It's official.
Former Tennessee and USC head coach Lane Kiffin, who also had a stint in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, is reportedly set to join the Alabama coaching staff as the offensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com's Alex Scarborough.
The position opened up after Doug Nussmeier reached an agreement to fill the same position at Michigan. Alabama moved quickly to find a replacement and ultimately decided that Kiffin, a polarizing figure to say the least, was the best man for the job.
What do you think of the Kiffin hiring?
Right move by Alabama
47.9%
Wrong move by Alabama
52.1%
Total votes: 48
Kiffin complied a 35-21 record over four-plus seasons as a college head coach, one with Tennessee and the rest with USC before getting let go after five games of the 2013 campaign.
His outspoken style and results on the field that didn't match the amount of talent he was able to recruit led him to become a coach who falls into the "love him or hate him" category.
Nick Saban obviously likes what the 38-year-old Nebraska native brings to the table. ESPN noted the two had met before the Sugar Bowl to talk shop and the Crimson Tide head coach spoke highly of Kiffin as an offensive mind:
"Lane is a really good offensive coach, and I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for him," Saban said then. "Just to come in and brainstorm a little bit to get some professional ideas with our guys is a really positive thing."
Not everybody will agree with Saban's assessment. Arash Markazi of ESPN states the general consensus coming out of Kiffin's time with USC is that his offensive coaching ability doesn't match the hype:
Yet, it's hard to ignore the opinion of a four-time national champion coach. While things didn't go according to plan for Kiffin at USC, that doesn't mean he can't go to Alabama and have success as an offensive coordinator. Saban clearly thinks he will.
One thing Kiffin has always done well is recruit. He has a way of connecting with young players, which should bode well for Alabama when it comes to attracting top offensive prospects. Its ability to bring in elite defensive recruits is already unmatched.
That's one of the reasons Kevin Scarbinsky of AL.com thinks Kiffin can succeed at Alabama. He also points out Saban's ability to keep assistants in the background will help:
As for Kiffin�s penchant for saying things he probably shouldn't say, that wouldn't be a problem at Alabama because Kiffin wouldn't be allowed to talk. Except on rare Saban-approved occasions, he would wear the same one-voice muzzle as every other assistant in Tuscaloosa.
That ability to ignore the media and focus on coaching�and recruiting, another of his strengths�sounds as if it would be attractive to Kiffin.
Ultimately, this is a hiring that will attract a lot of attention at the outset. By the time next season rolls around, however, the initial reactions will have blown over and it will all come down to how the Tide offense performs on the field.
Kiffin should understand that this position is a chance to start rebuilding his reputation because he'll still be in the spotlight every week but won't have to deal with the constant media clashes. It's an opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.
Only time will tell if he actually does.
Last edited by Bigbamaboy; 01/10/14 12:20 PM.
