Alabama OC Lane Kiffin will coach against West Virginia from the sidelines
Coordinators on the sidelines aren't an endangered species. They're just not very common. Most coordinators sit upstairs in the coaching box to get a good look at how plays develop and the formation habits of the opposing team.
Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin isn't going upstairs. He's going to be on the sidelines for the Crimson Tide's game against West Virginia.
"We're going to put him on the field," Alabama coach Nick Saban said Wednesday.
Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart coaches from teh sidelines too. But previous Tide offensive coordinators have been upstairs. When Kiffin was head coach at USC, he called the plays. He was obviously on the sideline while doing so,
"I always let the coordinators be where they want to be," Saban said. "But in this case, even though he felt more comfortable being in the press box, I think it's important that he's on the field. He has the greatest impact and effect on players."
Kiffin's presence on the sideline will also allow him to interact face-to-face with both Blake Sims and Jacob Coker. Saban has said both quarterbacks would play against the Mountaineers, and being up close could give Kiffin a better perception of how each player is handling the game.
Given the criticism Kiffin has garnered throughout his coaching career, you can bet that he'll become the target (fairly or not) for blame if Alabama's offense starts slowly in 2014. And if Alabama's instantly successful with Sims and/or Coker, well, the amount of praise probably won't be equal to the criticism if the situation was reversed.
For more Alabama news, visit TideSports.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
