To nobody’s surprise this week, Brian Kelly’s “extensive national search” to find a new offensive coordinator ultimately ended where it started, on the second-floor hallway of the Gug, at the office door of 27-year-old Irish quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees.
“Tom’s ability to connect with our players and staff, and accepting and embracing the incredible opportunity in being the offensive coordinator, made him the right choice,” the Irish head coach said Tuesday in a written statement released by the University.
Rees becomes what is believed to be the youngest coordinator ever hired at Notre Dame, begging the question, did Coach Kelly make the best or the easiest decision with this move?
A couple of proven and experienced candidates in former Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead, 46, and former Cleveland Browns OC Todd Monken, 53, — both of whom have built elite offenses at multiple stops in their accomplished careers — were also named possible successors to Chip Long, though it appears neither was formally interviewed for the position.
Kelly took the familiarity route when hiring Rees, hoping it pays similar dividends to when Clark Lea was promoted in 2018 to defensive coordinator, a lofty position Lea had never held during his coaching career.
Comparing the in-house promotions of Lea and Rees is tempting, but keep in mind that Lea already had 11 years of experience as an assistant coach when he took the DC job.
Meanwhile, Rees’ coaching career includes only his three seasons as Notre Dame quarterbacks coach and two years prior to that as an entry-level assistant at Northwestern and the San Diego Chargers.
