Getty Images Nick Saban in 2021 during an Alabama home game.
At Nick Saban’s April 7 press conference following the Crimson Tide’s first spring scrimmage, the coach spoke highly of the new addition to his offensive staff, former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
When Saban was asked what Rees brought to the table, he said, “The offense was great today. Tommy does a great job with the players, the players like him. He’s taken our system and pretty much using the system that we use, added some new things to it.”
Getty ImagesTommy Rees as a member of the Notre Dame staff in 2022.
“The offensive line is doing a great job. We’ve got a few more multiples in terms of how we can run the ball. [Rees] does a really good job with formations, and how to use formations to create advantages for us on offense. So, I’ve been really pleased with what we’ve been able to do on that side of the ball and how we’ve developed,” Saban said.
Rees joined the Tide in February after the departure of Bill O’Brien to the New England Patriots. Previously on staff at Notre Dame from 2017 to 2022, Rees served as the quarterbacks coach before making the jump to offensive coordinator for his last three seasons with the Irish.
In his three years as leader of the Notre Dame offense, Rees’ units averaged over 400 yards per game and over 30 points per contest.
He could bring a “more pro-style approach” to Alabama’s offense, and “that’s no accident,” according to ESPN’s Alex Scarborough.
“Saban is after more balance and ball control. Alabama ranked 80th in time of possession per play last season. Notre Dame ranked 19th,” Scarbrough wrote. “If Saban is looking to fix a defense that’s struggled to meet expectations in recent years, a good first step would be fielding an offense that chews up some clock and limits the opposing team’s possessions.”
Offense Showed Out in the First Spring Scrimmage
An April 7 story by Tony Tsoukalas of TideIllustrated doubled down on Saban’s report that the offense “was great.” Tsoukalas wrote, per his source, that freshman running back Justice Haynes made his presence felt early during the scrimmage, rattling off a 35-yard scamper on his first touch and quickly following it up with a 15-yard touchdown run.
Tsoukalas also noted the dominance of Alabama’s offensive line during its first scrimmage. “The Tide’s front delivered a nice push in the running game while also providing plenty of time in the pocket for its young quarterbacks to work,” he wrote.
As for the quarterback battle, Saban kept the details close to the vest but did address the situation briefly at his press conference, saying that both Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson “played equally well.”
“[Milroe and Simpson] got opportunities, and I thought both of them did a good job out there managing the game,” Saban said.
What Milroe and Simpson Bring to the Table
Milroe, who returns for his third year with the program, and Simpson, who enters his second, were both highly recruited prospects out of high school.
Hailing from Katy, Texas, Milroe was rated by 247Sports as the No. 14 signal caller in the nation in 2021. Standing at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, and possessing elite level speed and strength, he’s a near-anomaly at the quarterback position.
Despite Milroe’s athletic prowess, he looked noticeably uncomfortable leading Alabama’s offense substituting for the injured Bryce Young in 2022. Though he was successful on the ground, Milroe struggled through the air, completing just under 54% of his passes for only 176 yards in two games.
Simpson, on the other hand, is less of an athletic specimen but possesses many of the traits of an elite passer. Joining the Tide in 2022 as a five-star freshman from Martin, Tennessee, Simpson was rated by 247Sports at the No. 3 quarterback in his class.
On3 compared Simpson to former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, saying, “Like Corral, Simpson is a twitchy mover inside and outside of the pocket (…) Both showed live arms at the high school level with the ability to push the ball to the second and third levels.”