Former Baylor WR Kiante Griffin identified as security guard who turned away Nick Saban

Nick Saban’s first day as an analyst at SEC Media Days got off to an interesting start, to say the least. The former Alabama coach-turned-ESPN and SEC Network analyst forgot his credential, meaning he had to go back up to his room.

Saban said he talked to a security guard before going back to get his pass. It turns out that security guard is a former four-star recruit who played at Baylor.

Kiante Griffin was working at the Omni Dallas Hotel when Saban came down to start his day of coverage for SEC Network. He was a four-star recruit out of Hebron (Tx.) High School. He was the No. 257 overall player from the 2012 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Griffin started his college career at Baylor before transferring to Sam Houston State, and now works in security at the Cowboys’ practice facility, according to AL.com’s Michael Casagrande. With SEC Media Days in Dallas, he worked the entrance along with his grandmother. But when Saban forgot his credential, Griffin said the legendary coach immediately knew he forgot something.

“He came down the elevator and he knew he didn’t have his credentials,” Griffin told AL.com. “He literally looked at me, he was like ‘Oh I’m going to go up and get it.’”

Being a former college football player himself, Griffin knows the legend of Saban. He also understands just how recognizable he is and was willing to let him through. But Saban still went to get his pass to avoid further issue.

“I was like ‘I think everybody should know who you are. There’s a credential desk right here. You can probably just get another one,'” Kiante Griffin said. “But he ended up just going back up to his room.”

Saban confirmed the incident during a hit on Get Up with Mike Greenberg, noting he didn’t need a credential during his 17 years at Alabama while attending SEC Media Days. He also received a playful jab from the commissioner when Greg Sankey joked about what happened at the start of his opening remarks, saying Saban would’ve been in the running for a “media hustle award” if one existed.

“The third would go to Nick Saban, who apparently was denied access because he didn’t have his credential this morning and had to go back to his room,” Sankey said. “We teach those lessons quickly.”