🏈 Bama's new offensive coordinator search (let's keep thoughts, suggestions, articles, rumors here...)

[TerryP]

Caveat: I've got a few guys in mind I'd love to see in Tuscaloosa. However...

Facts of the matter: I'm going to take names reported by different media outlets as rumor. Nothing more, nothing less.

Why? In the last two hires Saban has made in the OC position can anyone point to a person that had it right when they suggested different guys?

No one saw McElwain's hire coming. No one saw Nuss coming.

 

[bama alum]

http://isportsweb.com/2014/01/08/lane-kiffin-as-alabama-offensive-coordinator/

This article is a rah-rah for Kiffin. Cecil Hurt has said, "I'd be surprised if it's Kiffin but not shocked."

 

[ElephantStomp]

With Saban himself that Bama is going to look at some sort of HUNH I don't see the new OC being somebody on staff, so with that I would say Kiffin because he ran a version of it at USC, but that really doesn't mean anything I suppose.

I would be curious to see how both Kiffin and our offense would do together and just to add to that I would like for Kiffin to be our next OC

 

[jdutton24]

I would be excited for an uptempo offense honestly. Im not saying anything is wrong with what we have been doing, however, id love to give ourselves the same advantage from a hunh..... it can be extremely effective.

 

[Bamabacker]

With Saban himself that Bama is going to look at some sort of HUNH I don't see the new OC being somebody on staff, so with that I would say Kiffin because he ran a version of it at USC, but that really doesn't mean anything I suppose.

I would be curious to see how both Kiffin and our offense would do together and just to add to that I would like for Kiffin to be our next OC

CNS inviting Kiffin as a consultant means something as coach obviously appreciates his knowledge. No one knows, but it might have affected Nuss's lateral move to a mediocre Michigan team. No doubt Kiffin has a great offensive approach but I dont think it would work at Bama. Three reasons why I think we should hire someone else:

1) Kiffin is an established immature hot head and there would be an explosion if a few games are lost.

2) I think his credibility is too damaged to take the chance here.

3) It'll damage Bama credibility on the PR front.


With what CNS has established here, a new coordinator is no different than replacing a good skill positioned football player. Find a decent one and plug em in to keep the machine rolling...IMO

 

[planomateo]

I'd just like someone to keep Henry in the game when he's clearly giving the opponent hell.

 

[riz]

I just don't see this offensive brilliance in Kiffin that so many are purporting. If you say he ran the most successful O's at USC under Carroll, I'll give you that. But I'll also point to the similarities in talent at USC over that time, and the stockpile of talent we have here, for those saying that Nuss was a benefactor of his situation. You can't have it both ways. I don't remember anything frightening out of Kiffin at UT. And I saw the offense explode this year at USC under Orgeron after Kiffin got canned.

But I'm fairly dumb, what do I know.

 

[bama alum]

Other candidates:
http://coachingsearch.com/article?a=Candidates-for-the-Alabama-offensive-coordinator-job

 

[bama29fan]

Chad Morris would be my pick

 

[TerryP]

With Saban himself that Bama is going to look at some sort of HUNH I don't see the new OC being somebody on staff, so with that I would say Kiffin because he ran a version of it at USC, but that really doesn't mean anything I suppose.

I would be curious to see how both Kiffin and our offense would do together and just to add to that I would like for Kiffin to be our next OC

Over the last few years we've seen people talk about a team running a zone read offense with others correcting them with comments like "Urban doesn't run a zone read, he runs a form of a Wing-T." I realize it's semantics.

Semantics rears its head here as well. Saban hasn't said he's going to look at a move to a HUNH offense. He's mentioned speeding up the pace of play, but that's not the same thing as what we see from Ole Miss, Auburn, etc.

When I look at our roster I don't see an offense built for the HUNH. It's a roster stacked full of talent for a Pro-style attack. Making that dramatic of a move doesn't seem to me as a smart coaching decision.

 

[TerryP]

Chad Morris would be my pick

Forget about it. Seriously. Forget about it.

His buyout is over 5 million.

 

[TerryP]

I just don't see this offensive brilliance in Kiffin that so many are purporting. If you say he ran the most successful O's at USC under Carroll, I'll give you that. But I'll also point to the similarities in talent at USC over that time, and the stockpile of talent we have here, for those saying that Nuss was a benefactor of his situation. You can't have it both ways. I don't remember anything frightening out of Kiffin at UT. And I saw the offense explode this year at USC under Orgeron after Kiffin got canned.

But I'm fairly dumb, what do I know.

I won't call you dumb, riz, just blind. :chat2_nana:

The offense at USC went up two points per game under Orgeron. Two points. That's not an explosion. That two points per is largely boosted by scoring 60 over a one win Cal team and close to 50 over a four win Colorado team.

Much like Malzahn at Auburn, Orgeron brought a new mentality to that team that translated to W's.

 

[RollllTide!]

This is one minute old. Kiffin is going to interview as early as today. Can someone check on the BAMA jets flight patterns today?

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/09/report-lane-kiffin-to-interview-for-bama-oc-job/

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For the love of all that’s good and holy, college football gods, pleeease allow this hire to happen.

In the brief time since the surprising news surfaced that Doug Nussmeier was leaving Alabama for Michigan, several candidates have been mentioned as potential replacements as the Tide’s offensive coordinator. Only one of those, though, rhymes with “Lane Kiffin.”

Shortly after the news broke, Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com tweeted that Nussmeier’s departure “does open very real possibility of Lane Kiffin joining #Bama staff,” adding that “[h]e & Nick Saban are buddies.” One of Feldman’s cohorts, though, has taken the speculation to another level.

Thursday morning, Jeremy Fowler reported for the same website that “Kiffin is interviewing for the Alabama offensive coordinator job as early as today.” The interview will take place in Tuscaloosa, Fowler noted.

The report continues a rather bizarre connection between the two coaches that continued last month. In mid-December, it was reported that Kiffin, one of the most polarizing coaches in the college game, would be visiting Alabama to evaluate the Crimson Tide’s offense ahead of the Sugar Bowl.

As expected, the arrangement created quite the buzz both pro and con — mostly the latter — a development that Saban didn’t quite understand.

“Just to come in and brainstorm a little bit, get some professional ideas with our guys, is a real positive thing, so I don’t know why there’s any reaction to it to be honest with you. I’m really quite surprised,” Saban said at the time.

Kiffin’s last three jobs have been as head coach: USC (2010-13), Tennessee (2009) and Oakland Raiders (2007-08). He called plays during his time with the Trojans, while his last official stint as offensive coordinator came with the same program in 2005-06. Those also serve as his only tears as a coordinator at any level.

The fact that both Saban and Kiffin lean toward the pro-style side of the offensive coin lends credence to the rumored interest, even as it would likely be blasted and/or ridiculed if it were to come to fruition.

The thing is, what you or I or anyone else would think of the move wouldn’t make a spit bit of difference to Saban. If he feels Kiffin is the best man for the job and gives the Tide the best opportunity to win, he’ll pull the trigger on a hire, the rest of the world be damned.

Still, the thought of Saban and Kiffin in the same college football program for an entire season — and with the latter back in the SEC no less — makes me giddy. Unabashedly, positively school-girl giddy.

 

[bama29fan]

Wow... Didn't know that.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I know Charlie Strong is more of a defensive mind, but perhaps he could run our offense. I hear he's better suited to be a coordinator than a head coach....or at least that's what I'm seeing on some message boards.

RTR,

Tim

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Source: Former Alabama QB Freddie Kitchens an expected target for offensive coordinator vacancy

The former Crimson Tide quarterback has been with the Arizona Cardinals since 2007.



Read More Here...

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Alabama plans on targeting Freddie Kitchens, the former Crimson Tide quarterback who has spent the past seven seasons on the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff, as a potential replacement for departing offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, a source told AL.com on Thursday. Kitchens, 39, spent the past year as the Cardinals' quarterback coach, working under his former offensive coordinator at Alabama, Bruce Arians. He was the Cardinals' tight ends coach for the previous six seasons.

Alabama coach Nick Saban inquired about Kitchens during his previous offensive coordinator searches, a source told AL.com.

Over the summer, Kitchens underwent emergency heart surgery to repair a defective aorta.

Kitchens, who was a graduate assistant under Saban at LSU in 2000, has coached in the SEC before, spending two years at Mississippi State as a tight ends (2005) and running backs (2004) coach. He was the running backs coach at North Texas from 2001-2003.

A three-year starter at Alabama, Kitchens went 22-13 and threw for 4,668 yards and 30 touchdowns from 1995-97.
Saban is searching for his fourth offensive coordinator since 2007. After two seasons, Nussmeier left Wednesday to replace Al Borges at Michigan.

CBSSports.com reported Thursday that former USC coach Lane Kiffin, who spent a week in Tuscaloosa evaluating Alabama's offense last month, could interview as soon as today.

 

[TerryP]

I know Charlie Strong is more of a defensive mind, but perhaps he could run our offense. I hear he's better suited to be a coordinator than a head coach....or at least that's what I'm seeing on some message boards.

RTR,

Tim

Drop the damn mic and walk off the stage already... :rofl:

 

[TerryP]

Wow... Didn't know that.

Off the top of my head...last off season it was 6.5MM, and drops 1.3MM each season. We'd have to cough up 5.2 and then at least match his pay at Clemson which is well over a million per year.

His contract is structured that way if he leaves to be a coordinator at another program. A head coaching opportunity wouldn't cost as much.

He'd have been a great fit for 'Ville in my opinion.

 

[bamafan4ever]

I know Charlie Strong is more of a defensive mind, but perhaps he could run our offense. I hear he's better suited to be a coordinator than a head coach....or at least that's what I'm seeing on some message boards.

RTR,

Tim

Word on the street in Tuscaloosa is that Strong is a candidate for the Alabama OC position. Maybe Texas Old Timer will clue us in on his interest level.

 

[RollllTide!]

This USC site is having a field day. Funny stuff. Their nickname for us is the Gumps. That is an old old movie. It must have made an impression.

http://usc.247sports.com/Board/29/Bama-OC-Pushed-out-for-Lane-24785849/1