Few moves last offseason made as much noise as Alabama hiring Lane Kiffin as its offensive coordinator. Fewer still worked out as beautifully.

Kiffin helped take Alabama’s offense to a new level, and a big part of that was unlocking Amari Cooper.

That’s not to say that Cooper wouldn’t have played like a star no matter who was calling the plays for the Crimson Tide. But according to Cooper, Kiffin’s smarts are a huge part of what made Alabama work this year.

“He’s a genius as a coach, he’s a very smart coach, he’s a very tactful, schematic guy,” Cooper said.

While most knew that of Kiffin already, there were concerns about how he’d fit in with Nick Saban and the rest of the staff. There haven’t been any problems in that regard, at least publicly. Kiffin even felt comfortable enough in his relationship with the coach to joke about it at the Broyles Award ceremony.

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The relationship Kiffin has built with his players has been just as important. The former Tennessee, Southern Cal and Oakland Raiders coach has a reputation that precedes him, but it doesn’t factor into what happens behind the scenes at the Alabama practice facility.

“We consider him one of the guys, we don’t consider him a coach,” Cooper said from the red carpet at the Home Depot College Football Awards.

It makes sense to see Kiffin that way. With the baggy shorts he wears at practice and the aviator sunglasses he’s been known to wear on the sideline, Kiffin dresses more like a college kid than a middle-aged man. With all he’s been through in his coaching career, it’s easy to forget he’s not even 40 years old yet.

Cooper said that Kiffin’s temperatment is one of the things that’s helped keep this Alabama team humming along.

“He jokes around a lot, and he knows when to get serious,” Cooper said. “And he knows when it’s time to play.”

Cooper has had to come ready to play with Kiffin calling the shots. Especially at Southern Cal, Kiffin’s top receivers were in for a heavy workload. Marqise Lee and Robert Woods, both of whom are cashing NFL checks this year, each had seasons with more than 110 catches at Southern Cal during Kiffin’s time there.

This year’s Biletnikoff Award winner is known not just as one of Alabama’s most studious workers in the film room, but also as a beast in training. He’s not shy to admit it, either.

“I (was) ready for it, I’m ready for whatever (Kiffin) throws at me,” Cooper said. “I trained so hard in the offseason.”

For a duo as successful as Cooper and Kiffin have been, they seem like an odd couple in terms of personality. Cooper comes across as quiet and thoughtful. While he admits to talking trash to his teammates, he doesn’t say much to his opponents.

“I talk smack in practice all the time, but I don’t do it in games,” Cooper said. “I’m unsure of what’s going to happen so I don’t want to jinx myself.”

For a player as dominant as Cooper has been, especially at a position known for prima donnas, his disposition seems rare.

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Kiffin, on the other hand, is the opposite of quiet and reserved. He was caught by cameras signaling a touchdown on the sideline twice in recent weeks, both times before the ball even left quarterback Blake Sims’ hand. Kiffin’s gotten in trouble with his mouth before, and even though he’s been radio silent this year that hasn’t stopped him from talking behind closed doors.

“He’s definitely not quiet,” Cooper said with a chuckle.

On paper, Kiffin’s hiring was a risk. It’s paid off for Saban, who’s been able to watch his offense explode under Kiffin’s direction.

Cooper has been perhaps the biggest beneficiary, with a heavy workload that he was ready to handle. While Cooper does the catching, running and scoring, he just lets Kiffin do the talking.