The second Lane Kiffin rejoined the SEC and became the head coach of Ole Miss, he would bring his audacious humor to both social media as well as his press conferences.
Although the country did not have the opportunity to be graced with a Kiffin conference at SEC Media Days this year, he has made more than enough waves this week as the team is gearing up to host Alabama on Saturday.
Kiffin’s tenure at Alabama was well documented and very successful. He helped the team qualify for the College Football Playoff every year he was a part of the staff and was instrumental in 2015 when the Crimson Tide won the national title. The following season was Kiffin’s last in Tuscaloosa and provided an on-brand abrupt finish to his season by leaving the team right before the week of the championship game.
Despite his odd ending, Kiffin has had nothing but positive remarks about Alabama and head coach Nick Saban.
Kiffin even still likes to have some fun with the Crimson Tide media and fans but cracking jokes about Saban is what catches everybody’s attention. Even going as far as calling him “elderly”, and that the former defensive back would have no shot at covering him if the two played.
“I don’t play and he doesn’t play, so we’d have a better chance if that was the case,” Kiffin said during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday. “I don’t think he can cover me. … He’s in his like 60s. … I was telling someone the other day, ‘I’m really worried about Coach. He’s elderly now.'”
Word traveled quickly to Saban as he had a chance to respond to Kiffin’s claims during his own Wednesday press conference.
“I think he’s probably right. I wouldn’t disagree with him. I guess what I would ask is, when he’s my age, what’s he going to do?” Saban said with a big grin. “I don’t know, it’s a little bit of a disadvantage to be my age and have had a hip replacement, but I still pride myself on my ability to cover. I just don’t think I can cover him.”
Although the two won’t be lacing up their old cleats on Saturday, they will have an opportunity to show which of their teams can win their own matchup.
Alabama and Ole Miss are due to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
