Nick Saban has gone from one ex-USC head coach to another.
Alabama announced on Friday evening that Steve Sarkisian would be the Crimson Tide’s next offensive coordinator, replacing new Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin.
“He has a tremendous offensive mind and is someone we believe will do a great job of teaching and developing our football team on the offensive side of the ball,” Saban said in a statement. “He has been a great asset to our coaching staff this season and brings a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to his job. Steve will be a phenomenal addition to our coaching staff and someone who can seamlessly transition into the job with a full understanding of how our organization works.”
Sarkisian spend the 2016 season as an offensive analyst on Saban’s staff in a move that many expected to be an audition for Kiffin’s job if he were to leave. As it turns out, that’s exactly what happened.
It seems fitting as Sarkisian replaced Kiffin as the full-time head coach at USC back in 2014. Both worked together previously under Pete Carroll during their time in Los Angeles before becoming head coaches.
Kiffin will remain with the Tide through their College Football Playoff run -- starting, ironically enough, with the team Sarkisian coached from 2009-2013 in Washington -- before turning the reigns over in January.