Lane Kiffin disses current NFL running backs while heaping praise on Alabama trioBy Josh Sanchez SI.comMay 31 2014
Derrick Henry scored twice in Alabama’s Sugar Bowl loss to Oklahoma last season. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images) New Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has raised eyebrows almost every place he’s coached, whether as the head man with the Oakland Raiders or the boss at Tennessee or USC. He’s currently in his first season as offensive coordinator at Alabama and is at it again, this time dissing NFL running backs everywhere.After working with the Crimson Tide during spring ball, Kiffin said the group of backs he’s working with at Alabama are better than any currently in the NFL. “As you guys know extremely well, I think the offense is led by the tailbacks. There probably aren’t three more talented tailbacks in the NFL on a roster than we’re fortunate to be able to work with at Alabama,” Kiffin said, via al.com. He was referring to juniors T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake, and sophomore Derrick Henry, decent backs all, but that he would go so far as to put down NFL backs while trying to praise that trio just reminds everyone of his controversial nature. Al Davis fired him from the Raiders in September 2008, saying he was “bringing disgrace to the organization.” Tennessee hired him later that year, watched him lead the Vols to a 7-6 record, and then got burned when he resigned during the 2010 recruiting season to take the job at USC. The Trojans fired him after a 62-41 loss to Arizona State in September 2013, with Kiffin owning a 4-7 record in his previous 11 games. How long Kiffin will be at Alabama and whether he wants to get back into the NFL is anybody’s guess. Wherever he interviews next, he had best hope the prospective employer has forgotten that he once said three Alabama tailbacks were more talented than those on any NFL roster.
