Doug Nussmeier is leaving Alabama to serve as Michigan’s new offensive coordinator, leaving the Crimson Tide with a vacancy to fill. At present, we’re not interested in analyzing how and what Nussmeier will do at Michigan. Rather, we’re more excited about who might replace Nussmeier at Bama.
As soon as CBS Sports’ Bruce Feldman reported the Nussmeier news, the first thought for many people was that Lane Kiffin could end up becoming the new Bama OC.
Feldman described Kiffin going to Bama as a “real possibility”:
#Michigan hiring OC Doug Nussmeier does open very real possiblity of Lane Kiffin joining #Bama staff. He & Nick Saban are buddies.
— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) January 9, 2014
TideSports.com’s Aaron Suttles said it was “possible”:
If you think Lane Kiffin at Alabama could never happen, think again. It could. Not saying it will, but it's possible. The guy can recruit.
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) January 9, 2014
Ivan Maisel also raised the possibility:
Nussmeier to @umichfootball per @BFeldmanCBS. Talk in Newport Beach re @Lane_Kiffin to @AlabamaFTBL as OC.
— Ivan Maisel (@Ivan_Maisel) January 9, 2014
So why all the speculation about Kiffin to Bama? Kiffin came in and consulted with Bama’s coaching staff last month to help them brainstorm and offer input with the offense. Nick Saban was surprised by all the reaction from people wondering about the move and defended Kiffin.
“Lane is a really good offensive coach and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him,” Saban said via AL.com.
Kiffin may have earned some respect from Saban while coaching Tennessee. In 2009, Kiffin’s Vols played Saban’s then-ranked No. 1 Tide very closely in Tuscaloosa and only lost 12-10. Bama went 14-0 that season, and no team came closer to beating them. Kiffin also jabbed Saban earlier in the year over recruiting because he had hired Bama linebackers coach Lance Thompson.
The other issue is that the Sabanbot is so focused on his program, he doesn’t have much time for current events and probably doesn’t entirely understand how despised Kiffin is throughout the college football world. It would take that kind of obliviousness to overlook Kiffin’s image in favor of his coaching ability.
