Alabama is hiring Notre Dame assistant coach Tommy Rees to be its offensive coordinator, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was being finalized and still needed university approval.
The South Bend Tribune was first to report Rees was leaving his alma mater to join coach Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide. Rees interviewed with Saban earlier in the week and visited Tuscaloosa on Thursday.
The 30-year-old Rees would replace Bill O’Brien, who left to take the offensive coordinator position with the NFL’s New England Patriots. The former Houston Texans coach was an assistant with New England before moving to the college ranks to become Penn State’s head coach in 2012.
Alabama offensive coordinator has been a launching pad of a position in recent years. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, Maryland coach Mike Locksley and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have all served as Saban’s offensive coordinator, along with New York Giants coach Brian Daboll. Daboll returned to the NFL as an offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills after his one season in Tuscaloosa and then landed his first head coaching job last year.