Alabama’s recent decision to appoint 31-year-old Tommy Rees as its new offensive coordinator has sparked surprise and curiosity among fans and analysts in the college football world.
Despite his relatively young age, Rees brings valuable coaching experience, fresh off a very impressive offensive coordinator stint at his alma mater, Notre Dame.
As a former college quarterback himself, Rees had already showcased his coaching abilities while serving as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Notre Dame before making the move to Alabama this season.
Head coach Nick Saban, known for his discerning eye in selecting coaching staff, expressed his support for Rees during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
“Well, I think Tommy’s one of the brightest young guys that I’ve come in contact with for a long, long time,” Saban remarked. “He’s done a fantastic job with our players, in terms of relationships. He’s very bright. He’s a good quarterback coach. I think that he’s a great presenter, and a good teacher.”
Saban also highlighted one key area of focus for Rees – establishing a more balanced offense. The Crimson Tide has become known for their potent passing game, but Saban acknowledged that this shift has come at the expense of controlling the line of scrimmage.
“We’ve become such a passing team that I don’t think we’re controlling the line of scrimmage like we used to in the old days,” Saban explained. “I think that it’s important to playing good defense, but I also think that it’s important to having good balance on offense.”
With Alabama aiming to make a strong return to the College Football Playoff, the responsibility now falls on Rees to lead the team’s offense and bring back the balance that Saban envisions.
This may be (very) far-fetched – but do you think Rees has a chance to eventually succeed Saban as head coach?