TUSCALOOSA, Ala.–While the pleas to hire Lane Kiffin continue, Houston has the ball in its court and expects to announce its new head coach on Thursday evening. Despite conflicting reports and speculation from numerous media sources, if Houston fully stamps its approval on Kiffin—he will leave following the playoff.
For now, let’s focus on what his departure would mean for Alabama football.
His ego would love for him to base his reason in coming to Alabama on the idea of being an offensive consultant, nevertheless, there were moments during his time at Tennessee and Southern California that caused Lane Kiffin’s star to fall and he needed someone to help him. Defcon sirens of all types sounded off the moment Nick Saban extended his hand to Kiffin in January of 2014. Sure enough fans and media personnel bombarded him with every reason to not hire the hot shot coordinator, but Saban remembered a time when someone reached out to him and in doing so, he is now regarded as the best college football coach of this era.
Whether you love him or hate him, one has to admire Kiffin’s approach to each challenge.
Initial thoughts had Tuscaloosa as a one-year stop for the Lincoln, Neb., native, but he managed to open up an offense that Saban wanted to have done from Major Applewhite, Jim McElwain and Doug Nussmeier.
Former Crimson Tide quarterbacks Blake Sims and Jake Coker haven’t made an NFL roster, yet both were 3,000-yard passers and Southeastern Conference champions under Kiffin. Coker, in particular, went from watching Jameis Winston win a BCS national title in 2013 (Florida State) to leading Alabama to a College Football Playoff national championship two years later. After mentoring two one-and-done signal callers, Kiffin hardest test came in the form of an 18-year-old boy from Channelview, Texas.
Through 12 games as a starter, Kiffin has Jalen Hurts as the most discussed freshman and quarterback in college football. In being responsible for 34 touchdowns and handling adversity, Hurts became the first freshman in school history to earn SEC’s Freshman of the Year and first freshman in conference history to win SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year. The hire of Kiffin meant Saban was ready to evolve.
With the game changing, he knew that more was needed for Alabama than a run game and a tenacious defense to stay above the pack. Seeing the three-time national champion depart seamlessly puts the Tide back at square one on offense, especially if analyst Steve Sarkisian follows him out. Saban is the head honcho in recruiting, but the likes of Hurts, Blake Barnett and the future with Tua Tagovaiola and Mac Jones all desire to run an scheme developed by Kiffin. To put this in perspective, he’s coached Alabama to more yards in his tenure (461) than what both McElwain (408.1, 2008-11) and Nussmeier (449.8, 2012-13) did at Tuscaloosa.
Two games remain in its season, but the Tide’s 40.5 points a game is the most under Saban.
Defensive coordinators could not find sleep in Kiffin’s three seasons, as he attacks between the tackles, on the perimeter and downfield with pin-point passing. When you produce three SEC championship quarterbacks, a Heisman-winning running back (Derrick Henry), two 1,000-yard receivers, two SEC Offensive Player of the Year recipients (Henry, Hurts) and a Biletnikoff Award winner (Amari Cooper), you deserve the right to be a head coach again. Kiffin is now a graduate of Saban’s boot camp and whether the next student is Sarkisian or another attractive name, the impact of Kiffin’s fist pump touchdown celebration will be missed.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
