Lane Kiffin hired as Alabama offensive coordinator (this is not a joke)

UPDATE: Kiffin received a three-year deal from the Crimson Tide. The terms of his contract were not immediately disclosed.

For those wanting to hear Kiffin discuss his new job, don’t expect him to meet with the media anytime soon. As of now, the new offensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa does not have any media opportunities scheduled until August, according to Cecil Hurt. It’s also worth noting that former offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier seldom met with reporters. Unlike at USC, Kiffin will be out of the spotlight in Alabama. That’s probably for the best.

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Alabama has hired Lane Kiffin to replace Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator, the school confirmed Friday afternoon after the news was first reported by Alex Scarborough of ESPN.com. Nussmeier, who served as the Crimson Tide’s OC for two seasons, recently left for the same job at Michigan.

Kiffin visited Tuscaloosa last month to consult with Alabama head coach Nick Saban and give him advice on the Crimson Tide offense, which initially sparked some Kiffin-to-Alabama murmuring. Despite ‘Bama averaging 38.2 points per game in 2013, ranking 17th in the nation, Saban reportedly wasn’t pleased with the attack this season.

Then again, SI’s Stewart Mandel thinks Saban wasn’t a fan of this year’s offense, and Nussmeier reportedly was interested in the currently vacant OC job at Notre Dame. Apparently Paul Finebaum was insinuating that Nussmeier wasn’t long for the job yesterday, though I didn’t hear that myself. The fact that UM swiped him mere hours after announcing Borges’s firing would make it seem like this was prearranged. I don’t think this was a, “leave so we don’t have to fire you” deal, but it doesn’t seem like Bama wanted to fight for him.

Kiffin is returning to the coordinator ranks after three failed head coaching gigs, leading the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee, and USC. The Trojans fired him in the middle of his fourth season. However, Kiffin ran the offense at USC in 2005 and ‘06, and the Trojans averaged 39.2 points over 26 games.

If you thought Tennessee fans hated Alabama before, just get ready. But at Roll ‘Bama Roll, SB Nation’s Alabama site, Crimson Tide fans are enthusiastic over the idea:

Lane Kiffin in Tuscaloosa may sound like a dirty trick but is one that could reap national championship awards. Lane certainly has the skill set to produce the type of offense we’ve only dreamed about at Alabama.

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