Now that Penn State's search for James Franklin is over, the Nittany Lions can sit back and celebrate landing one of the best coaches in the sport. However, before Matt Campbell came over from Iowa State, the folks in Happy Valley almost hired former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
Rees, currently the OC for the Cleveland Browns, has been a candidate for several college head coaching jobs over the last few years. Most recently, the ex-Irish coordinator was among the favorites for UCLA's opening.
According to Mike Garafolo & Ian Rapoport, the ex-Notre Dame OC was also a top target for Penn State. Rees interviewed virtually with Nittany Lions decision-makers late last week as the program was finalizing its search. Considering the Campbell hire was made official this weekend, it appears that the Browns' coordinator came very close to getting the gig.
Tommy Rees’ rapid rise continues as he emerges as a finalist in Penn State’s coaching search
Still just 33, Rees is considered one of the brightest offensive minds in football. That's belied by getting stuck on a Browns team that seems to be constantly treading water at best.
Still, he also served as an offensive coordinator for Alabama under Nick Saban and has been rumored to be the next Crimson Tide head coach several times. First, he was a dark-horse candidate to take over for Saban. This year, when Kalen Deboer started the season with a loss to Florida State, rumors began that Rees could replace him before the year was out.
There is also plenty of talk that, should Marcus Freeman ever leave Notre Dame, Tommy Rees could be his replacement. For now, that's not something anyone in South Bend needs to worry about.