Brian Kelly is thrilled for Tommy Rees. He’ll be one of Rees’ biggest fans 51 weeks of the year.

There is, of course, the week LSU plays Alabama.

The LSU coach talked about Rees as a play-caller with reporters on Monday.

Later in the morning, Kelly joined the SEC Network’s broadcast during Day 1 of the SEC media days in Nashville and was asked about his relationship with his former offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, Tommy Rees, who is now Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator at Alabama.

“We have a great relationship,” Kelly said Monday about Rees, who he recruited and coached. “For him, he wanted to make sure this was the right move for his career. I felt like it was. I thought it was going to be a great move. Ultimately, it was going to be a great move. He didn’t make it because I told him to do it. He did it because he thought it was.

“You don’t get a chance to work for Nick Saban very often. When you do, good things generally happen. Matter of fact, mostly all the time. That’s not a hard track record to look at.

“If you get a chance to work for Nick Saban, if you get a chance to work at a place like Alabama that has that kind of unparalleled success, this would be a great opportunity. He felt the same way, and I’m happy for him.

“And I’ll be happy for him except for one weekend.”

Kelly was asked about a physical running attack and the importance of explosive plays. He pointed out how crucial the tight end is in that equation.

“Maybe that’s why Tommy Rees is at Alabama because there is a commitment to tight ends there now, too,” he joked.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.