Report: Arizona Cardinals assistant Freddie Kitchens a candidate for Alabama OC job

Jan 9, 2014, 4:25 PM | Updated: 4:25 pm
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When the Alabama Crimson Tide lose two games in a row, change happens.

Not only did Nick Saban’s winning machine lose the annual Iron Bowl to in-state rival Auburn in heartbreaking fashion, they lost the Sugar Bowl to Oklahoma last week which served as the catalyst for a shakeup.

Saban encouraged offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier to look around for a new job, and he got one quickly. Wednesday, Nussmeier took the OC job at Michigan.

That leaves a void on Saban’s coaching staff, one that could be filled by a member of the Arizona Cardinals’ staff.

Cardinals quarterback coach Freddie Kitchens is a former Alabama QB himself, and according to AL.com, could be a target for Saban, who reportedly had inquired about Kitchens during previous coordinator searches.

Kitchens, who was a graduate assistant under Saban at LSU in 2000, has coached in the SEC before, spending two years at Mississippi State as a tight ends (2005) and running backs (2004) coach. He was the running backs coach at North Texas from 2001-2003.

There are also reports circulating that former USC head coach Lane Kiffin will interview for the Alabama OC job Thursday.

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