Tommy Rees emerges as candidate to replace Nick Saban
When Nick Saban shocked the college football world by announcing his retirement on Wednesday it was a matter of minutes until national writers mentioned Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman as a potential candidate.
As it turns out it is a former Marcus Freeman assistant that is the actual candidate.
Tommy Rees, who left his post as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator almost exactly a year ago, has reportedly interviewed for the opening. The following is from a report on Football Scoop:
Among those emerging as serious contenders along the lines of earning interviews: Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, Florida State coach Mike Norvell and incumbent Tide offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
Just 31, Rees is the youngest among the Tide candidates. He’s also a former Broyles Award finalist, an ex-Notre Dame quarterback and long considered among the sharpest young offensive minds in football. His father, Bill, is a legendary collegiate and NFL personnel expert.
Rees owns NFL experience, and he’s burnished his coaching chops with offensive coordinator stops at two of the most high-profile spots in all of football: his alma mater, Notre Dame, from 2020-22, and this past season at Alabama. He helped Jalen Milroe engineer a remarkable turnaround at quarterback for the Tide, which upended Georgia in the SEC Championship and took Michigan to overtime in the CFP before losing to the top-seeded Wolverines.
I would be shocked if Rees ends up getting it but the fact he’s already interviewed for the opening is more of a chance than I would have initially given him.
Guys like Dan Lanning at Oregon and Steve Sarkisian at Texas have carved their own programs out while a guy like Rees certainly hasn’t seeing as he’s never been a head coach.
I still think until we actually hear Lane Kiffin take himself out of the running that he’s the man to beat but the fact Rees is seemingly still being considered certainly is a wild card I didn’t see as a possibility.
