Nick Saban reveals how close Lane Kiffin was to staying at Ole Miss

Jeff Hauser

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Nick Saban reveals how close Lane Kiffin was to staying at Ole Miss image

Nick Saban revealed Saturday just how close Lane Kiffin came to remaining at Ole Miss before ultimately taking the LSU job. He also shared how involved he was in the process.

While on ESPN’s College GameDay, Saban acknowledged that Kiffin reached out to him and Pete Carroll for guidance as he weighed the decision. The former Alabama coach said he often gets calls from coaches seeking advice and approaches those conversations with neutrality.

“I want them to follow their heart,” Saban said. “I never tell anybody what they should do. I just try to bring some thought into it so they can make good decisions for themselves and their family.”

Saban said there was a window where Kiffin staying in Oxford was possible, but the longer the situation dragged on, the less realistic it became. “I think he was very confused,” Saban said. It's one of the challenges coaches face navigating a new job amid the sport’s accelerated hiring calendar.

Saban added that while some schools allow departing coaches to finish the season, Ole Miss and LSU couldn’t align on that approach. This is unconventional, but needed to be done. 

Saban also pointed out his own history, including when Kiffin did not finish Alabama’s 2016 Playoff run before leaving for Florida Atlantic.

“That was a situation where Lane was struggling to handle taking a new job … and doing his job here,” Saban said. “So we mutually agreed it would be better for him to move on.”

Kiffin's move to Baton Rouge with a near overnight process. Ole Miss waits to see where they're going to be placed in the College Football Playoff. 

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Contributing Writer