The war of words between Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban continues.
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This battle was started by Saban after comments about rising sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts appeared to reflect poorly on Kiffin's stint as Alabama's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
"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," Saban said on Hurts. "That was probably our fault as coaches. Because we protected him, instead of developed him as a young player."
Related: Lane Kiffin is still taking shots at Nick Saban even after leaving Alabama
Many took that as a shot at Kiffin's inability to develop Hurts as a quarterback during his freshman season, and now it looks like Kiffin definitely perceived that quote as a criticism against him personally.
Here's how Kiffin responded, via AL.com:
"I would think he would improve a lot year one to year two," Kiffin told "The Opening Drive" on WJOX in Birmingham. "It is a big year for improvement. Did we protect him? Well, I think the last time I checked, the job was to win the games we play, and we won every game when we were there that he played in. He was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. If that is protecting him, I hope we protect our quarterback here like that."
"We won every game when we were there that he played in," definitely seems like a shot at the Crimson Tide after their loss without Kiffin in the College Football Playoff title game to Clemson.
Considering the way Kiffin left Alabama, it's no surprise that he is taking his shots while trying to establish himself as the head guy at Florida Atlantic. The only question is how long this verbal war will continue between he and Saban, as it doesn't look like either of the two are looking to back off as of now.
