If you’ve been following FAU head coach Lane Kiffin on Twitter recently, you know he’s really taken the term ‘rat poison’ and ran with it to an almost extreme comical effect. That phrase was originally used by Alabama’s Nick Saban to discuss players buying into the hype on the team they read or hear in the media.
It seems the most divisive college football coach in America isn’t just taking phrases from his old boss though, he’s extending the practice to guest speakers. Saban brought in former Yankees manager Joe Girardi to take in the Crimson Tide’s big rivalry game against LSU a few weeks ago and it seems Kiffin is doing the same with his Owls play local rival Florida International this Saturday for a berth in the Conference USA title game.
Thanks for coming to #thefaU Look forward to hosting Joe Saturday!!! #4timeworldchamp pic.twitter.com/sj08rIILGf
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 15, 2017
“It was cool because he’s a fan,” FAU linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair told the Sun-Sentinel after hearing Girardi speak. “That was cool to hear. He was talking to us about making sure that you’re prepared, making sure that you’re ready to play and do whatever it takes to make sure that you are ready so you don’t feel like you left anything on the table.”
Alabama beat LSU 24-10 in the game Girardi was supposedly in attendance for so it will be interesting if that luck carries over on Saturday for Kiffin and FAU with the team in a position they haven’t been in for long time.
If you’re going to steal an idea and somebody like Girardi to a game, might as well steal it from the best, right Lane?