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Lane Kiffin Makes Absolutely Wild Claim About Alabama DC Before Game Against Crimson Tide

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Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide were an integral part of Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin rehabbing his coaching image.

But that doesn’t mean that Kiffin is going to pull any punches before his 3-0 Rebels travel to Alabama on Saturday for a key SEC West showdown.

The Crimson Tide are undoubtedly struggling after a 34-24 home loss to Texas followed by a dismal performance against South Florida that left Saban looking forlorn.

But according to Kiffin, Saban and the Tide aren’t just wallowing in their sadness. Instead, they’re making some pretty significant changes to the coaching staff.

“We’ve been against Kevin a number of time,” Kiffin said of Bama defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. “Worked with him at Alabama, then played against him at Auburn and LSU. But it seems like there’s been a change there. I don’t know what happened after the Texas game.”

Kiffin’s appears to believe that cornerback coach Travaris Robinson is instead calling the defense.. Robinson was South Carolina’s defensive coordinator from 2016 until 2020. He joined the Crimson Tide in 2022.

“Our guys watching the TV copy schematical in this last game, it certainly seems like T-Rob’s now calling the defense,” Kiffin said. “We played him before at South Carolina, so we’re preparing accordingly, you know, for him calling the defense. He’s done a good job too. And they’ve got really good players.”

Saban commented on Steele during his weekly radio show following the loss to Texas. But he made no mention of a potential change.

“Kevin is one of my favorite people in the world, really good person,” Saban said. “Really good guy. He’s been with us before so he knows a lot of what we try to do and we’re all making a transition to try to help him do what he needs to do to be a great part of the program here, which he’s been a tremendous asset (to) for many, many years.”

So either Kiffin is onto something, or he’s stirring up a hornets nest down in Tuscaloosa.