Tommy Rees of Cleveland Browns Linked to UCLA Bruins Head Coaching Position Amidst NCAA Coaching Carousel

Following a series of adjustments within their offensive coaching staff, the Cleveland Browns believed they were on the brink of finalizing their setup. However, unforeseen events in the NCAA landscape have potentially thrown another spanner in the works. With a coaching vacancy emerging at UCLA, speculation is rife that Tommy Rees, recently appointed as the tight ends coach in Cleveland, might be bound for Pasadena to assume the role of head coach for the Bruins.

Rees, who served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Alabama in 2023, boasts connections to UCLA, having been born in Los Angeles and with familial ties to the program, including his father’s employment and his brother’s tenure as a player there.

The genesis of this coaching vacancy can be traced back through a convoluted coaching carousel, as delineated by Jared Mueller of Dawgs by Nature:

• Boston College Head Coach Jeff Hafley accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Green Bay Packers.
• Bill O’Brien, newly appointed as the offensive coordinator at The Ohio State University, assumed the head coaching position at Boston College.
• UCLA Head Coach Chip Kelly accepted the offer to succeed O’Brien at Ohio State.

These unexpected developments have certainly kept the coaching landscape in flux. Yet, Rees’s decision to join the Browns after his tenure as Alabama’s offensive coordinator was deemed a significant coup for Cleveland. While his potential departure would undoubtedly be a loss, it’s reasonable to understand his inclination to seize such an opportunity if it arises.

At a mere 31 years old, Rees has rapidly ascended the coaching ladder. Even if the head coaching position at UCLA eludes him, it’s only a matter of time before he garners offers for more prestigious roles.

Meanwhile, Cleveland finds itself still in need of a quarterbacks coach, although Ken Dorsey remains on staff as the offensive coordinator. Dorsey previously held this position with the Buffalo Bills before being promoted to offensive coordinator, while Alex Van Pelt, the former offensive coordinator for the Browns over the past four years, also managed these duties.