Distraction created by switch to Steve Sarkisian threatens Alabama's dynasty

Nick Saban made a calculated decision to move on from Lane Kiffin, but it might cost him just the same

TAMPA, Fla. -- The story of this Alabama-Clemson rematch was boiled down to a rather uncomfortable essence.

Nick Saban was asked if the coach suddenly charged with calling plays for the nation's No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff National Championship was still undergoing treatment for substance abuse.

"Yes," Saban said curtly.

That conversation ended quickly, but the dialogue rages heading into Monday's game. Steve Sarkisian's sudden elevation to offensive coordinator is unprecedented.

It's not that Washington's former head coach and Pete Carroll's former offensive coordinator during a USC dynasty can't do the job. It's what it represents.

It threatens to unhinge this dynasty. It is a distraction the size of a red elephant. In a program that operates with mind-numbing consistency, the upheaval is palpable.

Five days ago, Saban swapped offensive coordinators -- one 41-year-old (Lane Kiffin) for another (Sarkisian). Both are flawed championship-level savants just touching middle age.

Kiffin has a pathological need for attention. Sarkisian has an alcohol problem for which, he admitted Saturday, he's still undergoing treatment.

"I'm doing great," Sark said cheerily. "Thanks for asking."

What you cannot believe is that Sark is here only because Kiffin and Saban parted ways Monday by "mutual agreement."

That was the party line. No, Sark has been handed the offense because elevating a coach with ongoing alcohol issues was deemed safer and more productive than keeping Kiffin.

All of it with a week to go before the national championship game.

Your mind blown yet?

"I wouldn't go with nervous," Sark said. "I'm excited."

Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott had a month to prepare to call his first game prior to the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl .

"If I would have had six days to call plays versus Oklahoma," Elliott said, "I probably would be peeing down my leg at half."

Sark has the advantage of being more than qualified.

He is a former rock star coach at Washington and USC who hasn't called plays in more than two years. Sark was fired after reportedly showing up drunk for work 15 months ago at USC.

That followed a 2015 preseason outburst by Sarkisian in front of boosters where he appeared to be impaired. Then-offensive coordinator Clay Helton took over play-calling duties for the first five games of the season prior to Sark being fired.

Sarkisian is suing the school alleging discrimination on the basis of disability and breach of contract. In March 2016, the two sides were headed for binding arbitration.

But he's been a head coach for seven years. For two years at USC, Kiffin was in the press box calling down plays to Sark. Carroll was the filter listening on the headsets.

Imagine that heady atmosphere. At 31, Sark and Kiffin owned not only L.A. but college football. Today, they are both fallen Los Angelenos.

You don't go from coaching in the Pac-12 to making entry-level money as an off-field Bama analyst without a story to tell.

For those of you who haven't experienced it in your family, alcohol abuse doesn't "end." It is a constant battle -- day by day. You're not cured until you don't take a drink the rest of your life. Any relapse resets the clock.

And the profession -- with all its pressures and stresses -- doesn't exactly lend itself to easy daily battles.

"I'm a good person," Sarkisian said. "Not perfect. None of us are."

It's not Sark's talents that are in question. It's abruptness of it all. Since taking the Florida Atlantic job on Dec. 13, Kiffin has gone house shopping while supposedly still on the clock at Alabama. He's disparaged his former boss calling his time under Saban "like dog years. Three years is like 21."

And to top it off, Kiffin's offense was clunky last week against Washington in the Peach Bowl semifinal.

"The worst thing that can happen is you play bad and you win," Saban grumbled.

On his way out last week, Kiffin couldn't help himself. He tweeted a picture of Bo Scarbrough who ran for 180 yards under his watch as some sort of juvenile retort for being shown the door.

"Quite honestly," Sarkisian said, "in this profession, nothing really surprises me. Especially in my career."

In early September, Alabama confirmed Sark had been hired as analyst for $28,000.

It was the latest lifeline thrown by Saban to coaches down on their luck. Kiffin also joined the program after being fired at USC. Offensive analyst Mike Locksley allegedly punched an assistant while coach at New Mexico. While at Washington, current Tide assistant Tosh Lupoi was investigated for allegedly paying $4,500 for a prospect's tutoring classes.

"If you look at the track record of anybody that we have brought to our organization, they had a lot of success," Saban said. "There may have been some issue that sidetracked them. Then it just becomes a matter of, can we manage that issue?"

The NCAA eventually closed a six-week investigation into Lupoi and took no punitive action. Saban hired him as an analyst in 2014. Lupoi is now the outside linebackers coach.

"This is the mecca of college football," Lupoi said. "When a coach has an opportunity to be part of this, he's going to take that opportunity."

Whether Saban is too charitable to those in coaching need is another column for another day. Heads are still spinning at Alabama.

Last Sunday, Kiffin was in the 7:30 a.m. staff meeting. The next day, it was Sark comparing his quick offense install to taking up residence in Europe.

"Somebody puts you on a plane and you have to go live in France," he said. "Sooner or later you have to start speaking French."

This is all so un-Saban. It also might make this the most compelling championship game of the great coach's career. A man known for robotic precision could have it all undone by the very essence of being human.

"We all have flaws," Saban admitted.