Tag: Tommy rees

Tommy Rees emerges as candidate for UCLA HC job

One interesting name circulated on Saturday for the UCLA HC job: Tommy Rees.

Out of nowhere, one name popped up on Saturday: Tommy Rees. With a lot of experienced and veteran coaches among the rumored candidates for the UCLA Bruins head coach job, Rees caught some attention on Saturday.

Rees spent time as the OC at both Notre Dame and Alabama, so he has worked for some of the best programs in college football. He is a young, up-and-coming coach who could breathe excitement into the UCLA team and fanbase.

On the other hand, it would be a massive risk for Martin Jarmond to make, although it can’t be much worse than the last few years of the Chip Kelly tenure.

The Rees-UCLA buzz surely kicked into high gear on Saturday. And, there are plenty of mixed reactions about the possibility.

Report: Browns expected to hire Alabama OC Tommy Rees as TE coach

The re-shaping of the Browns offensive staff has begun

The Cleveland Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski are looking for their offensive scheme to evolve in 2024. And it appears that is starting with the poaching of Tommy Rees from the Alabama Crimson Tide

To do that the team let go of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell, and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.

They are looking for fresh ideas and perspectives on how to maximize the talent of quarterback Deshaun Watson and the rest of the offensive roster. The first addition on the staff seems to be close as reports say the Browns will hire former Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees as the new tight ends coach.

Reports also say that Rees’ role with the team may be more than just the tight ends coach as he will help with the passing offense. The most intriguing aspect of this hire is the work he did with a mobile quarterback Jalen Milroe with Alabama this year.

Stefanski has shown the willingness to grow and make changes to his coaching staff even when that’s admitting he got it wrong the first time. He is looking for coaches who can help him make over his offense to fully capitalize on the mobility of Watson and this is a good start.

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Cleveland Browns expected to hire former Alabama OC Tommy Rees

With major coaching changes, Tommy Rees will no longer be the Alabama OC. Now, he’s working toward a deal with the Cleveland Browns.

When Nick Saban retired, it set off a chain of events that resulted in significant roster changes and moves within the coaching staff. A significant difference is in the offensive coordinator position. Tommy Rees is out of Tuscaloosa and is now expected to be hired by the Cleveland Browns.

The news, being first reported by The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, is that Rees is expected to be hired as Cleveland’s new tight ends coach and play a role in the offense’s passing game. A contract and title, however, have not yet been made official as they are reportedly still working toward a deal.

Rees only spent one season with the Crimson Tide, having been hired off of Notre Dame‘s coaching staff, where he also served as the Fighting Irish’s offensive play-caller. It was an interesting move, as Rees is only 31 years old and had played quarterback at Notre Dame.

New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer chose to bring with him Ryan Grubb, who was Washington’s offensive coordinator under DeBoer.

Just recently, Rees had reportedly interviewed for the Crimson Tide head coaching job and was considered to be a “wild card candidate” for the position.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover Alabama football as the 2024 offseason progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has found a job in the NFL

Rees lands on his feet in the NFL

For many of us, it was a huge shock when Notre Dame alumnus [autotag]Tommy Rees[/autotag] left the program to take the offensive coordinator job at Alabama.

When Nick Saban retired and the Crimson Tide hired Kalen DeBoer, Rees was out of a job. It didn’t take him long to get back on his feet. It was reported on Monday that the former collegiate play-caller is expected to take a job with the Cleveland Browns.

Rees will not be calling plays for the Browns. Instead he will be coaching their tight ends, which has one of the best at the position: David Njoku.

It’s an interesting move for Rees, who has long been a college coach and has no NFL experience. We will be watching to see how this move pans out for the former Irish OC.

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Notre Dame Athletics the Last Time the Detroit Lions Won A Playoff Game

Where were you in January of 1992?

One of the longest streaks in professional sports ended Sunday night as the Detroit Lions beat the Los Angeles Rams in what was their first playoff win since January 5, 1992.

The Lions now head to the divisional round where they’ll take on either the Philadelphia Eagles or Tampa Bay Buccaneers next weekend.

But just how long is 32 years in terms of sports?

Let’s take a look at a few of the things that were going on at Notre Dame at that time and where some key figures in the Fighting Irish athletic program were back then.

Buckle up and get in your time machine because here we go…

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy announces decision

How does his career as a pro go?

Michigan is fresh off a national championship which was won in part to quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

The veteran led Michigan to a national title after starting the last two years for them and losing just a single game along the way.  He’s also a guy that seemed to love Notre Dame during the recruiting process but never landed an offer from [autotag]Tommy Rees[/autotag].

Much speculation has been made about McCarthy’s future – if he’ll return to Michigan or if he’ll enter the NFL draft in a year that appears to be loaded at the quarterback position.

On Sunday he announced that he will forego his remaining eligibility and enter the 2024 NFL draft.

Michigan running back Blake Corum also declared for the draft on Sunday.

Michigan has recruited the quarterback position well in recent years but it’s hard to see them starting a true freshman next year.  Are they about to dip into the portal for a season?

If so it makes you more than happy that Notre Dame was able to get ahead of things on that front this off-season.

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5 things Kalen DeBoer must do in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

The five most important acts Kalen DeBoer must complete in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

Replacing [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] was going to be an impossible task, but it feels like landing [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] is as good as it gets.

DeBoer is a proven winner with a 104-12 head coaching record. He is coming off a national title game appearance in just his second year with the Washington Huskies. He was reportedly athletic director Greg Byrne’s top target and the sides worked hard to get a deal done with almost no leaks.

DeBoer should be celebrated and enjoy the new promotion, but first thing in the morning we gotta get to work. Name, image and likeness licensing and the transfer portal have changed the game and allow you to essentially revamp your roster overnight, but DeBoer will have his work cut out for him. Many of the guys in the Alabama program came here because they wanted to play for Nick Saban, keeping them is going to require a sales pitch and a vision.

DeBoer has coordinator positions to fill, open roster spots and several other issues to attack. He has limited time to do so. Here are the five most important things DeBoer must do on his first day as head coach of the Crimson Tide:

Tommy Rees update in regards to Alabama opening

Roll Tommy?

Thursday we saw news that former Notre Dame quarterback and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees had interviewed for the head coach opening at Alabama.

In the early hours of Friday morning he remains a possibility to be the next head coach but certainly doesn’t appear to be a favorite.

The following is from a 247Sports report by Brandon Marcello:

The names to watch heading into Friday at Alabama are Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, Florida State’s Mike Norvell and Tide offensive coordinator Tommy Rees,sources told 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello earlier Thursday.

Rees is viewed as a long-shot.

Rees is only 31 and I’d still be shocked if he ends up getting the job.  My money remains on Lane Kiffin until we hear otherwise, but if Alabama wanted to do the Duke basketball type thing and have Saban still oversee things in a big way but have a younger coach, then Rees becomes what Jon Scheyer does for the Blue Devils.

Just thinking out loud.  Stay tuned as there could be major movement in regards to the next Alabama head coach today.

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FootballScoop updates on Texas’ Sarkisian, ‘Bama coaching search

Sarkisian is unlikely to leave Texas per Football Scoop.

The Alabama coaching search continues. The betting line for who is next to take the job is in constant flux, but tangible evidence on the search came in the form of a report from FootballScoop.

FootballScoop proved reliable in reporting Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian’s search for assistant coaches prior to Sarkisian’s first year in Austin. John Brice of FootballScoop had the following to say of where the Texas head coach stands in the search.

“Other names associated with the Alabama search but seeming, at this point, to lack much traction whatsoever include Ole Miss coach and former Tide title-winning offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, former Bama OC and current Texas leader Steve Sarkisian and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, the former Alabama player with multiple national titles at Clemson.”

So, it probably won’t be Kiffin, Sarkisian or Swinney. Who else could it be? FootballScoop identified three coaches that had become primary targets as of Thursday afternoon: Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.

Among other targets were Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Maryland’s Mike Locksley.

Of the above names, DeBoer is far and away the top candidate. Perhaps he is even the best coach in college football. He was the best coach this season. His 25-3 record in two years at once middling Washington elevates him above most other coaches after starting fast and contending fast.

Norvell is certainly in the same tier after resurrecting a Florida State program that appeared mired in mediocrity of its own. The Seminoles went 13-1 in 2023.

Tommy Rees is the most befuddling inclusion in light of his lack of ingenuity and head coaching experience. The next few days could produce an Alabama head coach, but I would be surprised if that is the option the Crimson Tide wants to choose.

What seems clear presently is FootballScoop, like Inside Texas and Bama247, does not find it likely that Sarkisian would leave Texas for Tuscaloosa. We will continue to cover the coaching search and updates on Sarkisian as we hear more.

Update: Late on Thursday evening, Steve Sarkisian and his wife, Loreal, posted on social media essentially confirming he will be staying with Texas.

REPORT: Alabama OC Tommy Rees being considered for head coach position

Tommy Rees (31) is being considered a “wild card” candidate who is being considered for the Alabama head coaching job.

At just 31-years-old, Tommy Rees has a rather impressive resumé. The offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide can add “head coach candidate” to it, as he is being considered for the vacancy created by Nick Saban’s decision to retire.

After being the quarterback for Notre Dame, Rees found his way back onto the field as a coach. It did not take long for him to become the Fighting Irish’s offensive coordinator and, in 2023, served in the same role under Nick Saban at Alabama.

Nick Kelly of The Tuscaloosa News reports that Rees is being considered as a “wild card” candidate along with other high-profile targets including Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and Washington.

Kelly’s report was corroborated by ESPN college football reporter Adam Rittenberg, who named the same three in a recent report.

It’s not likely or expected that Rees would be handed the keys to the Crimson Tide, but it is interesting that he, at such a young age, is even being considered

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama head coaching search.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.