Before Lane Kiffin to a playful jab at Paul Finebaum, which resulted in the SEC Network analyst point out his hypocrisy, the Ole Miss coach was asked a mundane question.

What has Nick Saban meant to his career?

Kiffin, who served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, spent more thana minute citing the reasons why Saban is the greatest to ever do it.

“I’m extremely grateful to coach Saban and our time together,” Kiffin told gathered media at SEC media day on Thursday. “Most importantly, him giving me an opportunity to learn from him. He’s the best ever to do it. I’ve said it before. I really do believe he is the best to do it. …

“He’s done it in a time of scholarship limitations, and some of those older coaches didn’t have them. What if Nick Saban didn’t have an 85 rule? What would his roster look like if he had 150 scholarships to give?”

Like Kiffin, many have spent time in Tuscaloosa under Saban only to land head-coaching jobs with other programs, making it even more difficult for Saban to continue his on-field success.

“He’s also done what I don’t think anyone did over time of doing it continuously with so much staff turnover,” Kiffin explained. “So many people are hired off his staff to be head coaches. It’s kind of like, ‘Man, all these first-round picks and he loses the coordinators.”

It was a busy day for Kiffin. The former Alabama offensive coordinator went scorched earth on NIL to start the day. In do so, Kiffin declined to rank SEC boosters when asked by a reporter but said, “God, I want to so bad.” He even cited SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s advice.

In addition, the former Tennessee coach wouldn’t take bait on Tennessee’s sanctions, but admitted, ‘I got a lot of thoughts on that case.’

Then, of course, there were the fireworks when Kiffin pointed out Paul Finebaum continues to motivate Saban to the detriment of the other teams in the league. Finebaum responded by calling Kiffin out for his hypocrisy.

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.