Coach hiring season is in full swing, and an Alabama coordinator is generating interest for multiple major openings. Hint: It's not the one with three prior head-coaching stops -- two in Power 5 conferences and one in the NFL.

Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is being mentioned as a top candidate at South Carolina and now at Georgia, where he played defensive back from 1995-98. There's little doubt Smart, who has been with Nick Saban since 2006, soon will be running his own shop.

The outlook is murkier for Lane Kiffin, Alabama's polarizing offensive coordinator. Kiffin, 40, has had head-coaching stints with the Oakland Raiders (2007-08), Tennessee (2009) and USC (2010-13), none of which ended particularly well. He has a 35-21 record at the college level and went 5-15 with the Raiders.

He has been undeniably successful with Alabama, which set a team record for passing yards average (277.9 YPG) in his first season. This fall, Alabama's offense has shown balance and steady production, propelled by running back Derrick Henry, the Heisman Trophy favorite entering the final week of voting.

The belief in coaching and agent circles is this will be Kiffin's final season on Alabama's staff. With a spike in coaching openings, could Kiffin receive a fourth chance to lead a program? Athletic directors at both the Power 5 and Group of 5 levels weighed in on Kiffin's chances.

Kiffin's name has been mentioned for several openings, but at this point he's not considered a serious candidate anywhere. Some athletic directors expect it to stay that way, noting Kiffin's history with controversy (Tennessee, Oakland) and underachievement (USC).

"You've got to be kidding. No way!" a Group of 5 athletic director said. "Please tell me why. He's terrible with donors, he's terrible with the administration, he's terrible with admissions, he's terrible with the plans, he's terrible with following the rules. Why would you hire him?

"We know Saban wants him out, so now he's trying to shop for jobs?"

The AD went on to note how Kiffin never truly built a program but walked into places with strong traditions of success. Kiffin took over for national championship-winning coaches both at Tennessee (Phillip Fulmer) and USC (Pete Carroll). His one season in Knoxville included seven wins but also several controversies, including one that led to a public reprimand from SEC commissioner Mike Slive.

The NCAA hit USC with major sanctions during Kiffin's tenure, including scholarship losses and a two-year bowl ban. But he still won more than eight games just once, going 10-2 in 2011, despite a roster that, while reduced, still oozed with future NFL players. USC fired Kiffin after a 3-2 start in 2013.

"He's had two head-coaching stints that ended in just complete disaster," a Group of 5 AD said. "Athletic directors who hire retreads are morons, given all the talent in the world right now, all these young coaches, all these minority coaches who are phenomenal, who are waiting for an opportunity.

"And no, we're going to go hire Lane Kiffin."

Whether college football becomes like the NFL or NBA, where retread hires are common, remains to be seen. The sheer number of openings this cycle increases the likelihood for coaches to get second or third opportunities, especially because so many programs covet prior head-coaching experiences in their searches.

Gene Chizik went 5-19 at Iowa State from 2007-08, but then won a national title with Auburn in 2010. Chizik, who was fired after going 3-9 in 2012, could land his third head-coaching job after a strong first season as North Carolina's defensive coordinator.

"People grow, people learn, people get better," a Power 5 athletic director said. "That's the thing I try to keep in mind as you look at some of these people who may have their second or third or fourth opportunities. With some of our experiences in life, you hope you get better. A lot of people do, a lot of people don't.

"You would hope people would do their homework and figure that piece out."

Other athletic directors at the Power 5 and Group of 5 levels said coaches who have failed leading programs can earn more chances. But one Power 5 AD added, "I don't understand how some guys who don't deserve it get rehired and other guys who do have to wait."

Whether Kiffin deserves it or not, several ADs expect him to get another chance, if not in this year's cycle then in the near future. Coaches with strong offensive backgrounds continue to be in demand, especially at programs struggling with attendance.

Kiffin's play-calling acumen is strong, and he has recruited well throughout his career. Despite scholarship reductions, USC signed four top-15 recruiting classes under Kiffin, according to ESPN Recruiting, including the nation's No. 4 class in 2011.

"Yes," one Power 5 athletic director said when asked if Kiffin would get another Power 5 job, "but hold your nose as that guy has so much bad baggage. Renegade hire."

Coaches with checkered pasts have received new opportunities, especially those with backgrounds on offense.

"We all think, 'I can fix this guy,'" a Group of 5 AD said. "We're all nuts. [Bobby] Petrino got hired at Louisville. Those guys all find a spot."

Will Kiffin find a spot? Stay tuned. The coaching carousel has just started to spin.