Lane Kiffin surprised college football by announcing on Sunday that he was leaving Ole Miss for LSU. Still, analyst Todd McShay alleges that Kiffin really wanted to go to Alabama and waited until after the Iron Bowl to make his move.
McShay pointed out that Kiffin didn’t make his announcement until Sunday, a day after he was supposed to make his decision, according to the New York Post.
The analyst added that Kiffin hoped Alabama would hire him if the Crimson Tide lost to Auburn and would therefore be ready for a coaching change. Of course, that didn’t happen. Alabama won on Saturday, beating Auburn 27-20.
Kiffin was Alabama’s offensive coordinator under Nick Saban from 2014 to 2016.
“The same people that told me Friday night that it’s done, that he’s got a place (in Baton Rouge) basically, and everyone in his circle knows that he’s going to LSU, the same people were telling me … it will not be official until after that Alabama game,” McShay told podcast host Bill Simmons.
“Because the job he wants more than any other job,” McShay added. “I’ve known Lane for over 20 years. I’m buds with Lane; we communicate, but if you just watch, as much as he butted heads with Nick (Saban) at Alabama, he and Saban have a bond and a mutual respect for one another, even though they drove each other crazy. That was the job he wanted.”
Unfortunately for Kiffin, Alabama made no moves over the weekend after beating Auburn. And the next day, Kiffin announced his seven-year, $91 million contract with the Tigers.
But McShay says that Kiffin was holding out hope that Alabama would come calling.
“So, there was still this one percent in him, and no one will ever admit it, and especially him … I truly believe there was a small percentage of Lane who was like, ‘I’m going to LSU, it’s done, but what happens if Auburn beats Alabama?” he said. “Because that thing could fall apart in a hurry with Kaelen DeBoer.”
DeBoer is safe at Alabama for now. Meanwhile, former Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding is taking over for Kiffin in Mississippi.
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