Smooth transition: Kiffin expects Sarkisian to be a better fit for UA

ATLANTA – Outgoing University of Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin was in the middle of a standard reply to a standard question about Steve Sarkisian.

Kiffin was talking about similarities between he and his successor Wednesday at a College Football Playoff news conference when he digressed to discuss one of their differences.

"He'll do a great job with Coach (Nick Saban)," Kiffin said. "Coach talked to me about it, and I think in some ways he'll do a much better job than I do with Coach."

He stopped his answer there. Another reporter followed up on it later.

Kiffin laughed that he'd tried to maneuver away from the question the first time, but realized the media had already picked up on it.

"The best way I would describe that without details, would be I think his personality will work a little bit better than mine with Coach Saban," Kiffin said. "I'm not saying it's bad with him it all. I would say Sark manages people better than I do."

Kiffin took care to mention that he appreciates his relationship with Saban and has worked well with him in his three years in Tuscaloosa. There have been some prominent detonations on the sideline, but the partnership has been productive for both parties.

There are relationships with Sarkisian already in place. Saban has had time to grow familiar with his offensive coordinator-to-be, and players have been hearing from him as well.

"He's been here basically all year and he's really hands-on with the players," running back Damien Harris said. "He's done a good job of establishing a relationship with the offense and that's something that you don't see most assistants do unless they have a designated coaching roll. He came in and kind of formed that relationship with a lot of the players and built his own identity, and a lot of us have gotten to know him pretty well.

"I think he's a good guy. I think he'll be a good fit for the job."

Sarkisian has been more prominent at practice since his hiring was made official on Dec. 16. He often shadows Kiffin as the quarterbacks warm up and has also bounced around to other offensive position groups. He remains with the team in his role as an analyst during the College Football Playoff, but is not expected to be made available to the media.

Kiffin's endorsement of Sarkisian holds some heft. Few coaches are as familiar with Sarkisian as Kiffin, who has been on different staffs with him for six years. Kiffin also knows Saban and how he works with his own staff.

"I was really happy for him," Kiffin said. "I think he'll do the same thing. I think he'll play to the strength of his players. He always has. He's going to have some good players to have to replace and he has some good young players, especially obviously the quarterback, that he can develop and make better."

Harris said the players didn't think of Sarkisian as a possible successor to Kiffin when he arrived in September. But his presence during the season put them at ease when it became apparent that Kiffin might leave after the season. Unlike other possible coaches, Sarkisian already has a track record with the team.

Kiffin, whose contract was set to end after this season, said he was thinking ahead when he began speaking with Sarkisian earlier this year. This was the scenario he was hoping for from the outset.

"I think it's going to be a really easy transition," Kiffin said. "Part of in my head was the process of talking to him in the summer into taking the job was I may not be here the next year. So I thought it was important he could help me for a year, and then if there was something where I wasn't here, be an easy transition for Coach to have somebody versus hiring Sark, not really knowing him and him not being around the system. That would have been a harder transition."