Alabama is targeting Notre Dame’s Tommy Reese as offensive coordinator to replace Bill O’Brien, reports say

Nick Saban is focusing on Notre Dame Offensive coordinator Tommy Reese as the top target to fill the same roll at AlabamaAccording to multiple reports. Reese is scheduled to meet Saban in Tuscaloosa on Thursday.

Saban is looking for a new player after Bill O’Brien left the program this offseason for the same job with the New England Patriots, although O’Brien was not expected to be retained either way. Saban is seeking a fifth offensive coordinator since leaving Lane Kiffin to be the coach of FAU prior to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.

At the age of 30, Reese was Saban’s youngest coordinator since Will Muchamp held the position LSU in 2002. Reese was the quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame 2017-19 under former head coach Brian Kelly and added the offensive coordinator role in 2020. A quarterback at Notre Dame from 2010-13, he never held a full-time assistant role at another program but was employed forward for the San Diego Chargers in 2016.

The Fighting Irish offense thrived under Reese prior to the 2022 season that was hampered by a Week 2 injury to starting quarterback Tyler Buechner. In the other two years under Reese, the Irish averaged at least six yards per game. Last year, Reese oversaw an offensive shift from Bochner to Drew Payne at quarterback with an emphasis on a grounded approach.

The news that Reese is being targeted by Saban comes just two days after Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Group. She reportedly refused the job To return to the Huskies. Grubb helped quarterback Michael Bennix Jr. become the nation’s leading passing player last season with an average of 357 yards per game.