Brian Kelly has Louisiana State University confident that it can beat Alabama.
After earning a 32-31 victory in overtime in 2022, Kelly told reporters Monday at SEC Football Media Days that defeating the Crimson Tide is no longer a fantasy but a reality. He has a talented team that will face the Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in the fall; however, Kelly also knows the offensive mind Nick Saban has on his staff. Tommy Rees is a Notre Dame alumnus that played quarterback under Kelly from 2010 to 2013, helping the Fighting Irish to the 2013 BCS National Championship Game (2012 season) versus the Tide as a backup. Alabama hired the 30-year-old in February to replace Bill O’Brien.
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He returned to his Alma mater in 2017 as a quarterbacks coach.
Rees served six years (2017-22) as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, assisting the Irish to two College Football Playoff appearances. Kelly is rooting for Rees’ success in every game except when Alabama faces LSU.
He explained to the media what the Tide has in Rees and complimented him on his play-calling abilities.
“He played the game at a high level,” Kelly said about Rees. “He is smart, builds great relationships with his players, and understands the balance of art and science when it comes to play calling. Play calling is not just about analytics and tendencies. You have to have a gut feeling about when to make those calls. He knows how to balance both things.”
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Rees’ play-calling and quarterback development helped Ian Book, Jack Coan, and Drew Pyne (pre-injury) have success for the Fighting Irish. He has one of his Notre Dame quarterbacks — Tyler Buchner — with him at Alabama as a transfer.
Fall camp will give a glimpse of how balanced the Tide can be under Rees.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
