Lane Kiffin is officially the next head coach at LSU, but former ESPN analyst Todd McShay believes the Tigers were not his first choice. While on The Bill Simmons Podcast, McShay suggested Kiffin may have quietly held out hope for one more job to open 332 miles northeast.
Although the Alabama job is not vacant, McShay said Kiffin waited until after Alabama’s 27-20 Iron Bowl win over Auburn to finalize his decision. Many believed Kiffin delayed his announcement to see whether Ole Miss would reach the SEC Championship Game. An Auburn upset would have sent the Rebels to Atlanta. Instead, Alabama’s win eliminated that possibility, and Kiffin committed to LSU soon after.
But McShay said there was another layer to the story. “The same people telling me Friday night that he’s going to LSU also said it wouldn’t be official until after that Alabama game,” McShay said. “Because the job he wants more than any other job is Alabama.”
Kiffin previously worked under Nick Saban in the mid-2010 and has maintained what McShay described as “a bond and mutual respect” despite their clashes. McShay added that while Kiffin was essentially locked into LSU, there remained “one percent” of him wondering whether an Alabama loss might trigger upheaval in Tuscaloosa.
There is no indication Alabama considered firing coach Kalen DeBoer, who finished 10-2 in his second season and remains positioned for a College Football Playoff berth. However, McShay’s theory adds to the lingering intrigue around Kiffin’s long-standing connection to the Crimson Tide as he begins his tenure in Baton Rouge.
Maybe Kiffin with follow in Saban's footsteps with a jump to the NFL before Alabama.
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