The college football world is still in shock after the startling news that Nick Saban is retiring as the head football coach for Alabama. The news comes just two weeks after the Crimson Tide were beaten by Michigan in the Rose Bowl, where it had been rumored Saban could be leaving, though not truly believed. However, the veteran head coach made every sports headline in the country on Wednesday, making it official, where immediately the question was asked: Who's replacing him? One of those names that's been thrown out there is Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.
Lane Kiffin is headline worthy
The Rebels head coach has never been short of headline-worthy moments himself, although not quite for all the right reasons. Kiffin first became a head coach for the Oakland Raiders at 31 years old in 2007, making him the youngest in the franchise's history. But only a year and a few games into the next season, it all ended in a fashion that would become somewhat synonymous with Kiffin over the years.
The Tennessee Volunteers were quick to scoop up Kiffin in 2009, where he brought an energy that hadn't been in Knoxville in a long time. However, he would only be there a season, as when Pete Carroll left for the Seattle Seahawks, USC looked to Kiffin, a former assistant coach there, who quickly accepted, leaving those in Vol country beyond disgruntled. But after going 28-15, in the middle of his fourth season, after losing 62-41 to Arizona State, Kiffin was fired hours later and left on the LAX tarmac.
It then took Nick Saban to revive his career, hiring him as the offensive coordinator from 2014-2016 until Kiffin left for the Florida Atlantic head coaching position. Over three seasons there, he went 27-13, which had Ole Miss calling him, where he resides…for now.
Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin helped each other at Alabama
Kiffin was one of the first rehabilitated coaches during Saban's tenure at Alabama. For the higher-profile program that Saban turned Alabama into, hiring someone like Kiffin, who obviously had a lot of baggage with him, was not just admirable of the Crimson Tide coach, it was risky. But with an eye for talent as usual, Saban brought him in and he thrived, helping Alabama go 40-4 during his time there, where they appeared in two College Football Playoff national title games, winning one.
Maybe no coach has been as missed as much as Kiffin has since his departure, however. Alabama has still been winning, still been recruiting at a high level. Even brought in an equal to, if not better offensive coordinator in Steve Sarkisian, who had a top-3 total offense in his two seasons with Alabama. The best any Kiffin Alabama offense ranked was 14th.
But Kiffin brought something else to the table, whether it was flair, cockiness, flash, etc. He was different from Saban, which is why many thought it wouldn't work. But you could say that's exactly why it did work, as he was a big proponent in helping Saban and Alabama evolve offensively and kept them at the top in college football.
You could also tell, though, that Kiffin had, and still does have, an immense amount of respect for Saban, and that they both mutually helped each other, perhaps both professionally and personally.
Since his days in Tuscaloosa, Kiffin hasn't lost his smirky personality. Just go to his X platform feed for that. However, you can tell the now 48-year-old coach has matured and grown as a person and coach. Like a lot of candidates being thrown out there currently to take on the Alabama football job, he'll be scoffed at, at least by some. But then again, who won't be with this job? This is now the toughest job in America, with perhaps the easiest resources to succeed at it.
No one knows if Kiffin would succeed, just like any other coach mentioned. Even Saban wasn't a guarantee coming in from his short time with the Miami Dolphins. Kiffin is worth a chance, though, if for nothing else because he may have the respect from the Alabama fanbase.
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