re: Tommy Rees is our new offensive coordinator

I think this is gonna end up being a solid hire. Saban is gonna marry what Kiffin/Sark established with what Rees does well. I think it’s gonna work really well

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I like Rees. He is only 30 and full of energy. Already getting a look at one of the top programs in the country and probably an OC hire if he pans out, which I think he will, will be around until Saban retires. He could really build his resume here at UA.

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The staff had an energy vacuum last year. Hopefully he can provide some spark.

The way Rees constructs an offense has me interested. It's the antithesis of BOBs type of offense. There are levels in the routes where most plays has a deep, medium and short option for the QB, and not one of BOBs favorites, where on a 3rd and 5 there are 4 WRs running the same 25 yard route downfield with no checkdown. His offense has kind of a Lane / Sark flavor to it, not saying that he's that level, but there is a familiarity there. The concepts that he runs with Bama talent should be fun to watch.

Saban must have seen something on tape where Rees creates mismatches and stresses defenses, or he would have never made contact with him.

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I think this is gonna end up being a solid hire. Saban is gonna marry what Kiffin/Sark established with what Rees does well. I think it’s gonna work really well

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Agreed. Rees is coming in to run Saban's offense, he's just going to add his own wrinkle like every OC before him. I'm pretty excited to see what Rees can do with this kind of talent at his disposal.

I can understand the frustration of this not being a big name splash hire but his ceiling is sky high as an OC here, I love what we're setting up with him as a play caller and an emphasis on getting our size advantage back on the OL.

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love Saban, dude has done more for Alabama than anyone could have ever expected, but like I said earlier, if Saban had the same track record for hiring coordinators as he does at recruiting no one would question him.

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At Alabama alone, so far he's hired as a coordinator or co-HC type assistant, the Head Coach at Ole Miss, the Head Coach at Texas, the Head Coach of the New York Giants, the Head Coach at Maryland, the Head Coach at Michigan State, the Head Coach of Miami, the Head Coach of Georgia, two ex Head Coached at Florida, the Current Head Coach at Florida, the Ex Head Coach at Tennessee... etc.

The last two guys were bad hires, but let's not be revisionist about his track record.

For anyone questioning Rees' play calling abilities, here is a snippet from an article that the ND 247 site just put out on Rees possibly coming here:

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Irish Illustrated stands by this notion: Rees’ shortcoming as a young offensive coordinator was his inability to secure more skill-position talent at Notre Dame, which also was impacted by Marcus Freeman’s head-coaching predecessor. That alone is why Rees will likely end up in the NFL where his X’s and O’s will reign supreme over the ability to go into a living room and convince a kid to spend the next four years at a prestigious institution where it is winter-like five-plus months a year.

Rees is not a bad play-caller. He is a dynamic play-caller. Those who say he is not a good play-caller do not a) disregard the play concept and the defense he’s going against or b) acknowledge all the times he does dial up a successful play by making the defense vulnerable.

If he ends up at Alabama, his play-calling prowess will continue to flourish under the Saban umbrella, which will land him a head-coaching gig in college and perhaps a step to the professional level.

Let the record show that I am not convinced that he will be a top-notch head coach. That requires an entirely different skillset. But as a play-caller and offensive mind, he is in a select group, which Saban recognized while some were lamenting his elevation to offensive coordinator at Notre Dame when he was 27.

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LINK

I feel like all of these are very valid statements about Coach Saban.

1.) He is the GOAT when it comes to running a program and being the “CEO”.

2.) The GOAT still can make bad hiring decisions. Every company has made them. There is no entity with a perfect hiring record.

3.) any hire is about culture, fit, their support structure, etc. it’s the same players at the college level and especially with NFL rookies.

4.) Saban has been out coached. He may not be the GOAT when it comes to in-game coaching. However, he ain’t average or bad. He is good to great.

5.) Any CEO/head of an organization is open for criticism.


ETA: Dude has had the best talent for years. That puts us on an uneven competitive balance. Period.

Coaching has been a weakness the past year and that’s why folks are acting this way.

I don’t watch a lot of ND games, but seems to me they usually have good OL and TE play and lack elite talent at the offensive skill positions.

If we only upgrade OL and TE play I’ll be extremely happy.

I am glad to have a young coach and not an old retread and I don’t want to judge how someone will perform in Saban’s system. A younger guy will be more adaptable as opposed to BoB who had to unlearn a bunch of stuff

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Interesting to read in the link that you provided, that this is Saban's second run at Rees. Didn't realize that he had a visit planned and cancelled it when he got elevated to OC at Notre Dame and we ended up with BOB.

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I'm not sure Saban was looking at him as OC back then or just as QB coach, but either way it looks like Saban has had his eye on him for a little while now.

Rees doesn't do much for me but I'm not going to freak out. But for those freaking out, who did you want?

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Those who say he is not a good play-caller do not a) disregard the play concept and the defense he’s going against

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I feel good about the hire, but this part concerns me. Everyone seems to point out he went up against some tough defenses and that's why some of his stats/games are what they are. So while yes, he's getting an upgrade in talent he's also going to be going up against even tougher defenses on a regular basis.

I'm willing to give him chance. As other's have stated, the DC hire is more important. (to me at least)