big tackle, those “oooooh’s” and “ahhhh’s” that rise from a big crowd are going to be a lot more muted. It will take some getting used to this season.