Lane Kiffin leaving Alabama could be more damaging than fans realize
ALABAMA TEAM NEWS
Lane Kiffin leaving Alabama could be more damaging than fans realize
By
Justin Nails
Posted on November 29, 2016
RANDY SARTIN/USA TODAY SPORTS
I am puzzled by the speculation, near expectation, that
Lane Kiffin will leave Alabama for LSU.
One, Kiffin is the offensive coordinator for the best team in the country with a freshman phenomenon at quarterback who will get better as his game matures. Why would Kiffin leave what could be a historic run of success with Nick Saban and Jalen Hurts for a lesser job with a lesser coach, lesser talent and likely only a small bump in pay?
Second, why would Kiffin go work for the guy he hired not once but twice, and who replaced him at USC?
Coaches have egos and I’d be willing to bet that Kiffin’s is as big as they come. I’d also be willing to bet even more that Kiffin takes this speculation of him working
for Orgeron as an insult given the fact some (me) believe
LSU settled on “Coach O” when they could have landed numerous better coaches,
including Kiffin.
The LSU offensive coordinator job would be a step down for Kiffin. The only way I see him leaving Alabama is to become a head coach again,
which now doesn’t seem likely this offseason.
RELATED: Report: Lane Kiffin’s search for head coaching job getting ‘little to no traction’
The more surprising discussion in all of this is that many fans and media feel as though the transition from Kiffin to current
Alabama “offensive analyst” Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator would be a seamless one for Alabama if it needed to do so.
Let’s not forget that Sarkisian was fired from USC because of a drinking problem. I’m not saying he isn’t well enough to coach, but none of us know how he would handle the pressure of
Nick Saban grilling him on the sideline and the scrutiny that comes from calling plays for the Crimson Tide.
More important, we don’t know if Sarkisian would have the same success. Kiffin’s hire was controversial. Two appearances in the College Football Playoff, one national championship and the development of quarterbacks Jake Coker, Blake Sims and Hurts has erased any doubts about his ability. In hindsight, an argument could be made that Saban needed Kiffin almost as much as Kiffin needed Saban.
If Kiffin decides to leave, Alabama fans shouldn’t fool themselves into thinking the transition will necessarily be as smooth as the one on defense from Kirby Smart ti Jeremy Pruitt. Kiffin will be incredibly hard to replace.
I don’t see Kiffin leaving. Not unless Oregon gives him a call to become its coach.
RELATED: Did Alabama hire Steve Sarkisian to keep him away from LSU?
(You can follow Justin Nails on Twitter @JustinNails)