Lane Kiffin jokingly thanks Paul Finebaum for 'pissing off' Nick Saban

Much of the conversation at this year’s SEC Media Days has centered on juggernaut Alabama and whether the Crimson Tide dynasty is over as we know it. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin just rolls his eyes when he hears that talk.

He’s seen this song and dance before, even blaming a friendly face in the media for tossing Alabama and coach Nick Saban a bone.

“It’s why we have Finebaum, so he can motivate him every other year and say, ‘Oh, his dynasty’s over and this is the end of Saban,’ and we’re like, ‘Hey, thanks a lot, you pissed him off,'” Kiffin said. “And Paul’s always wrong on this. He just did it again the other day. ‘He didn’t make the playoffs, he’s not any good as a coach.’ Thanks, Paul.”

Alabama did indeed miss the College Football Playoffs in 2022, just the second time since the playoffs were introduced in 2014 that the Crimson Tide haven’t been a part of them.

That despite having one of the most talented teams in recent memory, led by 2021 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Bryce Young and defensive superstar Will Anderson.

For Kiffin, though, none of that diminishes what Nick Saban has done.

The Ole Miss coach very much believes he’s the best to ever do it, in the history of college football.

“I mean he’s the best to ever do it. I’ve said it before,” Kiffin said. “I really do believe he is the best coach to ever do it because you guys know in here I take in all the information and look at it instead of just take a record. He’s done it in a time of scholarship limitations where some of those older coaches didn’t have them. What if Nick Saban didn’t have an 85 limit? What would his roster look like if he had 150 scholarships to give?”

Alabama will likely be on a revenge tour of sorts in 2023, looking to get back at LSU and Tennessee after dropping both games last fall.

The Crimson Tide have revamped the roster and the coaching staff, with two new coordinators coming in this offseason to try to steady the ship. That’s another thing that impresses Kiffin when it comes to Nick Saban.

“Also he’s done what I don’t think anybody did over time of do it continually with so much staff turnover,” Kiffin said. “So many people are hired off of his staff other places or new head coaches. It’s kind of like, man, all these first-round picks and he loses these coordinators.”