Lane Kiffin's signal-stealing comment about Oklahoma is still haunting SEC coaches

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin seems to have offensive minds in the SEC even more worked up than usual about Brent Venables’ defense at Oklahoma. 

Kiffin proclaimed a few weeks ago that Venables and his defense excel at stealing signals from opponents. For some reason, other coaches apparently listen to Kiffin, because ahead of the Sooners’ trip to Alabama on Saturday, Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb admitted he’s preparing for just that. 

Alabama OC Ryan Grubb preparing for Sooners' ability to 'gather information'

Kiffin made his viral signal-stealing comment before the Rebels beat the Sooners 34-26 in Week 9 in Norman. He eventually backtracked later in the week and claimed he meant it as a compliment, but his point was already made clear, and other coaches heard him loud and clear. 

“Like I said, they do a great job of, overall, everything,” Kiffin said then. “Playing plays. I said the signal thing, that’s a compliment. That’s part of your job is to ready your players all week for the plays that come, and then try to figure out on game day what they are. They do a great job and, obviously, Coach (Venables) has done it for years. He’s done this for a long time. 

“Always been one of the elite information gatherers in the game. That’s a better term.”

The Sooners are seventh in the country in total defense and scoring defense, but no one has had more success against them this season than Kiffin’s Ole Miss offense. The Rebels are the only team this season to score more than 30 points and put up more than 400 total yards against OU in a game. 

Obviously Grubb wants to find that same success Saturday, and he believes part of that is preparing in the same way Kiffin did with fear of the Sooners picking up on signals. 

Grubb was asked specifically during his weekly press conference about the Sooners’ skill of “gathering information” and if Alabama plans to switch up how it will call plays offensively this week. Grubb at least, though, made it clear the Sooners aren’t cheating in anyway, while Kiffin insinuated there was more to it. 

“For sure, on all fronts,” Grubb said. “They're good at that, No. 1. And No. 2, we're changing everything, so if Coach Venables is listening, just know they're all changing. 

“But they do everything within the parameters of the game, though, and nothing illegal about what they do. They're good at what they do, so certainly have to take that into consideration."