Do Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban get along? Taking a closer look at a unique relationship in College Football

The relationship between Alabama boss Nick Saban and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is one that never fails to amuse college football fans. While Kiffin may be an opponent of Saban in the SEC right now, he was once a part of the legacy that Saban built with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Kiffin was the head coach of USC from 2010 to 2013. His final season with the Trojans was filled with backlash and criticism for his team's poor performance. The team decided to fire him mid-season following a humiliating 62-41 loss at the hands of Arizona State.

Subsequently, he made his way to Alabama to work with the team's offense under Nick Saban. The then-incumbent coordinator, Doug Nussmeier, was hired by Michigan, which opened up a spot for Kiffin.

Did Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban get along?

Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban get along well with each other despite the rich history they share. The two coaches have faced each other four times, and Nick Saban has come out victorious all four time. Despite all this, both coaches have profound respect for each other and also have a healthy professional rivalry going.

Alabama v Mississippi

But in all honesty, it is hard to describe their bond. It is a tantalizing paradox that one cannot just categorize plainly. They are full of praise for each other, but do not miss opportunities to fire jabs and poke fun as well.

Back in 2020, Lane Kiffin had poked Nick Saban, calling him old and stating that he was worried for him. Saban took this subtle jab lightheartedly and responded to it in a humourous manner:

"I think he's probably right. I wouldn't disagree with him. I guess what I would ask is when he is my age, what's he going to do?", Saban said.

Kiffin had a good time as the OC for Alabama under Saban. In 2014, he was one of the finalists for the Boyle Award. In December 2016, he accepted the head coach job with Florida Atlantic, before becoming the 39th head coach of Ole Miss in December 2019.

Being conference opponents does bring out a sense of competitiveness. But in the end, their mutual respect remains intact.

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Lane Kiffin made a cryptic comment about Nick Saban this season

It looks like the Ole Miss coach cannot resist the urge to poke Nick Saban. Last month, during an interview with the SEC Network, Kiffin talked about how the Alabama coach influenced his own coaching career. While it started off with heaps of praise, his parting comments left fans wondering about what he was actually trying to imply:

"Until you really hit rock bottom in your life and rebuild yourself from there, you really don't figure yourself out. So I give him (Nick Saban) a lot of credit. I love going against him and seeing him before the game. We're excited for this opportunity today and you never know how many more you've got. Maybe this is our last time", Kiffin said.

Alabama went on to defeat Ole Miss 24-10 in Week 4, as Saban's boys continue to be potential contenders for the college football playoffs.