Kiffin to Florida Atlantic

[mustangxc]

Alabama OC pays more than FAU HC, but there is something to be said for being in charge. Additionally, if he can prove his worth as Head Coach at FAU he will be much more desirable than if he stayed at Alabama and won the next 5 national championships as Nick Saban would get most of the credit. He needs to prove he can be successful as the head coach and this is a great opportunity to demonstrate it. All he needs is to make them bowl eligible and it will be considered a success story.

[ericdickerson4life]

Was the buyout issue at UH that big of deal? UH is a much, much better job. With better pay.

Although being in CUSA he could have a quick turnaround and then bolt. Where at UH there is greater competition.


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[mustangxc]

I'd much rather spend 4-5 season at Houston than 2 at FAU. I don't think it was his decision as much as Houston knowing his history and getting cold feet. I think 4-5 seasons of 9+ wins at Houston leads to the best available openings in the country whereas 2 seasons of mild success at FAU might lead to UH, Cinci, Temple, or low P5 such as Purdue, Indiana. etc.

[sbsmith]

Bama OC is a better job than FAU head coach.
Bama equipment manager is a better job than FAU head coach.
There's more to this story than we're getting. He and Saban are big ego guys, so maybe they butted heads, but this move makes zero sense.

It makes sense considering the Bama OC job wasn't going to be his next season.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Florida could turn into the recruiting death match:

isn't Kiffin staying with Alabama through the playoffs? I wonder how that will impact recruiting at Florida Atlantic if he is not fully done with Alabama until after Jan 9th, 2017?

[Stallion]

its the Dead Period already-he can recruit for FAU on phone in spare time

[peruna81]

I'd much rather spend 4-5 season at Houston than 2 at FAU. I don't think it was his decision as much as Houston knowing his history and getting cold feet. I think 4-5 seasons of 9+ wins at Houston leads to the best available openings in the country whereas 2 seasons of mild success at FAU might lead to UH, Cinci, Temple, or low P5 such as Purdue, Indiana. etc.

I've been to UH, and to FAU....as far as location, Florida, all the way.

As far as a JOB, yeah UH is a better gig. Kiffin has yet to be "successful" as a HC anywhere regarding a sustained period of time. He has been a train-wreck of epic proportion, and is unable to connect in any meaningful way with media/boosters/superiors...Belichick can get away with that, Saban too...but they have skins on the wall. I think UH chose to dodge a really toxic bullet here, and made the right decision to go with an affordable, less-toxic bullet.

Kiffin wanted out of one of the best jobs in the nation and in his profession because, well, he knows more than his boss...but hasn't that been his issue all along?

[TidePony]

He's going to do both jobs like Smart and others have done.

[leopold]

I've been to UH, and to FAU....as far as location, Florida, all the way.

As far as a JOB, yeah UH is a better gig. Kiffin has yet to be "successful" as a HC anywhere regarding a sustained period of time. He has been a train-wreck of epic proportion, and is unable to connect in any meaningful way with media/boosters/superiors...Belichick can get away with that, Saban too...but they have skins on the wall. I think UH chose to dodge a really toxic bullet here, and made the right decision to go with an affordable, less-toxic bullet.

Kiffin wanted out of one of the best jobs in the nation and in his profession because, well, he knows more than his boss...but hasn't that been his issue all along?

I've got to say, the whole 'train-wreck' thing isn't fair.
He was handed an NFL HC position waaay to young and had to deal with Art Davis in his twightight years, for god sakes. He had only one season in Knoxville which proved nothing then went to USC and did fine there. He was 25-18, never had a losing season and was dealing with severe sanctions and was fired - I'm still not sure why.
People are scared of his maturity but the dude can flat coach. Hopefully for his sake he can find a way to 'grow up' (whatever that means) and people can chill out.

[peruna81]

I've been to UH, and to FAU....as far as location, Florida, all the way.

As far as a JOB, yeah UH is a better gig. Kiffin has yet to be "successful" as a HC anywhere regarding a sustained period of time. He has been a train-wreck of epic proportion, and is unable to connect in any meaningful way with media/boosters/superiors...Belichick can get away with that, Saban too...but they have skins on the wall. I think UH chose to dodge a really toxic bullet here, and made the right decision to go with an affordable, less-toxic bullet.

Kiffin wanted out of one of the best jobs in the nation and in his profession because, well, he knows more than his boss...but hasn't that been his issue all along?

I've got to say, the whole 'train-wreck' thing isn't fair.
He was handed an NFL HC position waaay to young and had to deal with Art Davis in his twightight years, for god sakes. He had only one season in Knoxville which proved nothing then went to USC and did fine there. He was 25-18, never had a losing season and was dealing with severe sanctions and was fired - I'm still not sure why.
People are scared of his maturity but the dude can flat coach. Hopefully for his sake he can find a way to 'grow up' (whatever that means) and people can chill out.

I have the idea that Saban saw in Kiffin someone who could bring Alabama's offense into a more modern semi-up tempo style...this after Saban complained that the up-tempo offenses that others
were employing were detrimental to the game. Kiffin is certainly able as an offensive coach, but has demonstrated the inability to be the "face" that projects stability and an upward trajectory for a team, pro or otherwise. Saban used him as the "useful idiot" that accomplished the limited goal of an offensive update, but in the past two years there have been noted incidents where Saban openly overrules Kiffin, and goes back to a ground and pound offense.

Sanctions? Yep, USC had 'em, and Kiffin knew about those when he bailed out of Tennessee. Al Davis? Yep, crazy Al was there, and Kiffin knew about that when he took that post.

I think it is less about maturity, and more about stability...as in being double-minded, and unstable in all his ways. Kiffin simply reminds me of the guy that believes he is the smartest guy in the room...and then is surprised when he finds out there are other equally (or greater) gifted folks standing right next to him. I am glad he isn't "ours".

[TidePony]

Kiffin's presser today:

"I’m very grateful to Coach Saban,” Kiffin said. “My phone was not ringing very much at the time after USC, and that was a very humbling experience after being let go there and to go through that process. You start calling a lot of people that don’t call you back all of a sudden, and you realize things about people.

“But you realize something when Nick Saban was willing to take that opportunity and to give me that opportunity, and it’s been a wonderful three years. And Coach Saban has been great through this entire process. I’ve learned so many things from him, about how he runs the program and how he is the CEO of the program.”

The connection between the Kiffin and Saban families goes back to when Monte Kiffin and Coach Saban were coaching for the Oilers in Houston. Kiffin has the opportunity to crawl out of the hole he created. He lost his wife and family, and two jobs from being reckless. Hopefully, now he can rebuild his life.

[peruna81]

to that end, I do hope he is successful in rebuilding his life....

as stated, I am grateful we have Morris.