Tommy Rees could be a candidate to replace Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern, according to a report.

Rees was one of several potential coaches mentioned by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman on Tuesday.

He’s entering his first season as Alabama’s offensive coordinator after a long tenure at Notre Dame, his alma mater. Despite being one of the youngest offensive coordinators in the country, Rees does have experience that Northwestern could value as it searches for a new head coach.

His time at Notre Dame — another academics-focused institution — as a player and a coach could help prepare Rees for leading at a place like Northwestern. Rees has also spent time at Northwestern — he was a graduate assistant with the program in 2015.

Here’s an excerpt of Feldman’s analysis:

Rees knows plenty about what it’s like to work in a high academic program, having quarterbacked and then coached at Notre Dame. That would be a big plus. At 31, Rees is still exceptionally young, and his time under Nick Saban only figures to help his career down the road.

If Rees does garner interest from Northwestern, it likely won’t be until near the end of the 2023 season. According to Feldman, Northwestern is expected to have an interim coach this season before “ramping up” its search in November.