Lane Kiffin Returning to Alabama in 2015: Latest Details and Reaction

Coming off one of the most prolific seasons in program history, Alabama has announced that offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will return next season. 

The news was tweeted out by Alabama Football's official Twitter:

Kiffin took over the position last year, coaching the Crimson Tide offense to score 36.9 points per game, including seven games with at least 40 points. Under his watch, star wide receiver Amari Cooper set an SEC record with 124 receptions in 2014. 

There had been some speculation that Kiffin was in the running to be offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, per ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Alabama head coach Nick Saban expressed his hope that Kiffin would remain with the program on Thursday, per Duane Rankin of the Montgomery Advertiser.

"Lane did a fantastic job for us, and we're hopeful he's going to be with us and continue to do that, and I'm sure that most of our players feel the same way," Saban said. 

Saban got his wish, as Kiffin will be guiding the offense for the 2015 season. He will have a tough task ahead of him, as Cooper, running back T.J. Yeldon and quarterback Blake Sims are all headed to the 2015 NFL draft.

However, given the job that Kiffin did to help Sims develop as a first-year starting quarterback in the SEC, there's no doubt he will relish the opportunity to take on a new challenge. Saban is the best recruiter in the country, so it's not like Alabama's offensive cupboard will be bare.