Lane Kiffin backs Kirby Smart’s claim that old Alabama teams would dominate today’s college football

Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban (left), defensive coordinator Kirby Smart (center), and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin (right) react during the second quarter of the 2015 SEC Championship Game against the Florida Gators at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin is on board with Kirby Smart’s claim that Alabama football teams coached by Smart and Saban would dominate the current era of college football.

“Our best Alabama teams, I’m gonna go 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, would beat the dog out of all these teams right now because they can practice different, and they were deeper,” Smart said on “The Next Round.” “The game has not changed that much from 2012 to 2025, but the roster has, and those teams would Clubber Lang somebody. That would just physically beat you.”

Kiffin echoed what Smart said by quoting Smart’s statement with the word facts.

Facts https://t.co/p3cetBTUw0

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) April 30, 2026

Kiffin and Smart coached at Alabama together in 2014 and 2015. Kiffin was Alabama football’s offensive coordinator, and Smart was the Tide’s defensive coordinator when they work together. Both of them coached the 2015 Alabama National Championship team.

Smart and Kiffin now lead their own programs, with Kiffin leading LSU and Smart leading Georgia.