Tommy Rees is back in the conversation for a college head coaching job.
On Sunday morning, On3 insider Pete Nakos linked the former Alabama offensive coordinator to the open NC State position. The Wolfpack moved on from Dave Doeren on Saturday after a 3-4 start and a 1-3 mark in ACC play, and Nakos included Rees among the names to watch as NC State searches for its next leader.
Rees spent one season running Alabama’s offense in 2023, Nick Saban’s final year in Tuscaloosa. That Crimson Tide team finished two wins short of a national championship, and Rees’ name is now resurfacing in the college coaching market.
The 34-year-old is currently the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. He took that NFL job after his lone season at Alabama, and before that he spent two years with the Cleveland Browns, including serving as the Browns’ OC in 2025.
Nakos described Rees this way in his rundown of candidates for the NC State opening:
The former Notre Dame quarterback has been an offensive coordinator in the NFL in recent years but has shown interest in returning to college, sources have said. He was the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame and Alabama before making the move to the NFL, and has interviewed for a handful of college jobs in recent years.
Doeren’s firing closed the book on a long run in Raleigh. He had been NC State’s head coach since 2013 and finished 98-73 overall, with a 52-57 record in ACC play.
For Alabama, the coaching headline comes at a time when the current Tide are still chasing enough wins to get back into the College Football Playoff.
In Other News...
Indiana Faces A New Kind Of Pressure In Huge Minnesota Matchup
Memorial Stadium is set for a bigger spotlight than usual when Indiana hosts Minnesota, with ESPNs College GameDay on hand for a matchup that suddenly carries the feel of a showcase game. The Hoosiers enter at 7-1 and, on paper, have the edge against a Golden Gophers team coached by P.J. Fleck that arrives with a 5-2 record of its own.
For Indiana, the noise around the game is part of the challenge now. The Hoosiers have earned the kind of attention that comes with being favored by odds and predictive models, but the stakes are no longer just about staying in the win column. With the weather also in the mix on game day, this one has the ingredients of a test that goes beyond the standings and into how Indiana handles the pressure of being the featured team. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Gets A Josh Hoover Update Fans Needed Before Minnesota
Curt Cignetti offered a reassuring update on Josh Hoover as Indiana turns its attention to Minnesota, saying the quarterbacks injury is expected to improve in time for the next game. Its a timely bit of news for a team that has otherwise come through a physical stretch in pretty good shape, even as the grind of recent games has been felt on both sides of the ball.
Indianas defense has continued to do its job by keeping opponents out of the red zone when it matters most, and the special teams also drew praise after Billy Gowers and Nico Radicic stood out in the Michigan game. With that kind of week-to-week stability, the Hoosiers can at least enter the Minnesota matchup with a clearer picture of the pieces around Hoover, even if his final status still bears watching. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Starters Leave Hoosiers With A Real Debate Before Opening Night
Indianas exhibition win over Western Kentucky offered a useful first look at a team still sorting itself out before opening night. The Hoosiers trailed in the second half at the Ford Center, then leaned on a strong bench rally to flip the game and come away with a 79-74 victory. Three freshmen played a major role in the closing stretch, giving Indiana a glimpse of the kind of depth it may need as the real games begin.
The bigger takeaway may have been how much the result seemed to tilt once the reserves got involved. Western Kentucky got a huge night from Teagan Moore, who scored 30 points, but Indianas defense still managed to keep the Hilltoppers to 36.9% shooting overall. With the starters leaving the exhibition with some real questions still hanging, the Hoosiers now have a decision to make about how they want to line up when the season opens. [Read more 🡒]