Nick Saban shows his hand with top Alabama offensive coordinator target

Alabama football fans have been waiting to see how Nick Saban will fill the Tide’s offensive coordinator vacancy but an early favorite has emerged.

The longstanding speculation and rumors that former Alabama football offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien was going to be return to the NFL, the Patriots specifically, turned out to be true. And since that moment, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide have been tasked with filling that void along with also replacing defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

Every name connected as a possible O’Brien replacement to this point, however, has largely been based on speculation. We’ve been waiting for Saban to make a move and show his hand on where he’s leaning to try and revive the Alabama offense moving forward.

We now have an indication.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Chris Low reported that Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was in Tuscaloosa to be interviewed for the OC position, noting that the former Fighting Irish quarterback is currently considered the top target for Alabama football.

Alabama football rumors: Tommy Rees the early favorite for vacant offensive coordinator position

Rees, who played quarterback for Notre Dame from 2010-13, is only 30 years old but has become a coveted commodity in college football coaching circles. Amid Brian Kelly’s departure for LSU last offseason, the new Tigers head coach wanted to bring Rees to Baton Rouge with him, but the offensive coordinator elected to stay on Marcus Freeman’s staff in South Bend.

It’s interesting to see Rees emerge as the top target for the Crimson Tide after this past season for the Irish when Notre Dame was often maligned for their offensive shortcomings, though that had a great deal to do with quarterback play and a lack of roster talent at wide receiver. He should still be considered a young coaching star on the rise.

This is only the first domino that we’ve seen fall to this point, though. Rees might not be the top target but he spurned the SEC last year to stay at Notre Dame, so it’s not out of the question he could do it again to stay his alma mater, especially with transfer quarterback Sam Hartman coming to the Irish to take over the offense.

Even still, we’ll see where Thursday’s interview goes and what that could mean for what’s next in the Alabama offensive coordinator search. And if Rees does do the same thing he did last offseason and return to Notre Dame, where Nick Saban turns next will be fascinating to see.

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