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Alabama’s Lane Kiffin won’t coach in National Championship

By Tyler Brooke

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin speaks with Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) during the third quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin speaks with Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) during the third quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Alabama offensive coordinator will not be coaching against the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

In one of the more surprising turn of events of the College Football Playoff, Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will not be on the sideline for the national championship game against the Clemson Tigers next week.

The team announced on Monday that Kiffin will not be coaching in the national championship in order to start his coaching duties as the new head coach for the Florida Atlantic Owls. Kiffin had been on the sideline for Saturday’s CFP matchup against the Washington Huskies, but the team had only been able to score one touchdown on offense in the 24-7 victory.

“We appreciate all that Lane has done for our football program over the last three years,” Nick Saban said in an official release. “We sat down following the Washington game and talked about the time demands of managing both jobs, and we recognized that it is best for our players, and for Lane, that we allow him to turn his full attention to his new head coaching role at FAU.”

Former Washington and USC head coach Steve Sarkisian will be taking over play-calling duties in the national title game. Sarkisian has slowly took over the OC role for Alabama since Kiffin announced that he would be taking the FAU job.

The timing of this move seems odd, and while Kiffin is currently in the process of putting a coaching staff together at FAU, you would think that he would have still been interested in coaching in a national championship. There may be more to this story, but there’s nothing that we can confirm one way or another.

Next: Peach Bowl Recap: Alabama rolls over Washington

Now, the big question will be how Alabama’s offense will respond without Kiffin. True freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has been a dynamic playmaker for Alabama while running back Bo Scarbrough exploded onto the scene with a huge game against Washington.

Clemson’s defense is still a formidable one, so it will be up to Sarkisian to put together a solid gameplan to help Saban get his sixth national title.

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