Alabama hires Kiffin for offense

Alabama hired former USC coach Lane Kiffin on Friday as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Kiffin returns to the Southeastern Conference after coaching stints with the Trojans, Tennessee and the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. He replaces Doug Nussmeier, who left Alabama for Michigan.

“He is an outstanding and creative offensive coach who has great experience both at the college and NFL level,” Coach Nick Saban said in a statement.

Kiffin spent a week in Tuscaloosa, Ala., last month exchanging ideas with Saban and his staff and observing Alabama’s offense. The 38-year-old Kiffin was 28-15 in three-plus seasons with USC.

Penn State officials will make a “major announcement” Saturday that is widely expected to be the hiring of the university’s next football coach, James Franklin, according the multiple media reports. Franklin, 41, has spent the past three seasons in Nashville, going 9-4 each of the last two seasons at Vanderbilt. The Penn State Board of Trustees’ recently formed compensation committee is meeting Saturday morning to approve an employment contract, according to reports, including the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa.

Western Kentucky announced that offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm will be the school’s new coach.

Among the college players declaring for the NFL draft were Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas, a 6-foot-7, 270-pound junior from Fullerton; and California defensive tackle Viliami Moala.

Former Texas Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield lost an appeal to avoid giving up a year of eligibility at Oklahoma. According to Texas Tech policy, when a player transfers within the conference, he must sit out the next year and lose a year of eligibility.

ETC.Stuard leads by one

Brian Stuard’s two-foot eagle putt completed a second-round 65 to give him a one-shot lead over Marc Leishman of Australia and Hideto Tanihara of Japan in the Sony Open at Honolulu. Stuard was at 10-under 130. James Hahn drew much of the attention, however, when he holed out from 191 yards with a six-iron on the par-five ninth hole for a double eagle.

Texas Rangers left-hander Derek Holland will sit out the start of the season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Holland injured his knee in a fall Tuesday on stairs in his home.

Former North Carolina player P.J. Hairston said he will play in the NBA Development League.

John Isner fired 23 aces in a match that had no service breaks to beat Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7), in the final of the Heineken Open in Auckland, New Zealand.

Three-time Olympic ski jump champion Thomas Morgenstern of Austria suffered skull injuries and a bruised lung in a ski flying crash at Tauplitz, Austria. The Austrian ski federation said he was “conscious and well responsive,” and it was “way too early” to judge his chances of competing in the Sochi Games.

Bode Miller has been cleared to race in all five Alpine events at the Sochi Olympics, including defending his super-combined title.

Americans planning to attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, should be vigilant about their security because of potential terrorist threats, crime and uncertain medical care, the State Department advised.