An oral history of the University of Alabama’s football season, as told by the people who lived it
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staff photo | michelle lepianka carter
Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin made his first trip to Knoxville, Tenn., since leaving as the Tennessee Volunteers’ head coach, on Oct. 25, 2014 for the Crimson Tide’s game with the Vols.
By D.C. Reeves Sports Writer
ception Kiffin would receive, Alabama head coach Nick Saban asked his team to not focus on the distraction. Turned out the Crimson Tide wouldn’t let a hostile environment fester. Kiffin’s offense scored on the first play from scrimmage as Amari Cooper took a short pass from quarterback Blake Sims and rumbled 80 yards for a touchdown, setting the tone for Alabama’s 34-20 win.
Mere hours after the University Alabama’s new offensive coordinator hire became public, the talk that surrounded the polarizing Lane Kiffin was his eventual return to Knoxville, Tenn. Kiffin coached one promising season as head coach at Tennessee, going 7-6 in 2009 before leaving abruptly to take the head coaching job at Southern Cal. Amari Cooper, junior receiver: On Oct. 25, 2014, he returned to face a fan We knew we were going to run that play base scorned. Kiffin stepped off the bus and entered Gate 7 of Neyland Stadium to much first. We always have a first 10 (scripted attention and fanfare. Knowing the kind of re- plays). I didn’t know it would be such a big
play, I thought we would get a first down or something like that. It was just the perfect play call. The play was designed to get Tennessee’s defense moving the wrong way. Two receivers lined up to each side of the line – Cooper was on the left – as quarterback Blake Sims took the snap from under center. He faked a toss left to running back T.J. Yeldon and rolled to his right. As the defense reacted to the fake toss, Cooper sprinted behind the line of scrimmage to his right with only a linebacker on his scent. Continued