Lane Kiffin appreciates what old friend Steve Sarkisian is doing at Texas
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian are longtime friends. The two coached on Pete Carroll‘s staff at USC from 2001 to 2003 then again from 2005 to 2006.
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The connections don’t end there as Sarkisian succeeded Kiffin at USC in 2013 following Kiffin’s infamous tarmac firing, then one more at Alabama in 2016 when Sark stepped in as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator after the Lane Train left Tuscaloosa for Florida Atlantic.
Both have had successes, failures, and stints with the Las Vegas Raiders during their careers. They focus on offense and have worked for Nick Saban. The two even have a bit of fun with each other on social media, where Kiffin is known for his entertaining antics.
So with Texas entering the Southeastern Conference in 2024, Kiffin was asked at SEC Media Days about potentially seeing his old friend across from him on the sidelines when the two share the same league.
“Texas, Oklahoma coming in is amazing,” Kiffin said Thursday. “I already looked at our schedule, the one they put out to 2024, and I joked to Steve Sarkisian yesterday, and I said, well, I don’t know any coach that would want to go to the NFL. We are in it now. Our schedule is like playing in the NFL in the SEC now, especially adding those two.”
The two have met on the field three times as head coaches. When Sarkisian was at Washington and Kiffin led USC, Sark’s Huskies topped the Trojans 32-31 in Los Angeles in 2010. Kiffin then beat Sarkisian in back-to-back seasons, with a 40-17 win in LA in 2011 and a 24-14 win in Seattle in 2012.
Their relationship was forged during their days as assistants on Carroll’s staff as position coaches. Sarkisian coached quarterbacks while Kiffin was offensive coordinator overseeing wide receivers. Kiffin looked back on their successes together, plus what could have been.
“I’ve had a great relationship with Sark,” Kiffin said. “I’ve said before we both kind of grew up fast by being in the USC experience and being part of Coach Carroll’s staff and all the great players there. I think 34 straight wins, and if we can tackle Vince Young, three straight national championships.”
From his vantage over 700 miles away in Oxford, Miss., Kiffin sees good things in the Longhorns’ future under Sarkisian.
“I think he’s doing awesome there, and the way he’s flipped the roster and recruiting at such a high level and signing Arch (Manning), I think the future is extremely bright for Texas Football,” Kiffin said.
