New name emerges in Alabama offensive coordinator search

Tommy Rees - Notre Dame

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is reportedly a top candidate for the same job at Alabama. (AP Photo/Robert Franklin, File)AP

A new name has emerged in the search for Alabama’s next offensive coordinator.

Tommy Rees, who holds the same position at Notre Dame, is in conversations with Nick Saban, AL.com can confirm. ESPN was the first to report Thursday. A former Irish quarterback (2010-13) has been an assistant in South Bend since 2017 and was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2020. A reporter from The Athletic posted a picture of the Alabama school plane at the South Bend airport early Thursday afternoon.

Saban reportedly met with Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb on Tuesday but he opted to remain with the Huskies.

AL.com also learned former Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead was also contacted by Alabama early this week but the current Akron head coach was not interested in leaving his position for the job. Moorhead was in Starkville from 2018-19 with a 14-12 record but was fired in early 2020.

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Notre Dame had the No. 60 offense nationally, averaging 396.2 yards a game while finishing with a 9-4 record.

Rees was reportedly offered the LSU offensive coordinator job when Brian Kelly left Notre Dame in late 2021. He remained at his alma mater, instead, as part of Marcus Freeman’s first staff with the Irish.

“This is where my heart is,” Rees told a Notre Dame team meeting in a video posted Dec. 1, 2021 by the program’s official Twitter account. “My heart is with you guys. I care too much about this place.”

Bill O’Brien, the offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, left Tuscaloosa to be the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator last month.

This post will be updated if new information is available.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

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