How’s that for gratitude? Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin helped his team to a thrilling victory in the national championship on Monday night – and then watched as the team bus left the University of Phoenix stadium without him.
“My bus is leaving,” Kiffin told reporters in Glendale as he watched the four vehicles pull away. “That’s not good. They’re leaving right now. Crap.”
Kiffin helped the Crimson Tide to a 45-40 victory over Clemson, but that didn’t help his cause when he asked officials to stop the departing bus. They didn’t, and Kiffin was left all alone in the bowels of the stadium.
The Alabama team buses aren't here anymore. Lane Kiffin is. pic.twitter.com/CoerIM49VA
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 12, 2016
“First, I get fired on the tarmac, and now I get left behind at the national championship,” Kiffin joked. Kiffin was axed as USC coach at a private Los Angeles airport in September 2013, and wasn’t allowed to ride the bus back to campus – having instead to hitch a ride with one of USC’s security personnel.
But all ended OK on Monday. After wandering around the stadium looking for a ride, Kiffin managed to find a car, which just happened to be waiting for Alabama coach Nick Saban as he was wrapping up his postgame interviews.
“Hey,” Kiffin told reporters. “It is what it is.”
