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Lane Kiffin talks to quarterback Jonathan Crompton in the fourth quarter of Tennessee's 12-10 loss to Alabama on Oct. 24, 2009, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, during Kiffin's one season as the Tennessee head coach. (Mark Almond/malmond@al.com)

This may disappoint you as an Alabama fan, but you may have to deal with it.

Like it or not, Nick Saban's smart to like Lane Kiffin.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Saban is going to hire Kiffin as offensive coordinator to replace Doug Nussmeier, but don’t be surprised if it happens.

Saban seemed surprised last month that others were surprised he’d invited Kiffin to visit and provide an outside perspective on the Alabama offense, which is a perfect example of the head coach’s tunnel vision.

He doesn’t care about the public perception of Kiffin as a loose-lipped skipper of sinking ships. He only cares if the former head coach at Tennessee and USC can help make the Alabama program better.

Saban likes Kiffin as an offensive football coach, especially when it comes to generating explosive plays. He likes some of the things Kiffin has done with his offense against Saban’s defense.

During Kiffin's one season as the UT head coach in 2009, his Vols lost 12-10 at Alabama on a blocked field goal on the final play. But they outgained Saban's first BCS title team at Alabama by almost 100 yards, and they hit seven pass plays of 15 yards or more against one of Saban's best defenses.

As for Kiffin’s penchant for saying things he probably shouldn’t say, that wouldn’t be a problem at Alabama because Kiffin wouldn’t be allowed to talk. Except on rare Saban-approved occasions, he would wear the same one-voice muzzle as every other assistant in Tuscaloosa.

That ability to ignore the media and focus on coaching - and recruiting, another of his strengths - sounds as if it would be attractive to Kiffin.

As for Nussmeier, as you would expect, Saban said lots of nice things about him after the offensive coordinator left to take the same job at Michigan.

But know this: The parting didn’t break Saban’s heart.

Saban has been consistent in his attitude about assistants leaving for other jobs. He’s glad to see them take a step up, like moving from position coach to coordinator and coordinator to head coach.

Lateral moves tend to get under his skin, but only if he really wants that coach to stay. Nussmeier is making a lateral move in name - from OC to OC - but he’s leaving the most stable program and best coach in college football to join a coach in Brady Hoke who’ll be on the hot seat next season at Michigan.

The move isn’t that different from Major Applewhite leaving the Alabama staff after Saban’s first season in 2007 to return to his alma mater at Texas. Applewhite as offensive coordinator wasn’t working out at Alabama, and he found a soft spot to land. Saban didn’t mind and hired someone far superior in Jim McElwain.

The same scenario may be developing here. Nussmeier’s Alabama offense put up big numbers this season, but go inside the numbers, especially in the Iron Bowl, and everything wasn’t rosy. Massive failures on offense in that game kept Alabama out of the SEC Championship Game and ended the program’s run at a three-peat.

Of Auburn’s last four opponents this season, who was the only one not to score at least 30 points? Alabama.

How does an offense with Alabama’s weapons score only seven points - on a 99-yard pass - in the entire second half at Auburn? How does an offense with Alabama’s experience get into the red zone three times in the fourth quarter against Auburn and not score a point?

It was telling when Saban focused on that point in an ESPN interview previewing the BCS Championship Game. Just as it was telling that Saban brought in Kiffin as a consultant.

At least.