The Lane Kiffin Show left Tuscaloosa a few months ago and the Alabama Crimson Tide have moved on without the always entertaining coach. However, there is still plenty of intrigue surrounding Kiffin and what his time in Tuscaloosa was actually like from his perspective.
As part of an interview with Dan LeBatard of ESPN, Kiffin was asked whether he was "happy" when coaching for the Tide and his response was enlightening (h/t SEC Country):
Question: "Outside of the winning, were you happy at Alabama?"
Kiffin: "Yes and no. I had a unique situation where, for the first time, my family didn't come with me. My kids and wife, and so that made it, outside of the football part, not as much fun. Because they were across the country. That kind of played into that. It would have been more enjoyable had they come and I continued a normal lifestyle, versus, you know, just going there to dive into football. And learn from Coach Saban, and win a bunch of games, and have a blast on the field like we did. We went 40-3, so it was a good time."
Question: "It aged you though, right?"
Kiffin: "Don't get me on that again. I already got in trouble for that statement one time... when I called it the equivalent of coaching in dog years. I'm not going to let that happen again. I thought that was funny at the time, but I guess not."
It isn't surprising that Kiffin gave a measured response, simply because he has been asked this kind of thing before. Still, it is a window into his mind with regard to the positives and negatives of working under Nick Saban and within the spotlight of the largest microscope in college football.
Family is something that is often overlooked in the coaching profession and it makes sense that Kiffin being without his wife and children in Tuscaloosa played a big part. As for the football side, his response leaves plenty up to interpretation.
