Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and current Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin have always had a contentious relationship. The duo survived nearly three seasons in Tuscaloosa, where Kiffin served as Saban's offensive coordinator, before a messy split in 2016.
Saban and Kiffin's relationship is fully revealed in a new book, The Price: What it Takes to Win in College Football's Era of Chaos ," written by journalists Armen Keteyian and John Talty, which will be released on August 27.
CAA agent Jimmy Sexton represents both coaches, and he united the duo, convincing Saban to give Kiffin another chance after he was fired at USC. Saban had hoped to modernize the Crimson Tide offense at the time as the sport was evolving with spread offenses featuring RPOs and motion.
AL.com received an excerpt from the new book, including plenty of heated moments between Saban and Kiffin. One such contentious moment came when Kiffin called Sexton, warning him that he was about to receive a call from an angry Saban. Kiffin had told him he "didn't know what he was talking about" in a meeting.
Bracing for impact, Sexton received that call from Saban, who unleashed a tirade. “That son of a b****,” Saban said to his agent, according to the book. “I’m going to fire you, Jimmy, for ever talking me into hiring that narcissistic p****.”
He didn't stop there either, as he vented to another coach about how defiant Kiffin was.
"I ain't never had a f****** coach I can't control," Saban later told an assistant coach, according to the book.
Kiffin was hired as the head coach at Ole Miss in 2020 and has since gone 0-4 in games against Saban. Last year, Saban's Crimson Tide defeated Kiffin's Rebels 24-10 in the rivals' final meeting.
The two coaches appear to be on better terms now, and Kiffin has consistently expressed his gratitude that Saban hired him all those years ago, saying the legendary coach saved his career.
"I really appreciate Coach Saban," Kiffin said on SportsCenter earlier this offseason. "His career is amazing. Just blessed for the opportunity that he gave me. I wouldn't be here today without him."
Alabama and Ole Miss don't have a matchup this fall unless they meet in the SEC Championship game. As Saban prepares for his first season as a media member and Alabama prepares for a new era under head coach Kalen DeBoer, Kiffin hopes to cement himself as one of the best coaches in the SEC.
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