-- A handful of schools across the country embrace the moniker "cradle of coaches" because of their reputation for sending assistant coaches off to their first head coaching gigs.
Under Nick Saban, Alabama's been a little different.
While similarly sending off numerous assistant coaches into bigger roles, Alabama's also become a "cradle of former head coaches."
Friday's addition of Lane Kiffin, the Crimson Tide's , only padded Alabama's total in comparison to the rest of its SEC peers.
Of Alabama's on-field assistants, Kiffin is the third of nine who has head coaching experience at the FBS level. Tack on Kevin Steele, Alabama's Director of Player Personnel who recently , and the Crimson Tide has four former head coaches working beneath Saban.
The rest of the SEC combined (minus Vanderbilt because of James Franklin's departure to Penn State) boasts seven former head coaches in assistant roles.
Kiffin, of course, was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2007-08, at Tennessee in 2009 and at USC from 2010 to the fifth game of 2013.
Longtime tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Bobby Williams replaced Saban at Michigan State when Saban left for LSU. He lasted three seasons and has been an assistant coach ever since.
With a brief pit stop at his alma mater Miami, offensive line coach Mario Cristobal came to Alabama in 2013 directly after six seasons as the head coach at Florida International.
Steele was the head coach at Baylor from 1999-2002. He arrived at Alabama for his second stint under Saban after three seasons as Clemson's defensive coordinator.
LSU is the only other SEC school with more than one former Division I head coach on its assistant coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was the head coach at Indiana from 1997-2001 and logged one year as the Miami Dolphins' head coach. Steve Kragthorpe, formerly the head coach at Louisville, holds an administrative role with the Tigers.
In the SEC West, Auburn (defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson - The Citadel, Southern Miss), Texas A M (defensive coordinator Mark Snyder - Marshall) and Arkansas (linebackers coach Randy Shannon - Miami) each boast one former head coach. In the East, there's Florida wide receivers coach Joker Phillips (Kentucky) and Kentucky safeties/special teams coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto (Northwestern State).
, only LSU paid out more to its assistant coaching staff than Alabama in 2013. AL.com coverage | 2013 Alabama Andrew Gribble stories, opinion, news Thank you for subscribing. You should receive your first newsletter within 24 hours. To view and subscribe to any of our other newsletters, please .