Alabama interviewing Tommy Rees, Notre Dame offensive coordinator?
Channel: Winning Cures Everything
Date: 02/02/2023

Tommy Rees, the Notre Dame offensive coordinator, is reportedly Alabama's new top target for their vacant OC position.  Nick Saban sent the University plane to South Bend to pick up Rees, and he'll fly back to Tuscaloosa to "interview" for the job.  Ryan Grubb, Washington OC, was in Tuscaloosa on Monday, new TCU OC Kendall Briles was rumored to be in town on Tuesday, and now Rees is making the trek down.

I'm curious if these are interviews, or just Saban having as many discussions as possible with successful guys that run different types of offenses.  Pete Thamel, ESPN insider, stated this on Finebaum - “Nick, I give him credit for this. He’s been consistently deliberate about these jobs and tends to talk to people to pick their brains and learn. He’s sort of always used these jobs as a schematic stimulator for him, I guess. … He seems to be in the throws of that.”

Grubb would have been a great OC for Ty Simpson, Briles for Jalen Milroe... Rees seems like a guy that can run everything.  Pete Thamel, ESPN insider, has also stated that Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby continues to come up in conversations, and that former Ravens OC Greg Roman is a name that keeps coming up - with the thought being that Saban is enticed by Roman's success in the running game.

Rees, of course, is a Notre Dame alum.  He played QB in South Bend from 2010 through 2013, spent a year in the NFL, then was a GA at Northwestern in 2015, was an offensive assistant with the Chargers in 2016, then was hired to Brian Kelly's staff in 2017 as the QBs coach until he was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2020.  When Kelly left following the 2021 season, he was retained by Marcus Freeman.  Rees's yards per play offensive rankings have been #34 in 2020, #43 in 2021, and #45 this season, so nothing too crazy. As far as efficiency is concerned, his offensive success rate was #20 in 2020, #60 in 2021, and #18 in 2022. Predicted Points Added per play was ranked #26 in 2020, #44 in 2021, and #61 in 2022. Remember, of course, that Rees was working with a backup QB for the majority of the 2022 season.  There have primarily been 4 QBs at Notre Dame in Rees's 3 seasons - Ian Book, Jack Coan, Tyler Buchner, and Drew Pyne... and I don't believe you could call the offensive skill talent "elite" by any stretch of the imagination.  

The enticing part of this would be Brian Kelly's former OC joining Nick Saban in the same division as Kelly, who - of course - is now at LSU.  So now the question is - if Rees is a Notre Dame alum, who spoke so highly of Marcus Freeman and his desire to build up Notre Dame into a national championship caliber program... why would he even take the interview in Tuscaloosa?  Especially the day after signing day?

I think that tells you exactly what you need to know.  Brian Kelly went to Baton Rouge and brought in the #6 overall class (with two 5 stars and sixteen 4 stars)... and that doesn't include their transfer haul... and Notre Dame just brought in the #10 class with zero 5 stars and twenty 4 stars.  Brian Kelly just showed why he took the LSU job - it's easier to win a title in Baton Rouge than South Bend.  Alabama, on the other hand, brought in the 3rd highest ranked class of all time, with nine 5 stars and 18 four stars.  Rees has to be wondering what he could do with that much talent at his disposal.

Now, this could all be for nothing, as I'm sure this search will continue on for a bit.  But Rees is an intriguing option that could certainly help Alabama get back to running the football.


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