Lane Kiffin dismissed from Alabama before National Championship

The Alabama Crimson Tide have dismissed former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin before the College Football Playoff National Championship against Clemson.

This is a huge deal. In the week leading up to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship game between the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 3 Clemson Tigers, Alabama has dismissed former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin had already accepted a head coaching role with the Florida Atlantic Owls for the 2017 NCAA season. Alabama will promote Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator effective immediately.

Sarkisian was going to be the Alabama offensive coordinator in 2017 after Kiffin left Tuscaloosa for the Florida Atlantic gig. This is so shocking to see Alabama head coach Nick Saban part ways with a member of his coaching staff in the week leading up to a national championship.

In the College Football Playoff era, it has been an unwritten rule that a coordinator leaving for a head coaching job will finish the season with his former employer. Tom Herman did that with the Ohio State Buckeyes before becoming the Houston Cougars head coach in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Just last season, Kirby Smart did that with Alabama before taking the head coaching job with his alma mater with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Maybe Kiffin did want to deal with Saban for one more week. He could be getting a head start on his job with Florida Atlantic. Kiffin does have to recruit in January before signing day at his new Group of 5 employer.

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To say this news is a major distraction for Alabama would be a gross understatement. Clemson has the best quarterback in the nation in Deshaun Watson. Dabo Swinney is an elite head coach for the Tigers. Keep in mind that Clemson was only a few plays away from beating Alabama in the 2016 National Championship Game.