Lane Kiffin y about his relationship with Steve Sarkisian and what makes Sarkisian so good as an offensive coach. He by no means answered the second half. By the top, he was speaking about getting sober.

“A significant change in my life was getting sober virtually six years in the past, and he was an enormous a part of that,” Kiffin mentioned. “I owe him so much.”

y, 25 years after the 2 C. They’ve coached collectively, coached towards one another, and held the identical jobs at completely different occasions. Sarkisian adopted Kiffin as USC’s subsequent everlasting head coach and later as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. Each needed to rebuild careers that after appeared headed straight up.

The assistance went each methods. Years earlier than Kiffin credited Sarkisian with serving to him get sober, Sarkisian credited Kiffin with serving to him get again into teaching. When Nick Saban employed Sarkisian as an Alabama analyst in 2016, Kiffin had pushed for the reunion.

Sarkisian 2 that Kiffin was “sort of the champion behind a whole lot of it.”

The training at USC

Kiffin was a h when Carroll arrived at USC in 2001. Sarkisian joined as an offensive assistant working below Norm Chow, his former offensive coordinator at BYU, and a pair of. Kiffin moved to receivers.

They had been studying inside a program that was about to take over school soccer. Carson Palmer received the 2002 Heisman Trophy. Matt Leinart took over at quarterback the following season, when USC received the AP nationwide title.

Their training additionally prolonged past Carroll’s employees. Monte Kiffin, Lane’s father and the longtime NFL defensive coordinator, grew to become a mentor to Sarkisian on his visits to USC. Sarkisian remembered these conversations at 4, shortly after Monte’s loss of life.

“His father Monte took me below his wing each time he got here to city, and we talked soccer,” Sarkisian mentioned.

An offensive coach might be taught lots from the person explaining how a protection meant to cease him. Sarkisian mentioned Monte taught him the duties inside the Tampa 2 so completely that he invited future opponents to make use of it towards him.

“He was so detailed. He was a real man,” Sarkisian mentioned.

Sarkisian spent 2004 teaching the Oakland Raiders’ quarterbacks, then 5 as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. By then, Kiffin had grow to be the offensive coordinator. Each had been on Carroll’s employees when Vince Younger ended USC’s championship run within the 6.

Texas followers keep in mind that evening because the end. For Sarkisian and Kiffin, a lot of the story was nonetheless forward.

The roles got here rapidly

The Raiders t in January 2007. He stayed at USC, and Oakland made Kiffin its head coach at 31. Sarkisian took over the USC offense. Inside two years, each had been school head coaches — Kiffin at Tennessee after being fired in Oakland, Sarkisian at Washington.

Kiffin stayed in Knoxville for one season earlier than r in 2010. Sarkisian stayed 5 seasons at Washington, taking up a program that had 8 and restoring it to bowl eligibility in his second 12 months. His Huskies and Kiffin’s Trojans had been now convention opponents.

Kiffin received 10 video games at USC in 2011 whereas working below NCAA sanctions. This system slipped to 7-6 the following season, and athletic director Pat Haden fired him in September 2013. The dismissal grew to become identified for its airport setting, however n was a few crew that was not enhancing as he anticipated.

After Ed Orgeron coached eight video games on an interim foundation, r. Sarkisian had gone 34-29 at Washington. Lower than two years later, o.

The circumstances had been completely different. In saying the transfer, Haden mentioned USC remained involved for Sarkisian and hoped he might deal with his well-being. Sarkisian has since m, about spending 30 days in a therapy facility, and in regards to the days he thought he would by no means be a head coach once more. Lowering his departure to a different teaching change would miss what he was making an attempt to get better from.

Kiffin had already discovered his subsequent job — Saban employed him to coordinate Alabama’s offense in 2014, and the Crimson Tide received s with Kiffin calling performs. The 2015 crew received the nationwide championship.

When Sarkisian visited Tuscaloosa in the summertime of 2016, reconnecting with Kiffin was one of many primary causes he got here, d. He had been visiting pals round soccer and had dedicated to broadcasting that fall. As he advised ESPN, Saban saved asking him to look at movie and provide concepts. Kiffin steered the analyst job.

“He gave me an opportunity once I had a tough time getting an interview, by no means thoughts a job,” Sarkisian advised ESPN of Saban.

One other handoff and one other begin

The reunion lasted one season. Kiffin accepted the Florida Atlantic head teaching job in December 2016. Sarkisian was named his successor at Alabama, then took over before deliberate.

On Jan. 2, 2017, every week earlier than the nationwide championship sport, d that Kiffin would flip his full consideration to FAU. Saban cited the time calls for of managing each jobs, and Kiffin referred to as the choice mutual. Sarkisian went from analyst to calling performs towards Clemson, which beat Alabama 35-31.

That didn’t lead on to Texas. Sarkisian left for the Atlanta Falcons, spent two seasons as offensive coordinator, and was fired. 9. His second Alabama stint ended with the Texas job. He was 1, and stayed with Alabama via its victory within the 2020 season’s nationwide championship sport.

Kiffin rebuilt as a head coach at FAU, successful s in three seasons. At Ole Miss, he received 55 video games over six seasons, together with an 11-1 common season in 2025. LSU employed him on Nov. 30, 2025 after a controversial departure from Oxford that left a path of enmity in his wake — Pete Golding took over because the rebels made their first playoff look.

Sarkisian’s first Texas crew 7. His third received the Huge 12 and reached the Faculty Soccer Playoff, and his fourth returned to the semifinals. The top teaching profession he as soon as feared was over had grow to be the one Texas employed him to construct.

Each can level to Saban because the coach who gave them a spot to get better professionally. Sarkisian has additionally defined Kiffin’s position in getting him there. On Monday, Kiffin mentioned what he owes Sarkisian.

At y, Sarkisian was requested whether or not he ever foresaw the 2 of them assembly as the top coaches of Texas and LSU. He mentioned he couldn’t have. Then he introduced up one thing Carroll used to speak about: Nothing is extra gratifying than beating your mates. Sarkisian mentioned he was certain Kiffin felt the identical manner.

They’ll spend Saturday making an attempt to beat one another. Every is aware of how a lot assist he has already acquired from the coach on the opposite sideline.