Alabama has dismissed Lane Kiffin one week before the national championship game

Jonathan Bachman/AP

The University of Alabama has dismissed Lane Kiffin as offensive coordinator, head coach Nick Saban announced on ESPN

The timing of the move comes as a surprise as it has been made one week before the Crimson Tide are to play Clemson for the national championship.

Kiffin has already been hired as the head coach at Florida Atlantic University. However, it had previously been announced that Kiffin would remain offensive coordinator at Alabama through the College Football Playoff.

Saban made it clear that the move was the school’s decision and suggested that the situation has just become too distracting.

“We recognize that this is a very difficult circumstance, in terms of the sort of distractions that you have,” Saban told ESPN. “I think it is a very tough management. We just thought it was in the best interest of our players, our program, and for Lane, to assume his responsibilities as the head coach at Florida Atlantic.”

Steve Sarkisian, the former head coach at USC and Washington, will replace Kiffin as offensive coordinator, effective immediately. Sarkisian, who was hired earlier in the season, had been serving as an analyst and had already been named as Kiffin’s replacement.