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The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly interested in Lane Kiffin, but should he be interested in them? 

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Maybe Chip Kelly’s stop in Tuscaloosa, Ala. prior to the national championship game was a bit more than a passing through after all. According to a source of Niners Nation, Kelly and the San Francisco 49ers have reached out to Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin about joining the new coaching staff in the same capacity.

Once perceived as an immature coach who wasn’t ready for the responsibility that comes with coaching, Kiffin has reformed his image since stepping foot in Tuscaloosa two seasons ago. Nick Saban took Kiffin under his wing after he was fired by USC and has since helped greatly in his maturation.

Now, Kiffin’s name is once again surfacing with top openings around the country.

But so far, Kiffin has made the smart choice to stay by Saban’s side. He’s not only getting a chance to perfect his craft on the offensive side of the ball, but he’s also learning how to run a team and program from arguably the greatest coach in college history. It’s not everyday a person gets the opportunity to work with someone of Saban’s caliber, and after making all of the wrong decisions for so many years, Kiffin appears to have turned the corner and is finally making the right ones.

He will eventually leave for another gig, but a move to the 49ers in the same capacity for a coach who is a bit of a wild card, at least at the NFL level, doesn’t seem likely.

And then there’s the idea Saban won’t be coaching forever. Eventually the Alabama head coaching position will open up, and if Kiffin continues to grow under him and proves he’s ready to take the next step, he could be a real candidate to replace Saban when he retires.

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