FAU head coach and former Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin gave a lengthy interview to Clay Travis Thursday morning on his FOX Sports radio show.

The full interview is over 30 minutes long and definitely worth a listen, as Kiffin goes in-depth on his exit from Alabama, his thoughts on the Alabama program overall, Nick Saban, Jalen Hurts, Ed Orgeron, LSU, Pete Carroll, USC, and his image in the media.

In one of the more interesting segments of the interview, Travis asks Kiffin if Alabama would have beaten Clemson in the National Championship Game if he was coaching the Tide’s offense?

“I don’t know that, there’s no way to know that,” Kiffin said on the air. “Sark was put into a very difficult position, whatever it was — a week, eight days, all of a sudden, you’re calling the game… If it would have been different and had I been there and we would have won, if that is the case, I don’t know that (that would have happened), it would have nothing to do with anything to do with Sark. It would have to do with the comfort, the players being comfortable of what they know (with him being on the sideline).”

Kiffin admitted he will continue to root for Alabama even after his somewhat rocky departure. Thanks to the players, the coaches and most of all, because of the fans in and around Tuscaloosa. The FAU coach went on to share his thoughts on what makes the Tide so successful under Saban.

“The thing about Alabama, I can’t imagine kids work harder and sacrifice more for football anywhere in American than they do there, by the way Coach has them work,” Kiffin said. “That’s the process. What they do, work so hard all year round to get to that point and you just felt like you weren’t there to help them.”

Travis then asked Kiffin a question for mutual acquaintance Matt Leinart: Who wins, the best USC team that you were a part of or the best Alabama team you were a part of?

“Is the game played at the beginning of the season or is the game played at the end?” Kiffin asked.

Travis responded with, “In the national championship game”:

“USC wins it,” Kiffin answered. “Look at Pete’s old teams and how they play. He goes 6-1 in BCS games, only loss is to Texas in the Vince Young game. Now (if the game is played) at the beginning of the season, maybe not as much. That’s how Coach (Carroll) was, they were going to be fresh, now if you look at Alabama, no one wants to play Alabama at the beginning of the year. Because how (Saban) has them ready to play at the beginning of the year. Someone told me the other day that Coach Saban is one or two games over .500 in his career in bowl games.”

In case you were wondering, Saban’s career record in bowl games is in fact 11-9 in bowl games.

Kiffin also admitted during the interview that he could have made more money with LSU and would have loved to work with Ed Orgeron again, but did not specifically say why he decided to go to FAU instead. Kiffin says he believes the Tigers will win a championship under Coach O.

Near the end of the interview, Travis asked Kiffin if the infamous Joey Freshwater story was true. In the most disappointing segment of the interview, Kiffin said he loved the name but that none of that story is true.

You can listen to the full FOX Sports interview here.


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