In case you missed the bombshell dropped by Alabama this morning, Lane Kiffin is out as the team’s offensive coordinator effective immediately. With Kiffin out, the play-calling duties have been handed over to Alabama’s new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian for the national title game against Clemson.

RELATED: Here’s what Nick Saban said on ESPN after dismissing Lane Kiffin

Immediately following the news, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said the decision was ‘mutually agreed’ to by both coaches:

“We just thought it was in the best interest of our players, our program and for Lane to assume his responsibilities of Florida Atlantic. It’s our goal as a program to always give our players the best opportunity to be successful, whether it’s personally, academically or athletically, which means on the field. This decision was made after we mutually agreed that this would be the best thing for both parties.”

For the first time since the news was announced Monday morning, Kiffin broke his silence by joining the Paul Finebaum Show to discuss, in his words, what exactly went down.

“Coach and I had spent some time together last night in the office game planning after we got back from Atlanta and again this morning and just kinda bounced some things around, just reflected on the preparation for the game and trying to do both jobs,” Kiffin said to Finebaum.

“I think I thought it would be easier than it was but as I looked at it, I kinda thought, you know, rewatched the game a couple times last night and I was thinking we didn’t play great, you know? Now, those games happen, you know, we still did some good things. Ran the ball really well, didn’t turn the ball over and called the game very conservative because our defense was playing so good. So, it wasn’t anything about the in-game, I was just wondering was I always there, because you are balancing two jobs, interviewing guys at night, calling recruits at night.

“Just talking to coach, just felt really that for the players, that I can give 100 percent for the players. I want to win this game for the players, for the fans. We have to do one more. Sark and I are so similar, he would give us the best chance to win because his mind will be 100 percent on the game. It’s the best thing for the players for Sark to call this game for these players because I want them to win and they deserve the best.”

If there is any bad blood here, Kiffin certainly took the high road during his Finebaum interview, describing his time in Tuscaloosa as ‘awesome’ and he even ended the interview with a ‘Roll Tide.’