Should Brian Kelly bring Tommy Rees to LSU as tight ends coach?

LSU football has a position coach vacancy to fill after tight ends coach Slade Nagle left to become Houston’s offensive coordinator.

Could head coach Brian Kelly fill that spot with one of his former assistants?

Under Kelly at Notre Dame, Rees was the quarterbacks coach and the offensive coordinator. He spent six years in South Bend, one of which was under current Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, before taking the same position at Alabama.

Rees developed a favorable reputation in the college ranks before starting his second stint in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns hired him as the tight ends coach and pass game specialist in February 2024. Rees’ first position in the NFL was with the San Diego Chargers in 2016 as an offensive assistant.

How likely is it that Rees will join forces with Kelly again and lead the Tigers’ tight end room?

The former Notre Dame quarterback paid his dues at the college level before taking the Cleveland job, where he currently mentors David Njoku. He could also be a candidate for the offensive coordinator opening with the New England Patriots.

Once coaches establish themselves in the NFL, they tend to prefer the league over college football since they aren’t tasked with responsibilities related to recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL.

However, the Tigers may be willing to pay for a top young coach. Rees could potentially get a run-game coordinator title, something LSU could use after the Tigers struggled to run the ball in 2024.

With the spring practice schedule looming, LSU will most likely make its hire sooner rather than later.