AJ McCarron wasn’t all that surprised Nick Saban announced his retirement Wednesday. He saw the signs.

Speaking of seeing the signs, the Cincinnati quarterback and former Alabama play-caller didn’t mince words with who he thought should replace the GOAT: Lane Kiffin.

“I think it has to become someone involved with the university, involved with (Saban’s) process and seen throughout the years the amount of work it took to get it to the point to where he left it now.

“For me it is Lane Kiffin. I think it needs to be an offensive guy. Lane has been in the SEC for a while. He knows the type of athletes that it takes to win in the SEC.”

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McCarron, who spent 2010-2013 in Tuscaloosa, said his sources told him Oregon coach Dan Lanning “could be the top choice” but McCarron continues to bang the Kiffin drum, especially when it comes to recruiting and the style of athlete needed in the SEC.

“Lane’s done that for years in the SEC,” McCarron said. He’s recruiting well at Ole Miss, which is a hard place to recruit and, especially in the SEC West against LSU and Alabama each year.

“It’s a perfect set up for him.”

Kiffin spent 2014-2016 under Saban as the offensive coordinator.

“Lane is the only coach in college football that is a head coach of another university that is allowed to tweet about another university that is in the same conference, the same division as him over the years.

“Hell, he tweets ‘Roll Tide’ more than he does ‘Come to the Sip.’

“If that’s what he does – and stayed in the good graces of Nick Saban, calling him the GOAT, he always picks Alabama, talks week about Alabama. This is his dream job.”

McCarron pointed to signs this season that pointed to Saban retiring. Family, grandkids, affinity for cars and his Italy trip were telling, the quarterback said.

“He accomplished everything he set out to do,” McCarron said. “I’m not sure what else he could do.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.