ontarioblue

January 10th, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^

Who has 100% control of his program. He doesn't have to look over his shoulder and worry if this guy is going to replace him. This is a great hire for Alabama. Lane is a very good coordinator despite being an ass most of the time.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 16574

notetoself

January 10th, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^

you seem to be projecting this comment. there was no mention or even hinting about hoke.

i think it was more about a head coach being willing to hire a high-profile guy like kiffin. if, let's say... oh... nebraska hired him as OC, don't you think there would be tons of talk about him replacing pelini?

Joined: 05/14/2009

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TheJoker

January 10th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^

I apologize if I put words into this poster's mouth but I was simply referring to the fact that other posters on this board have mentioned that Nuss is being groomed as a successor when Hoke gets fired. I also took the poster's comment as a slight to Hoke in that he may not have been completely in control and that DB had a hand in playing in the hire. Which I don't see why people had a problem with it because Hoke seemed to be married to Borges and needed a push to make the right decision. 

Kiffin isn't really a high profile hire, he has almost set fire to every place he has been at and has an unfavorable reputation. His success has always been paired with USC and Carroll. 

Joined: 09/01/2011

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nyc_wolverines

January 10th, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^

Who cares if people slight Hoke or suggest that Nussy could be a replace. Let everyone speak their mind. If their opinion is relevant will be shown as such by time or fact if not then it makes your argument stronger. The fact that someone can't question or slight Hoke without being deemed a "stupid commenter" is disturbing. It takes both sides to make an argument, like it or not.

Joined: 01/07/2011

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Commie_High96

January 10th, 2014 at 9:47 PM ^

Hoke is not going to be fired while DB is Ath director. The more likely scenario is that the new president fires both Brandon and Hoke if the program lags in the next few years. Leaders like to have "their people" in place, that goes for ADs, coaches and U Presidents. When a new president comes in and this team still stinks, it will be a blood bath all the way down. I don't think an OC would survive in that scenario.

Joined: 02/10/2012

MGoPoints: 19679

Cali Wolverine

January 10th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^

He was the OC at USC this year (and HC)...and he sucked. You thought Borges' play calling was underwhelming...I had to sit through a 10-7 loss to Washington State at the Coliseum. Buck Allen only had 14 touches under Lane, he had 14 TDs under Coach O. Norm Chow was the star OC under PC...when he left Sark and Lane were co-OC...they did not hold a candle to Chow...and Sark was the better of the two. Lane is a cancer and this will not end well...and if U did not like Bama before...now they truly are the Evil empire.

Joined: 01/13/2013

MGoPoints: 21755

ish

January 10th, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^

that is going to be the most awesome train wreck ever.  those two guys are going to scream at each other on national tv weekly.  saban and kiffin should be a reality show.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 17404

Everyone Murders

January 10th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^

Here's a game for us to play.  How will Saban top USC's "See-Ya!!" parking lot discharge when he decides to shit-can Kiffin?

I'll go first.  Saban will fire him mid-air on the way to a game (for maximum surprise), and throw Kiffin out of the back of a moving jet, D.B. Cooper style.

Joined: 12/14/2010

MGoPoints: 65552

LordGrantham

January 10th, 2014 at 5:39 PM ^

I'm not saying Kiffin doesn't get some credit for that offense, but that 2005 USC team probably had more offensive talent than any team in the history of college football.  He's also proven to be an extremely toxic personality that pretty much leaves disaster in his wake wherever he goes.

Joined: 01/01/2014

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Erik_in_Dayton

January 10th, 2014 at 5:42 PM ^

The arguments for Lane Kiffin, Man of Genius are far from bulletproof, but the Carroll years are where his reputation (the good part) comes from.

However, I do trust - as much as I don't like to say it - that Saban can tell if a guy knows Xs and Os.  Also, his biggest weakness at USC as HC seemed to me (fwiw) to be maintaining morale and unity among his team, and Saban will take care of that.   

Joined: 12/03/2008

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FreddieMercuryHayes

January 10th, 2014 at 5:48 PM ^

Problem is that Saban is the consumate micromanager.  He is in everyone's buisness.  Maybe Carroll was the same way, but I have a hard time seeing those two having a healthy working relationship considering Kiffin's rep.  I dunno.  Maybe Saban can keep him in line.  If anybody could, it would probably be Saban.

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ChiBlueBoy

January 10th, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^

Norm Chow was already known as an amazing offensive mind. His work at BYU before USC was brilliant, and I always assumed he'd one day be an incredible HC in the NFL. For some reason, the rest of football caught up with him, but I'd give Chow most of the credit for what happened at USC. That's not to diss Kiffin, but just to say that Chow had already proven his chops.

Joined: 10/11/2011

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WolvinLA2

January 10th, 2014 at 6:36 PM ^

Exactly.  Lane took over for Chow as Co-OC with Sarkisian and only held that position for two seasons.  One was 2005 where USC had two Heisman trophy winners on the same offense, among gobs of other talent.  Their offense was outstanding, as you would expect.  

In 2006, Lane's offense managed 27 ppg in the Pac-10 when they were the only decent team in it, including a 13-9 loss to UCLA.  

Those are the only two years Lane was an offensive coordinator, and he shared the spot with another guy.  Those are the two data points that are the most impressive on his resume.  Great offense with Leinart, Bush and co. followed by an average year with still better talent than anyone they played.  

Why do we think he's such a great offensive coordinator?

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MGoPoints: 58191

vablue

January 10th, 2014 at 5:33 PM ^

He was a good coordinator, but really only in a place where everything was already clicking. Since that time he has been a wrecking ball. The assumption is that Saban will be able to cover the bad parts of Kiffin. Let's hope that is wrong.

Joined: 11/28/2011

MGoPoints: 6157

MGoBlue24

January 10th, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^

with an assumption that they can handle the imperfections of the subordinate in order to enjoy the goodness. It rarely works because it drains the supervisor. I give Saban credit for thinking this through to his own satisfaction, but time will tell if Lane is more trouble than he is worth.

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MGoPoints: 12900

FreddieMercuryHayes

January 10th, 2014 at 5:33 PM ^

Man, this is going to be interesting to watch.  Two snakes, and two very large, ah, unique, personalities working very close together.  This'll be one to watch.

As an aside, can someone refresh my memory on Kiffin's OC resume.  I'm thinking back, and he basically hangs is reputation on great offenses for like 2 or 3 years with an increadibly loaded USC team.  Now, obviously, Bama is pretty damn loaded as well, but for a lot of the critique I hear of Nuss is that it was Bama's talent and not him that made the offense good (and yes, Bama fans, that offense was very good).  But no one seems to critique Kiffin the same way for probably even more stacked USC offenses.

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gwkrlghl

January 10th, 2014 at 5:36 PM ^

Lane is a great recruiter but has he ever actually been successful anywhere in coaching? Plus the added marriage of city-slicker rich boy Lane Kiffin coaching in Alabama under incredibly high expectations.

I predict that we go less than 3 regular season games before half the fanbase hates him

Joined: 04/13/2012

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bronxblue

January 10th, 2014 at 5:39 PM ^

How Kiffin fits into the System run by Saban confounds me, but this was apparently the goal all along so I guess we'll have to see how it plays out.  Personally, I think they butt heads early and often, but with all that talent it may not matter.

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