ATLANTA — Lane Kiffin is wasting no time putting his hard-won rehabilitation on the line.

After three years under Nick Saban's thumb, the wunderkind-turned-washout finally got another shot at head coaching with Florida Atlantic. But instead of keeping his head down for a season or two and letting his results speak for themselves, Kiffin already is displaying the same kind of brashness that was his undoing the first time around. He hired Kendal Briles, one of the few people in college football even more polarizing than he is, as his offensive coordinator, and on Wednesday seemed to leave the door open for Briles’ dad, disgraced former Baylor coach Art Briles, to have a role with his new program.

“(Saban) always says, 'It’s not just about second chances, it’s about what are we doing with the kids? How are we educating the kids so they don’t make the same mistakes, so they learn from their mistakes?’ ” Kiffin said Wednesday at the Peach Bowl, where Alabama plays Washington on Saturday in the College Football Playoff.

Lane Kiffin balances Alabama duties with new role as FAU head coach

“I get it way better now than, obviously, I did three years ago.”

Does he?

Kiffin didn’t just burn bridges at Tennessee and USC, he left a path of scorched earth that still smolders. He doesn’t need anything — or anyone — to bolster the perception that he’s a rogue operator hellbent on doing things his way. Look how quick people were to assume he had signed De'Andre Johnson when, in reality, the quarterback dismissed by Florida State for punching a woman already had an offer from FAU before Kiffin was hired. Kiffin also doesn’t need anyone undermining him.

Kendal Briles has the real possibility of doing both.

Let’s leave aside for a moment questions about what Kendal Briles knew of the sexual assault scandal at Baylor that cost his father his job. Allowed to stay on after his father was fired, Briles spent the season in open rebellion of interim coach Jim Grobe and university officials.

Loyalty to his father is understandable. But writing “CAB” on both of his hands for Baylor’s first game was a “protest” more apropos of a pouty teenager. That he didn’t tell Grobe he was doing it was an indication of just how much disdain he had for his employers.

That wouldn’t be the only time Briles and the other assistants would publicly blindside Grobe, either. There was their coordinated tweet taking a shot at the university in October. Then, the night before the TCU game, they released a statement defending Art Briles.

Given that Baylor was thumped 62-22 by its in-state rivals, Briles and his fellow assistants could have used their time that week more wisely.

Briles might be an offensive guru, and his experience in run-and-shoot offenses is something Kiffin lacks. But hiring someone who so willingly threw his last boss under the bus as one of his top assistants is a risk. And Kiffin can't afford to gamble with his second chance.

"Absolutely it gives you pause,” said Florida Atlantic athletic director Pat Chun, who said his concerns were alleviated after interviewing Briles himself and asking “tough questions.”

Lane Kiffin jokes: I remember 'ass chewings,' not good times with Nick Saban

“It’s not like Lane came here on Day 1 and said, 'Hey, this is the guy I’m going to hire.’ Lane’s been very methodical,” Chun added. “He’s fully aware his first staff is going to be either a sign he’s advancing in moving the program forward or it’s something he’s going to have to nurture along the way.”

Which brings us to Art Briles.

Though Chun said unequivocally that the elder Briles is not part of the FAU staff, Kiffin would say only that “we have a plan with that, and we’ll discuss that when we get down there.” Unless that plan is telling Art Briles he’ll have no role with FAU, unofficial or other, Kiffin is setting himself up to fail once again.

With baggage of his own, the last thing Kiffin needs is to saddle himself with the 18-piece set Art Briles is lugging around.

“My plan is not in place to please the media,” Kiffin said. “My plan is still in place to do the best thing for our players and the people that hired me.”

He’d better hope the plan works. The rest of his career is riding on it.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING CAROUSEL