Nick Saban urges Lane Kiffin to protect his legacy with next move originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Nick Saban has seen the coaching carousel eat up careers and bury reputations. But the message to former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin was clear about making the right decision for his legacy.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKiffin is nearing a decision to either remain with the Ole Miss program he molded into a playoff contender, or pivot midseason to rebuild elsewhere in the SEC. The stakes go beyond job titles and speaks to how Kiffin will be remembered in college football history.
Because overall you’re not just making a hire, you’re writing the headline of your career. Kiffin's brilliance has never been the question. So what happens next?
Ole Miss (10-1, No. 7 CFP) is positioned for the program’s first College Football Playoff berth. Saban acknowledged the opportunity but referenced his own crossroads as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator contemplating Michigan State.
“I try to give him my perspective from my experience,” Saban told Pat McAfee on Wednesday. “I stayed there and finished the season, hired five guys to run the Michigan State program while we finished the last four or five games with the Browns and went to the playoffs.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSaban added that leaving during a championship push carries uncommon difficulty.
“Every coach wants to coach their team. It is really, really hard to up and leave your team during the season,” he added.
Whatever happens from here on out will determine many things in the SEC. Kiffin and the Rebels head to Starkville to face Mississippi State on Friday (Noon ET, ABC).
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