Lane Kiffin’s interest in the Alabama job became a live storyline the moment Nick Saban stepped away, and Paul Finebaum says Kiffin tried to force the issue publicly. That push matters because it helps explain why Kiffin landed at LSU rather than in Tuscaloosa.
Finebaum laid out the account on air, saying Kiffin called him in the middle of a show and asked him to create public momentum for the candidate, and a full writeup of Finebaum’s remarks is available from CFB-HQ On SI.
Key Takeaways
- Paul Finebaum says Lane Kiffin called and begged him to push for the Alabama job on his show as the search unfolded.
- Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne and the school’s leadership reportedly never had Kiffin in the mix during the post‑Saban coaching search.
- Finebaum relayed that he had been told Nick Saban was blocking Kiffin, and those claims remain uncorroborated in this account.
Lane Kiffin Alabama job push
Finebaum described a direct plea from Kiffin: the coach allegedly called his program and asked Finebaum to go on the air and tell Alabama decision makers Kiffin would take the job.
Finebaum said Kiffin phoned during his show and asked, “Can you get me this job?”
Finebaum added that Kiffin wanted him to say on air he would accept the job and that he had turned down Auburn; those lines are Finebaum’s recounting and are presented here as his on‑air account.
Readers should treat the episode as an uncorroborated behind‑the‑scenes claim until independently confirmed. Finebaum also said he had been told by sources that Nick Saban was blocking Kiffin, and that allegation is presented as hearsay rather than a verified act by any named decision maker.
Kiffin history with Alabama and the coaching path to LSU
Kiffin’s connection to Alabama is part of the reason his name surfaced so quickly after Saban’s retirement. He served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016 and his firing before the 2017 national championship game remains a salient part of how Alabama decision makers view his candidacy.
After his time at Ole Miss, Kiffin left to become LSU’s head coach in the offseason, a move the Finebaum account frames as an outcome shaped in part by Alabama’s decision process and the lack of traction his outreach generated.
Alabama search context and Kiffin timeline
| Topic | Verified fact or reported context |
|---|---|
| Kiffin role at Alabama | Kiffin was Alabama offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016 and was fired before the 2017 national championship game. |
| Alabama search posture | Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne and school leadership reportedly did not include Kiffin in the search mix for Saban’s successor. |
| Perceptions among Bama officials | Reports say some officials were turned off by Kiffin’s off‑field episodes; Finebaum also related being told Saban was blocking Kiffin, which remains an allegation. |
SEC recruiting and College Football Playoff implications
This episode recalibrates narratives within SEC recruiting because Kiffin’s move to LSU places a high‑profile offensive architect directly against Alabama and other programs. Kiffin’s public effort to join Alabama, followed by his LSU hire, changes optics on sideline credibility and program direction for prospects and boosters.
For recruits weighing proximity, scheme and coaching relationships, the optics of Kiffin’s outreach and Alabama’s response will factor into conversations on the trail across upcoming signing cycles. A coach with Kiffin’s offensive profile moving inside the conference also reshapes matchup preparation and strategic game planning relevant to College Football Playoff positioning.
