Todd McShay suggests Lane Kiffin was hoping Alabama job would open before leaving Ole Miss for LSU

Lane Kiffin is officially the next head coach at LSU, but Todd McShay believes he may have had his eye on another school: Alabama. Although the Crimson Tide job isn’t even currently open, with Kalen DeBoer holding the title of head coach, McShay suggested Kiffin could have been waiting for chaos to unfold in Tuscaloosa if Alabama lost to Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

Notably, Kiffin waited to make his decision after the game went final on Saturday and the Crimson Tide won 27-20. Many believed that was because he was waiting to see the outcome to know whether Ole Miss, which he was then weighing whether he wanted to stay and coach at, would play in the SEC Championship Game. A Crimson Tide loss would have pitted the Rebels against Georgia.

When Alabama won and Ole Miss knew it would not play for a conference title, Kiffin announced his decision to go to Georgia. But McShay thinks he could have also been holding onto an ever-so-slim chance of Alabama firing DeBoer in the event of an Iron Bowl loss.

“The same people that told me Friday night that it’s done, that he’s got a place (in Baton Rouge) basically, and everyone in his circle knows that he’s going to LSU, the same people were telling me … it will not be official until after that Alabama game,” the football analyst said on The Bill Simmons Podcast. “Because the job he wants more than any other job … I’ve known Lane for over 20 years, I’m buds with Lane, we communicate, but if you just watch, as much as he butted heads with Nick (Saban) at Alabama, he and Saban have a bond and a mutual respect for one another, even though they drove each other crazy. That was the job he wanted.”

“So there was still this one percent in him, and no one will ever admit it, and especially him … I truly believe there was a small percentage of Lane who was like, ‘I’m going to LSU, it’s done, but what happens if Auburn beats Alabama?’ Because that thing could fall apart in a hurry with Kalen DeBoer.”

Despite this theory from McShay, there’s nothing to suggest that Alabama was even considering firing DeBoer if it had lost to Auburn. The Crimson Tide likely would have had a tough time getting in the College Football Playoff if they had, considering they would have three losses. Perhaps that could have been enough impetus for action, but again, there were no signs of that being the case.

Instead, they finished the season with a 10-2 (7-1 SEC) record and have a chance to punch their ticket to the CFP with a win in the SEC Championship. DeBoer endured early criticism from fans this season after an opening week loss to Florida State, but by all means looks in good standing right now.

As for Lane Kiffin, the Alabama job already came open once for him when Nick Saban retired following the 2023 season, but the Crimson Tide chose DeBoer. But perhaps Kiffin wanted the job then, as he does have ties to the school after serving as offensive coordinator under Saban from 2014-16.

Regardless, he is ready to embark on his first season as the coach at LSU, another historic program at which Saban also coached. How that unfolds will be just as fascinating to watch as the rest of his coaching career to this point has been.