Lane Kiffin got left behind by Alabama's team bus

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 5h5 hours ago

This is too good to make up. Lane Kiffin got left behind by #Alabama's team bus: http://ow.ly/WWcEM

The last time Lane Kiffin didn't make it onto the team bus after a game, it marked the lowest point in his career.

Monday night, Kiffin found himself once again left behind by the team bus, but this time it was because the Alabama offensive coordinator was held up talking to reporters about the Crimson Tide's newly minted national championship.

https://twitter.com/JohnHayesESPN/status/686809502277054464

[jbcarol]

Dave Wilson
‏@dwil

Dads still have to do Dad stuff even after they win a national title. Lane Kiffin's kid attacks him tinsel. #CFP

[jbcarol]

Lane Kiffin ‏@Lane_Kiffin 4h4 hours ago

No huddle wore out Knoxie. #LeftByBus

[jbcarol]

Bruce Feldman ‏@BruceFeldmanCFB 3h3 hours ago

Lane Kiffin gets the last laugh:'Can't imagine writing a better story'..cept being left behind by the team bus part: http://foxs.pt/1PTQh7L

GLENDALE, Ariz. — At 12:15 a.m., about two hours after Alabama had defeated No. 1 Clemson 45-40 to win another national title, Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin made what might've been his toughest play call of the night.

In what surely will sound like The Most Lane Kiffin Thing Ever, Kiffin walked out of the University of Phoenix Stadium on Monday night only to see the team's four buses pulling away. Kiffin was in mid-sentence, talking about his relationship with Alabama QB Jake Coker — "My bus is leaving," Kiffin said. "That's not good."

They couldn't leave without Kiffin, could they?

"They're leaving right now."

"Crap."

Kiffin whistled to a security guard about 50 yards away to stop that last bus. He hustled after it, but it was to no avail. Kiffin and his younger brother, Chris — Ole Miss' defensive line coach — were now stranded at the stadium.

"First, I get fired on the tarmac, and now I get left behind at the national championship," Kiffin said, half-jokingly.

The tarmac firing is a reference to Kiffin's notorious termination from his time as USC's head coach. He has since bounced back exceedingly well. His name may have been a punch line for many, but Kiffin is getting the last laugh.

"He's just so calm out there," Tide senior WR Richard Mullaney said of Kiffin. "Everything is so positive. He's a funny dude. He's never down. He's always encouraging. If something goes wrong, he'll take the blame. It's been great."

[jbcarol]

Lane Kiffin Verified account
‏@Lane_Kiffin

Made it!!!

[jbcarol]

Ralph D. Russo Verified account
‏@ralphDrussoAP

Saban on Lane missing bus: "He ended up hitching a ride with me. I'm always anybody's fall back for a ride.
We enjoyed having him with us."

[jbcarol]

 Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 17h17 hours ago

Alabama OC Lane Kiffin turned down offer to be UCLA's OC, sources told @ESPN http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/14570350/ucla-bruins-offered-offensive-coordinator-job-lane-kiffin-alabama-crimson-tide ...

UCLA promoted running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu to offensive coordinator on Wednesday, but the Bruins initially offered the job to Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, sources told ESPN.

Kiffin turned the job down, sources said, in the days leading up to the Crimson Tide's 45-40 victory over Clemson...

UCLA coach Jim Mora worked with Kiffin's father, Monte, in 1995 when they were with the New Orleans Saints.

In 2013, after Kiffin was fired as USC coach, Mora, on "The Dan Patrick Show," said he would hire Kiffin if he ever were available.

"Yeah, but I don't have a position on my staff," Mora said in October 2013. "I love my staff. I've got Noel Mazzone as my offensive coordinator. In my opinion, he's one of the best in the business. If there's ever a situation where Lane was available and he was interested and there was a position available, he's a guy anyone would want to consider..."

Lateral move?

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC  2h2 hours ago
Photo: Lane Kiffin locked out of Bryant-Denny Stadium before spring scrimmage http://sec.news/22Zxwt9

https://twitter.com/AaronSuttles/status/716316493596590080

[jbcarol]

Lane Kiffin's troll roll continues with Auburn, Tennessee digs


Lane Kiffin Verified account
‏@Lane_Kiffin

#55-19,29-13




Lane Kiffin ‏@Lane_Kiffin Apr 22

#RTR16

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/814535897672806400

[Razorbackers]

I can't tell if this is just a comical coincidence, or some House of Cards stuff being played out by Saban.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/854694883109597184

When asked about his coaching style, Kiffin dropped this take on the listeners: "I'm not really big on humiliating the assistant coaches in front of everybody."

Crimson Tide coach was captured on the sidelines ripping into his offensive coordinator at times during their three-year marriage.

Last season, Saban was captured screaming at Kiffin on the sidelines in the closing seconds of a 38-10 victory against Western ...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/855118533059018753

The money line from Kiffin was: "I'm not really big on humiliating the assistant coaches in front of everybody."

On Thursday, Saban had a radio interview of his own with The Opening Drive morning show in Birmingham. And while Saban didn't address anything Kiffin said on the surface, you didn't have to dig too deep to find what appears to be a subtle jab of his own.

Saban was asked about the development of rising sophomore QB Jalen Hurts, and he gave a carefully worded response. The meaning of which is in the eyes of the beholder.

"I think we protected him a little bit last year and it didn't enhance his development," Saban told The Opening Drive. "And sometimes later in the year when people played us in a way that we needed to be able to throw the ball, we may not have been as efficient as we would have liked to have been. That was probably our fault as coaches because we protected him instead of developing him as a young player. The goal this spring, and certainly before next season, is that we can create more balance by being a better passing team to go along with what we're able to do with our feet as a quarterback. As well as how that creates balance for our overall offense and utilizes some of the other skill players that we have which we didn't always take advantage of last year."