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After former Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said he will be involved somehow with the prepping for the game against Clemson, Nick Saban shut all that talk down.

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Alabama head coach Nick Saban is not one for distractions, so the beginning of this week in which the Crimson Tide commence preparation for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game has not exactly been to his liking.

First, it was announced that offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin would not be calling the plays for the Tide in the game against Clemson, instead turning his focus immediately to his new job as the head coach at Florida Atlantic.

Then, on Tuesday morning, Kiffin dropped this little nugget while on the Mike & Mike show.

Asked if he would have any involvement with Alabama leading up to and during the game, Kiffin responded, “We are checking that out. We do not know, legally, whether we can. Sidelines, for sure not, but the press box would be ideal, because that exchanges what Sark’s role was and what my role was, and he came come down to the field and coach the players.”

Interesting, but Kiffin’s former boss was having nothing of it, putting any rumors of Kiffin being involved to rest during a teleconference call.

“That’s not something we’re interested in,” Saban said.

The three-year marriage between Saban and Kiffin was successful in the fact that the Tide’s offense became a major threat, but repeated outbursts by Saban towards Kiffin on the sidelines, plus the odd timing of his departure from Tuscaloosa, could show a growing rift between the two.

Let’s all hope this leads to a showdown in Tampa as Kiffin roams the sidelines just waiting for Saban to call him into action. That would make riveting television.

MORE: Alabama vs. Clemson Prediction, College Football Playoff National Championship Preview