Source: Tommy Rees Expected to Be Alabama's Next Offensive Coordinator

Notre Dame and head coach Marcus Freeman will officially be in the market for an offensive coordinator as Tommy Rees will head to Alabama to run Nick Saban’s offense per multiuple sources in South Bend. 

Rees, who conducted a Zoom interview with Alabama on Wednesday, made the trip to Tuscaloosa on Thursday to officially interview with the Crimson Tide and Saban. 

Leaving Notre Dame doesn’t come as a huge surprise as Rees interviewed at Oregon and Miami over the last few years. And at this stage, it would be hard to continue to sell the current Notre Dame players on stability given Alabama is the third known program of interest despite Rees’ bold statements just over a year ago when he announced he would return to the Irish program after Brian Kelly courted him to LSU. 

The Lake Forest (Ill.) native would be Saban’s youngest offensive coordinator at the age of 30. 

Rees was a four-year letterman in the blue and gold during his playing days and tallied a record of 23-8 as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback from 2010-2013. He also ranks in the top five in 21 different passing categories at Notre Dame. 

Following Notre Dame, Rees spent one year chasing his NFL dream and was part of Washington’s organization, but quickly moved to the coaching side as he was named a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2015 before heading to the San Diego Chargers in 2016 where he served as an offensive assistant. 

Brian Kelly hired Rees in 2017 as the Notre Dame quarterbacks coach and then promoted him to offensive coordinator in 2020. 

Notre Dame under Rees averaged 32 points per game (42nd) in 2022 while tallying 302.6 yards per game (60th) while starting backup Drew Pyne for 10 games following Tyler Buchner’s injury in week two. For context, Notre Dame totaled 556 total yards (293 passing, 263 rushing) and 45 points in its Gator Bowl victory over South Carolina when Buchner returned to the field. 

Rees also was able to highlight tight end Michael Mayer over the last three seasons as the All-American finished his three-year career with 180 receptions, 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns, including 67 catches for 809 yards and nine scores in 2022. 

Running back Kyren Wiliams was another player who thrived in Rees’ offense at Notre Dame as he totaled 2,127 rushing yards and 672 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns in 2020 and 2021. 

Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator position will be coveted as the Irish return perhaps the nation’s top offensive line, an experienced quarterback in Sam Hartman and one of the best running back rooms in the country. 

Potential Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Candidates

Coaching Career
2015 Northwestern Graduate Assistant (Offense)
2016 San Diego Chargers Offensive Assistant
2017-19 Notre Dame Quarterbacks
2020-Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

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