Report: Alabama hires Notre Dame's Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator

Former Notre Dame quarterback and current Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is expected to take the same job at Alabama, according to a report by On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Rees emerged as the reported top target for the Crimson Tide on Thursday morning.

ESPN’s Chris Low reported Reese had emerged as the top target as a replacement for recently departed offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. O’Brien left Alabama after two seasons as coordinator, taking the offensive coordinator job for the New England Patriots.

An Alabama plane was spotted landing in South Bend on Thursday around midday. Things progressed quickly from there, with the Crimson Tide moving quickly to hire Rees as its new offensive coordinator.

During the 2023 season with the Fighting Irish, Rees helped coach Notre Dame to better-than-average finishes in most of the major statistical categories. The Fighting Irish ranked 42nd in scoring offense (31.8 points per game) and 60th in total offense (396.2 yards per game). They checked in ranked No. 32nd in passing efficiency (147.23), as well as 35th in rushing offense (189.1 yards per game) and 98th in passing offense (207.1 yards per game). Notre Dame did deal with the loss of a starting quarterback just three games into the season, too.

Reese had only two stops outside of Notre Dame as a coach prior to his return home to his alma mater. He spent the 2015 season as a graduate assistant at Northwestern, then spent 2016 as an offensive assistant with the San Diego Chargers.

He was at Notre Dame as quarterbacks coach from 2017-19. In 2020, Notre Dame promoted Tommy Reese to offensive coordinator, a post he held from 2020-22. In four years at Notre Dame from 2010-13, Rees passed for 7,670 yards with 61 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.