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The viral reactions were predictable after the first series of the Cotton Bowl Cla sic.Alabama ran five consecutive plays without giving the ball to Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, and the in-the-moment blame fell on offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.MORE: | Yet not nearly as much credit went James Paxton Jersey Kiffins way after he called a beautiful game in a 38-0 blowout against Michigan State on Dec. 31. Most of the attention directed at Kiffin came after he to Crimson Tide players after they took a 31-0 lead against the Spartans in the second half.Thats life when youre Kiffin, the 40-year-old lightning rod who revived his career under Nick Saban. Kiffin deserves more credit, even if he deflects that credit elsewhere."I have a great coach, Kiffin would say on the field at AT&T Stadium afterward. What he's been able to do with Mariano Rivera Jersey situations to help me grow put the players around us and a great offensive staff. The church sermon today was about having a great coach in your life, and that's what he's been for the last two years."Kiffin elevated his stock from coaching pariah to where should he go next? after those last two seasons. Kiffin proved hes an elite offensive coordinator, at least when working with elite talent.Remember, Kiffin was the co-offensive coordinator with Steve Sarkisian under Pete Carroll at USC in 2005 when the Trojans averaged 49.1 points per game and 579.8 yards per game.Hes weaved some of that same magic at Alabama the last two seasons. In 2014, the Crimson Tide piled up 6,783 total yards, the most in the Saban era. Over the past two seasons, Blake Sims, Derrick Henry and Amari Cooper have set school single-season records in pa sing, rushing and receiving yards.Kiffin also learned his le son with Henry. A year after not giving the running back enough carries in the Sugar Bowl lo s to Ohio State, Kiffin stuck with Henry for 20 carries for 75 yards against Michigan State, which helped open up a Greg Bird Jersey big-play pa sing connection between Jake Coker and Calvin Ridley.TITLE GAME: | Alabama avenged last years 42-35 playoff lo s to the Buckeyes, and Kiffin played a huge role in that."It took a long time to get back. It took a whole year to get back, Kiffin said. Obviously we still have another game to go. We wanted to make Luis Severino Jersey sure we didn't have that feeling again. We learned from what happened.Kiffins learned from whats happened since he left USC after the 2006 season. Kiffin is a coach that late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis used a PowerPoint presentation to fire in 2008. He , where we was .When Kiffin fails, it makes headlines. And fans eat up those headlines and wait for the next one.Yet Kiffin appears at ease in his current position. He said he's gained an appreciation the last two years under Saban for what a head coach should be. That is, a true CEO. Managing. Delegating. Learning. Understanding. Thats all part of the proce s of coaching under Saban.MORE: Kiffin sat at Media Day at AT&T Stadium two days before the Cotton Bowl, leaning back in his chair and working a piece of gum through the inevitable line of questioning. Sure, Kiffin wants to be a head coach again. Yes, he thinks it will be betternext time.Maybe then hell get a little more credit. " Joe DiMaggio Jersey I don't think anyone would ever answer the question, 'I don't want to be a head coach, Kiffin said. When and if that time comes, I know I'll be much better prepared than I was before.