Why hiring Tommy Rees is the latest sign Nick Saban plans to alter Alabama's offensive philosophy
What is Alabama going to look like on offense in 2023? What does the Crimson Tide want to be offensively moving forward?
It’s one of many pressing questions surrounding Alabama this offseason, especially since Nick Saban will be breaking in a new coordinator and a new starting quarterback.
We might’ve received our latest hint on Friday. I think.
Alabama hired Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, as Saban replaces Bill O’Brien, now the OC with the New England Patriots, with the 30-year-old former Irish quarterback.
Outside of a one-year stint as a staffer in the NFL, Rees has coached at his alma mater since 2014, spending the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator. He’s a well-regarded quarterbacks coach and has come into his own as a play-caller, displaying adaptability working around totally different pieces on an annual basis.
Brian Kelly wanted to hire him at LSU, and now Nick Saban has plucked Rees away from South Bend to Alabama.
He’s most known for running a more pro-style, power run scheme, but make no mistake, he’s coming to run the Nick Saban offense at Alabama.
While Rees is no stranger to scrutiny or pressure, he comes to Tuscaloosa with the expectation he’ll elevate and balance an attack that was still a top-six scoring unit the last two seasons under O’Brien — this despite Tide fans lining up to drive him to the airport seemingly every Saturday.
O’Brien developed Bryce Young into a Heisman Trophy winner. The Tide’s defensive issues and penalty woes — not O’Brien’s play-calling or even boom or bust rushing attack — were largely the reasons why they suffered close losses to Tennessee and LSU.
And yet, Saban clearly believes Alabama’s offense style had become unsustainable.
Why Alabama looks to be altering its offensive philosophy
Once the bully, the Tide turned into a finesse team, overly reliant on star quarterbacks.
They were one-dimensional and too pass-happy. The team’s offensive line play has regressed the last few seasons, and suddenly, without 1st Round picks at receiver, Alabama’s playmakers no longer looked special.
Saban first pivoted philosophies back in 2016, going away from a smash-mouth scheme to a heavy RPO offense. First, it was Lane Kiffin. Then Steve Sarkisian and Mike Locklsey put their fingerprints on it. Brian Daboll. Then Sark again, and finally, Bill O’Brien.
O’Brien didn’t come to Alabama with a history of running a ton of RPOs, but again, this is Nick Saban’s offense. That’s what he’d decided worked best.
And he was right. They had tons of success!
They lit up the scoreboard. They churned out 1st Round draft picks at quarterback and receiver. They won national titles in 2017 and 2020.
Yet at the same time, Alabama’s defense grew leakier — and notably smaller — with each year. They were still really good comparatively, but they were no longer elite.
By hiring Tommy Rees, Nick Saban is aiming to solve two problems at once.
“You guys like 2015 Derrick Henry led offense? Because that’s what you’re going to get with Tommy Rees,” former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said in a radio interview with WJOX 94.5.
“It might not be one back, but you’re going to get heavy personnel with a downhill rushing attack. Ala 2009. Ala 2010. Ala 2011, 2012.
“That’s a downhill flat-back rushing attack. (All these Alabama) fans say we miss the good-ole days with (Jim) McElwain. Well, guess what, that’s what you’re getting with Tommy Rees. He’s going to use 12 personnel. He’s going to use tight ends. He’s going to hammer you. It’s a very effective style of attack.
“I love the hire. It’s exactly what I want the Alabama offense to be. You can have the RPO aerial assault. I still think there’s a place for pounding people.”
You know who else believes there’s still a place for pounding people?
Nick Saban’s protege Kirby Smart — the head coach of the reigning back-to-back national champion Georgia Bulldogs.
The Crimson Tide actually averaged slightly more yards per carry than the Bulldogs in 2022 — 5.57 vs. 5.53 — but they relied on home run plays. They were inefficient and not very physical, especially in short yardage.
The numbers bear that out, too: Georgia ranked 10th nationally in rushing success rate. Alabama was 45th.
McElroy is hyperbolic in his prediction that Alabama’s offense will suddenly revert back to its 2011 approach. After all, Saban reportedly offered the job to Washington’s Ryan Grubb, who is a pass-first coordinator running a motion-heavy spread offense.
Michael Penix led the nation in passing yards last season. The Huskies threw the ball 44 timed a game — third-most nationally.
Saban still wants to score points, and he knows the most efficient way to create explosive plays is through the air.
But it does seem like Saban is swinging the pendulum back toward balance at Alabama.
The signs are there at least.
In recruiting. In the transfer portal. And by hiring Tommy Rees.
What is the backbone of Alabama’s top-ranked recruiting class?
Beef. Line of scrimmage dudes.
Saban wants Alabama bigger and nastier again, signing five mammoth offensive linemen in Kadyn Proctor(6-6, 345 pounds), Ryqueze McElderry(6-3, 345 pounds), Olaus Alinen (6-5.5, 325 pounds), Wilkin Formby (6-6, 300 pounds) and Miles McVay (6-6, 373 pounds) and a bunch of blue-chip defensive linemen and edge rushers.
Saban grabbed Maryland transfer CJ Dippre out of the transfer portal, a 6-5, 260-pound inline tight end, too.
And he just hired a young coordinator whose hallmark is running a play-action-heavy, ball-control offense.
There’s a whole lot we still don’t know right now about Alabama in 2023.
We don’t know if Tommy Rees is actually an upgrade over Bill O’Brien. We don’t know who the starting quarterback will be between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. We don’t know if a No. 1 receiver will emerge, or if the defense becomes fixed overnight with Kevin Steele at coordinator and a fresh batch of 5-star studs.
But what’s clear so far this offseason is Saban sees what — but more importantly — HOW it’s happening in Athens and decided Alabama needed to go back to doing that, too.
So while I doubt Nick Saban is a big Dua Lipa fan, the man definitely wants Alabama to “get physical” again.