Ad Disclosure
Fox Sports’ Stewart Mandel proposes a good head coaching fit for Lane Kiffin
Published:
With Alabama’s offense operating at a high level under a true freshman quarterback, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin’s name has been thrown around as a head coaching possibility.
Fox Sports’ Stewart Mandel has one particular landing place in mind for him.
In his weekly mailbag, Mandel speculated Kiffin could land at his alma mater of Fresno State. Mandel said the 1-6 Bulldogs will likely fire coach Tom DeRuyter, making Fresno a “low-profile” job that he could use to work his way back into a major conference like the Pac-12.
Kiffin’s first college head coaching position was at Tennessee, who he spent one season before bolting for the USC job. He spent three years with the Trojans before getting fired five games into 2013.
Despite Kiffin’s 35-21 record, Mandel questioned whether his skills as a coordinator would translate to him being a good head coach.
“No question, he’s one of the absolute best in the business at devising an offensive game plan, calling plays and developing quarterbacks,” Mandel wrote. “But all of that takes place mostly behind the scenes. The head coach is a public ambassador for his program, and Kiffin has repeatedly demonstrated in public that he can’t get out of his own way.”
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
