JessN: In the end, the ending was so Lane Kiffin

JessN

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In the end, the ending was so Lane Kiffin
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
January 2nd, 2017 09:31 PM

When the Crimson Tide nation woke up Monday to the news that Lane Kiffin would not be staying on through Alabama’s national championship rematch against Clemson, the initial surprise was quickly overtaken by a sense of inevitability. The marriage between the management styles of Nick Saban and […]

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BamaGreek

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Coach Saban will always do what he thinks is the right thing to give his team the best chance to be successful. That's exactly what he did here with Kiffin. Thanks Jess for the great write up of the current situation. I for one,am optimistic that we have a better chance of winning this next game with Kiffin gone and Sark doing the job.
 

bodiddle

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Is the lack of progress by Hurts that CNS is concerned about due to lack of developmental time by Kiffin with Hurts during the mini-camp portion of Peach Bowl preparation? If so I assume it is too late to do anything about that now?
 

Bamabuzzard

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Is the lack of progress by Hurts that CNS is concerned about due to lack of developmental time by Kiffin with Hurts during the mini-camp portion of Peach Bowl preparation? If so I assume it is too late to do anything about that now?
It was the entire ball of wax. Lane's head wasn't in the game. He was sleep walking through the game and it became evident to Saban (and to everyone who watched the game) that the playcalling left everyone going "HUH?!?!" The dude has mentally moved on and it could have cost us the game. This is the best move to make considering the circumstances. It's time to cut bait and move on. I'd rather deal with the change than put my faith in an employee who has long checked out.
 

CHATTBRIT

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Kiffin did good work all the QBs he's had. When I first heard Kiffin had been hired, I hoped he would make a point of learning from Saban so he would not screw up his next HC opportunity. Unfortunately, I don't think he has taken full advantage of such a wonderful opportunity to learn from the best. Good luck to him at FAU. Next one up - Sark.
 

Ole Man Dan

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A dozen times during the Washington game I wondered aloud if Kiffin had his heart in coaching Alabama. Guess I was right.

Maybe Coach Saban finally heard me over my TV screaming...

RUN THE BALL

Except what I said was not printable on this forum. :mad:

That game had many peculiar calls by LK. (Putting it nicely guys)

I had great hopes he would grow up and learn from Coach Saban. :rolleyes:
 

JessN

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Is the lack of progress by Hurts that CNS is concerned about due to lack of developmental time by Kiffin with Hurts during the mini-camp portion of Peach Bowl preparation? If so I assume it is too late to do anything about that now?
That was part of the decision, yes. Certainly significant from the list of technical football issues.

Best we can tell, there was no specific "conduct issue" (since the season's end) to get him finally cut loose from the program but rather an assortment of little things. But he's been on shaky ground since the spring. The megathread here about it is a good primer for what happened and it finally got to a point that Saban didn't either (a) want to manage anymore or (b) didn't think he could manage it anymore and it not hurt the team. If you're going to preach accountability to the kids, you've got to hold the coaches to at least the same standard, and in the end, he did.

My personal take is that he thought he'd have head coaching offers streaming in by the end of his second year here and when that didn't happen, he started counting down the days. Working for Saban is not easy. Saban's more likely a 5-to-8 guy than an 8-to-5 guy and that act isn't for everyone, especially not someone with Lane's makeup.
 

dvldog

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I hope we finish strong and take home the trophy. It would be a great testament to this team and the program. I hope next year we can concentrate on the team enjoying what ever success they may have and not be constantly bombarded by the drama associated with who our OC/DC/or HC is or is going to be. Probably wishful thinking on my part.
 

bamacon

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That was part of the decision, yes. Certainly significant from the list of technical football issues.

Best we can tell, there was no specific "conduct issue" (since the season's end) to get him finally cut loose from the program but rather an assortment of little things. But he's been on shaky ground since the spring. The megathread here about it is a good primer for what happened and it finally got to a point that Saban didn't either (a) want to manage anymore or (b) didn't think he could manage it anymore and it not hurt the team. If you're going to preach accountability to the kids, you've got to hold the coaches to at least the same standard, and in the end, he did.

My personal take is that he thought he'd have head coaching offers streaming in by the end of his second year here and when that didn't happen, he started counting down the days. Working for Saban is not easy. Saban's more likely a 5-to-8 guy than an 8-to-5 guy and that act isn't for everyone, especially not someone with Lane's makeup.
And the fact that he didn't get any of those better jobs was ENTIRELY Lane's fault.

Peter Pan analogy is perfect!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CrimsonEyeshade

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The Peter Pan analogy indeed is perfect, given that most readers of that story completely miss the destructive side of never growing up. Readers of the Sports Illustrated piece on Kiffin should have spotted the warning signs within the first few paragraphs.
 
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DrollTide

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I don't think this is complicated. Saban always talks about "QA" after every game. Judging by the offensive performance, it is fair to assume there were many QA failures. You talk through them with the OC, and you agree that the root cause was distractions and interruptions related to the new job, and then you both agree that the best solution for the next game is for Sark to be the OC. This does not have to be angry, it is an objective determination based on numbers that Saban reviews with all the staff every week.
 

CrimsonEyeshade

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Droll, I think it was this and more.

We have been told repeatedly over the last two years about the problems with the Saban/Kiffin relationship. We have been told repeatedly about his weird detachment from the rest of the staff and his questionable social proclivities, even as a very public and married man. Maybe the Peach Bowl was the first time all these issues seeped into the team's performance. Or maybe, as most evidence indicates, the team's level of play Saturday as well as Kiffin's conduct over the last few weeks combined to bring matters to a boil.

What is even stranger is Kiffin's need to make multiple statments that are demonstrably untrue. He is appearing more pathological by the minute.

I don't think this is complicated. Saban always talks about "QA" after every game. Judging by the offensive performance, it is fair to assume there were many QA failures. You talk through them with the OC, and you agree that the root cause was distractions and interruptions related to the new job, and then you both agree that the best solution for the next game is for Sark to be the OC. This does not have to be angry, it is an objective determination based on numbers that Saban reviews with all the staff every week.
 

RTR91

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Unfortunately, Kiffin also had the sports version of a wandering eye. Not for other jobs, per se, but for the privilege to run his affairs his own way, without having to answer to a significant other.
 

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