Is Tommy Rees going to back his way into one of the best college football jobs in the country? It's starting to look exactly that way.
The former Notre Dame football offensive coordinator turned Alabama OC has surprisingly been considered one of the top candidates to replace recently retired Nick Saban. Now it appears he could actually be the last man standing.
The experts who listed Rees as one of the top candidates for the Alabama head coaching job named two other men as possible replacements for Saban. Washington's Kalen Deboer and Florida State's Mike Norvell.
On Friday morning, a Washington-based radio station reported that Deboer was skipping their show because he was talking to Huskies' top brass about a new extension. Meanwhile, Norvell was signed to a new 8-year contract that will pay him more than $10 million a year, according to Ross Dellenger.
If the reports are accurate, then the Crimson Tide are wanting to move fast. Friday was originally a potential announcement date. At the moment, it's not clear who else the Tide would be announcing if it wasn't Tommy Rees.
Social media is of the same opinion about Rees being "the man," to replace Nick Saban. The reactions, as they have been since his name first started getting out there have mostly been a mix and anger and laughter.
Tommy Rees could be last man standing in replacement for Nick Saban
There's at least one person who would prefer Tommy Rees over Dabo Swinney.
Wanna know how anti Dabo I am ? I’ll take Tommy Rees first
— Josh Here , Elite Vanilla (@Jsheff001) January 12, 2024
Sacrificial lamb after Nick Saban
Alabama is gonna end up promoting Tommy Rees just to be a sacrificial lamb and cleanse the AD and boosters of seventeen years of limited control.
— Juevos Banchero (@JuevosBanchero) January 12, 2024
Notre Dame football fan wants to see it happen for the LOLs
Hear me out...
— Benny (Golden Is thy Name) ☘️ (@GoldenIsthyName) January 12, 2024
Alabama head coach Tommy Rees
(I wanna see it just because Bama fans will lose their shit with his bingo bullshit)
Tommy Rees explaining why he should get the job
Tommy Rees telling Greg Byrne why he’s qualified to replace Saban pic.twitter.com/DYpmJ8mVtZ
— 2024 CFP Champion Jay (@JayDSarkar) January 12, 2024
Rees gets the job as just a figure head
I’ve got this feeling it’s going to be Tommy Rees at Bama. If Saban is really going to have an office and some type of role, nobody with any real pedigree is going to be able to handle that situation. And the school will be able to sell it as Saban molding him.
— Matt Eissey (@MattEissey) January 12, 2024
Tommy Rees as the next Mike Shula
Tommy Rees would be Mike Shula like at least in terms of initial impact, worse because Tommy-Mike would be following Saban. I actually think Rees is a very smart guy, almost criminally underrated as an offensive mind, but the 12 year old X nation hates him. Hard sell.
— Walt Deptula (@deptulahasrage) January 12, 2024
Make no mistake, it still feels like it would be a shock if Alabama really did name Tommy Rees as the replacement for Nick Saban. Unless this has always been the plan.