Nick Saban's offensive coordinator opening in Tuscaloosa is one of the most sought after positions in college football every few years.
After reportedly discussing the opening with Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb earlier this week, Grubb ultimately opted to remain with the Huskies.
Another top candidate has emerged for the job.
Sources with direct knowledge tell FootballScoop that Notre Dame's Tommy Rees emerged Wednesday as a top target for the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator post.
In fact, per sources, Rees already has spoken with Nick Saban on the position. Sources shared with FootballScoop that Saban and Rees hopped on a Zoom call together Wednesday to gauge each other's interest in a potential partnership.
Later Thursday afternoon, sources told FootballScoop that Alabama has already issued a preliminary job offer to Rees to become the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator.
Additional sources have told FootballScoop that the situation is not believed to be one about money; in fact, per sources, the initial Alabama offer to Rees was in the range of $2 million per year, on average.
For context, sources both last year when Rees remained at Notre Dame rather than take over Brian Kelly's LSU offense and again this week have indicated that Rees's revamped Notre Dame deal paid him a ballpark average of $2 million per year across a three-year terms
Both Rees and Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden were the only Irish assistant coaches with three-year terms.
Sources told FootballScoop that Rees was accompanied by his fiance Thursday afternoon on Alabama's private jet that picked him up at South Bend's local private air hangar.
Additionally, there's an interesting connection: Alabama Director of Player Personnel Bob Welton and Notre Dame Director of Scouting Bill Rees are extremely close friends who are widely regarded around personnel circles in both the college and NFL games. Both the elder Rees and Welton have shared NFL experience.
Sources told FootballScoop that the Welton-Bill Rees connection this week was key, and Tommy Rees likewise has already garnered NFL coaching experience before his time at his alma mater, Notre Dame.
Another connection for Tommy Rees is with Alabama Director of Sports Performance David Ballou. The two worked together in South Bend, Indiana, during the 2017 football season, when Rees served as offensive coordinator Chip Long's quarterbacks coach and the Irish generated a 10-win season.
Rees quarterbacked Notre Dame, returned as the program's quarterbacks coach and ascended to offensive coordinator in 2020.
ESPN's Chris Low first shared that Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Reese has recently emerged as a top target for the Tide.
Low also added that Rees is scheduled to be on campus Thursday.
Rees, the former Irish quarterback from 2010-13, has had the offensive coordinator role in South Bend since 2020.
When Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame last off season, Rees opted to stay in South Bend with Marcus Freeman taking over as opposed to leaving for Baton Rouge with Kelly.
The Irish scored 32 points per game (41st nationally) this past fall while sorting through a quarterback battle. The best offense Rees has fielded at Notre Dame was during the the 2021 season, when they ranked among the top 20 nationally at just over 35 points per game.
In his three seasons total as a coordinator, the 30-year old coordinator has led offenses that average no less than 32 points per game.
Stay tuned, as we will have more on this soon.