Nick Saban Opens Up on Conversations With Lane Kiffin Before LSU Decision

It’s no surprise that college football professionals bring their questions to Nick Saban.

Nick Saban says he’s offered advice to plenty of players, coaches and administrators facing big decisions. / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

After a career spent living, breathing and eating college football, Nick Saban has learned a thing or two. It comes as no surprise then that Saban is leaned on by many active coaches and college football professionals for advice in big moments.

Such was especially the case with Lane Kiffin’s recent decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU. Not only did Kiffin coach under Saban for years, but Saban also previously held the LSU job, meaning he had plenty of insight to offer Kiffin before he made his choice.

Kiffin was originally scheduled to appear on Saturday’s edition of ESPN’s College GameDay from Atlanta ahead of the SEC championship, but cancelled late on Friday night, citing recruiting needs.

While Kiffin didn’t make the show, Saban and the rest of the GameDay panel had an extended talk about the nature of his departure, which opened with Saban being asked how he handles coaches asking for his advice while facing a major crossroad in their career.

“Anyone who calls me, whether it’s a player, a coach, an administrator, I try to do the best I can to give them the best information to make the best decision for the betterment of the game,” Saban said. “The first thing I ask a coach if he’s contemplating jobs is ‘What do you want to do?’ I want them to follow their heart, in terms of what they want to accomplish, what they want to do, I never tell anybody what they should do. I just try to bring some thought into it so that they can make a good decision for themself and their family and their future.”

Asked if Kiffin seemed to truly be weighing the pros and cons of both jumping to LSU or staying at Ole Miss, or if he was always going to leave for the Tigers, Saban seemed to think that the call was closer than many think.

“I think he was very confused. This is a difficult circumstance to be in,” Saban said. “I’ve been in this situation before, where you finish the season, you want to stay with your team and coach them whether it’s in a bowl game or the playoffs or whatever it is, but you feel like you owe it to yourself and your family to at least look at other opportunities and consider them and see if they think it’s a better situation in the future. Based on the way the calendar is, that never fits together correctly.”

Nick Saban, @PatMcAfeeShow, @ReceDavis, @DesmondHoward, and @KirkHerbstreit discuss Lane Kiffin's move to LSU ✍️ pic.twitter.com/tWzpfsnHFP

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 6, 2025

From there, the full panel weighed in on the decision by Ole Miss to not let Kiffin coach the Rebels through the playoff, which was obvious to some and a mistake to others. After two weeks of nonstop Kiffin speculation, it was a largely pleasant conversation grounded in things that were actually happening.

Saban would later once again pitch the need for a commissioner of college football, but while that dream might carry on, it feels a long way from reality.

For now, Kiffin seems pleased in his new gig, having already landed the top recruit in the country, and Ole Miss, while undoubtedly bummed by Kiffin’s departure, is surely plenty busy preparing for their playoff appearance.

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