Alabama Football: Best-Ever Nick Saban Assistant Coaches
By Ronald Evans
Alabama Football Assistant: Offensive Coordinator
Note: In every season but one, the Crimson Tide OC under Nick Saban was always the quarterback coach as well. Last season with Dan Enos handling the QB coaching was the one exception.
The Nominees: Jim McElwain (2008-2011); Doug Nussmeir (2012-2013); Lane Kiffin (2014-2016); Brian Daboll (2017) and Mike Locksley (2018)
Mixed emotions ran rampant across the Alabama fan base when Saban named Lane Kiffin his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Kiffin grabbed noteworthy headlines as cold-blooded USC athletic director Pat Haden fired him on the tarmac after an old fashioned butt kicking at Arizona State, 62-41. After observing his unabashed brashness at Tennessee and USC, Kiffin unexpectedly brought an abundance of youthful energy to the Crimson Tide.
The one-time offensive coordinator spoke to Colin Cowherd about his time in Tuscaloosa,
"When I interviewed with coach Saban over three years ago, they had just lost the last two games: The Iron Bowl with ‘The Kick” and they got beat in the Sugar Bowl by Oklahoma. So we’re on a two-game losing streak and our offense right now – I think he said – ‘is like a Ferrari going off the edge of a cliff. We have to change something. He was honest: going faster, more tempo and playing like teams that were beating people at that time. I think we did that."
Under Kiffin’s charge, the first task involved turning a former running back into a quarterback. Blake Sims broke several offensive records at the Capstone, passing for 3,487 yards, 28 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. The recipient of most passes was All-American, SEC Offensive Player of the Year and Biletnikoff winner, junior wide receiver Amari Cooper. Coop finished with 124 receptions for 1,727 yards plus 16 scores.
The following year, Florida State transfer Jake Coker and Derrick Henry led the team to a national title. Coker passed for 3,110 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Kiffin fed the ball to burly junior Derrick Henry 395 times for 2,219 yards and 28 scores leading to a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
The icing on the cake is Kiffin’s most celebrated project, Jalen Hurts, winning SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a true freshman. The stud quarterback accounted for 36 touchdowns (23 passing, 13 rushing) and 3,734 yards of total offense.
Hired as the new head coach at Florida Atlantic University right before the playoffs, Kiffin and Saban mutually agreed to part ways before the national championship. The offense struggled against Clemson as Alabama could not convert on third down (2 for 15) leaving the vaunted Tide defense on the field for 99 plays.