Lane Kiffin the front-runner for San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator position

Lane Kiffin could be returning to the NFL and the Bay Area as he’s emerged as the front-runner for the offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers.

After Alabama fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff, many were wondering if his time with the Crimson Tide was coming to an end. It appears that Lane Kiffin could be leaving not because he is being fired, but rather he has become the front-funner to fill the San Francisco 49ers‘ offensive coordinator vacancy.

Kiffin would head back to the Bay Area if he was hired. He was the Oakland Raiders coach from 2007-2008. In his first year as Alabama offensive coordinator, he helped designed and implement a dangerous offensive side that found itself in the College Football Playoff. However, some questionable play calling against the Buckeyes had many wanting him to lose his job.

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Hiring Kiffin as offensive coordinator would be a good hire. It would be a win-win for both sides. For Kiffin, he’d be able to work with quarterback Colin Kaepernick. During his two years with Oakland, he didn’t have much to work with. He was against drafting JaMarcus Russell, but the Raiders picked him and he ended up being one of the biggest busts in the NFL. His lack of ability was one of the reasons why Kiffin went 5-15 and was fired part-way through his second season with the Raiders.

Teaming up Kaepernick with Kiffin should put their fellow NFC West rivals on notice. The 49ers had a down year in 2014, but 2015 would be different with Kiffin calling the offensive plays and a new coaching staff in place. San Francisco definitely has more weapons than Kiffin ever had in Oakland. The offseason would give Kiffin ample time to work on a scheme that can work to the strengths of Kaepernick.

Kiffin’s short time at Alabama gave him the opportunity to work with a talented offensive unit. This will only help him if he decides to make the jump back to the NFL and return to the Bay Area. At least this time around he’d be potentially working for a NFL side that is used to being competitive year in and year out. Yet, the future looks bright at Alabama as well. It will be interesting to see just how rich the contract would have to be for him to leave Nick Saban and head back to the NFL.

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