Ex-Notre Dame football coach a bridesmaid, but not a bride once again

It's safe to say that former Notre Dame football offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has had a wild winter. Just when it seemed like things had finally calmed down, Rees was rumored to be in for a wild ride again.

For at least a few days, it looked like the newest Cleveland Browns assistant was heading out of town to lead the UCLA Bruins staff. And then, on Monday morning, news broke that the Big Ten team hired assistant coach and former star player Deshaun Foster.

So instead of the former Notre Dame football offensive coordinator making another career move this winter, he's once again the bridesmaid, rather than the bride. It's the second head coaching job Rees was rumored to be in the running for, only to see someone else named "the man."

Earlier this winter, Tommy Rees was both (jokingly) blamed for Alabama head coach Nick Saban retiring after the Crimson Tide lost in the College Football Playoffs and being mentioned as one of the lead candidates to take over for Saban. Kalen Deboer got that job.

Interestingly enough, if the rumors are true, Rees has one of his former colleagues to thank for being left at the altar. Even if it wasn't really Al Washington's fault. The UCLA rumors started when Bill O'Brien, rather than Al Washington, was named the new head coach at Boston College.

That opening allowed Chip Kelly to resign as head coach of UCLA to replace O'Brien as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. And then the rumors of Rees going to LaLa land started up.

Ex-Notre Dame football coach could be on the move in wild coach carousel

The Los Angeles Times were among the first to draw a line between UCLA and the former Notre Dame football coordinator:

"An L.A. native, his deep ties to UCLA include father Bill working for 15 years under Terry Donahue and brother Danny playing for the Bruins."

BruinReport then posted an article that there was movement behind these rumors.

In the end, UCLA went with Foster. Once again the ex-Notre Dame football coach didn't get a job he was connected to, no matter how low key and flimsy the connection might have been.