ESPN.com: Kiffin leaves Tennessee after 1 year for USC
Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin has been named the next head coach at Southern California, athletic director Mike Garrett announced on Tuesday.
Also:
- GoVolsXtra.com: Kiffin hired by Southern Cal
- RockyTopTalk.com: USC has hired Lane Kiffin away from Tennessee, Lane Kiffin pokes Satan, leaves Tennessee fans to fend for themselves
Our friends over at Rocky Top Talk are in meltdown mode. Almost 400 comments in one hour.
Tough time to be looking for a coach….
From Joel at RTT: "How could he do this to us? Why should we have to start over two years in a row? Was everyone right about this guy? I honestly thought he and his excellent staff had things turned around and were ready to push the thing in the right direction this season or at least the next. But what do we do now?"
http://www.rockytoptalk.com/2010/1/12/1248062/esp…
Hmmmm… I'm thinking is this a good thing for the Razorbacks??? Who knows at this point! Short term… maybe; long term… too early to tell.
SOOOO glad this guy didn't become our coach…what a loser. And he must know something no one else does about the ncaa investigation at SC. Otherwise, why walk into that mess when things were going pretty good at Tenn?
I think we should go down TN. recruiting list and each kid hard we might get lucky and pick up one or two but I imagine Petrino is way a head of me. Kiffin will be gone from USC in less than 4 years. He will end up being an OC somewhere.
Who needs tabloids jus follow college sports…what a joke.
bwahahahahahaha!! This is greatness. Although kind of predictable giving Kiffin's alliance with USC. But something must be up at TN given the mess that could be coming with the Trojans.
I agree with Mike – the whole recruting landscape in the SEC may have just changed. Seems like good opportunity for us.
Wonder if there is a chance TN would look at Gus? Wonder if Mustain will get another look?
Speaking of Mustain, he needs to transfer to a Div 2 school where he can play immediately and get some exposure. The whole "Cassell factor" is one in a million, whereas there are a number of NFL QBs to come out of Div 2.
hahahahahahohohohohahahahaha,etc woo hoo this is beyond priceless!!!!
Phillip Fulmer isn't looking so bad now, is he Vols? I think they made a mistake getting rid of Fulmer. The guy seemed to be a pretty good coach and to have above average integrity (getting harder and harder to find in college coaching these days).
At this point in the game, Malzahn might be a GREAT hire for the Vols. I would like to see Malzahn get a shot at a good head coaching job, and would rather see him coaching in the SEC East than the SEC West where we have to face his teams every year. The Vols could probably pick him up for a $$song$$ and he might very well prove to be a real difference maker as their head coach. We already know he is a very good recruiter.
I agree with soupdhog about Mustain. His little move to USC didn't really work out for him as well as it did for Damian Williams. Damian became a star and Mitch became insignificant. Maybe Mitch would do himself a favor to transfer to a school where he can have a chance at some playing time.
Just wondering who Tenn. will look to hire. Sure would be bad timing for us if they should go after Petrino. However, looking at our recruits that we have lined up it might be a nice time time for Petrino to bolt unless he finishes strong over what he has right now lined up. Somehow I do not see him as wanting to move but who knows.
Damien is big time talent. He contributed immediately at USC. Mustain was not big time talent as it turned out because even lower classmen, one a freshman, were better than him. Great arm but not good QB savvy it looks like.
What's with all the twitters whining about ESPN going easy on Kiffin? Schlabach and Pat Forde ripped into him pretty good. At least ESPN didn't criticize Petrino's coaching ability when they were slamming his character. They seem to be hitting Kiffin from both ends.
What about Mike Leach as a replacement for Kiffin? Leach is a good coach who would take a year or two for his offense to get going meaning Tenn would be an easier immediate opponent when we play them. But after that break in time would be a tough opponent.
Since Mustain and Malzahn were brought up: Why hasn't Mustain rejoined Malzahn?
Good point. It may have to do with remaining eligibility. Mustain can now use the Mallet strategy to appeal for leaving based on a change of coach. If given 2 years Mustain and Malzahn might well team up again, but not if only 1 year is left. Malzahn may feel a sense of loyalty to Mustain and might allow him to come join him if he has enough time left. As someone suggested, Division 2 would be an option but it hasn't worked out well for Nathan Dick. I think it is unfair to judge Mustain's ability based on the USC experience. The Trojans played their freshman and in several games he looked like one. Mustain was a transfer and the freshman and his backup were Carrol's recruits. Insofar as Williams is concerned there are a lot more opportunities for a receiver to get into a game and show his talent than a 3rd string QB. Can anyone honestly say, based on game opportunities, that Mustain had a fair shot at playing time? It is interesting that if Barkley is such a world beater that Carrol would bolt to the pros. Now that Mallet is coming back, for example, it is unlikely that Petrino will move.
Regarding Carrol's taking the Seahawk's position, it is a upwardly mobile job resume enhancement, but not for the salary or other reasons you might think. It could be that Tiffin is inheriting a potential mess, and that Carrol's bailing out before the doo doo hits the fan. However, unless Carrol has locked a player up in the basement of the science building, Carrol's proven ability would probably carry him through any NCAA scandal. There is another important reason for Carrol's move besides sanctions that no one is mentioning. The reason is that moving to the pros will give him a leg up on recruiting in any future college job (and he will probably return to collegiate coaching). It doesn't matter if he can turn the Seahawk's around, but he can say to future recruiting prospects, I've been in the pros as a head man and I know the ropes and the way to get there. Most skill players today have their sights set on a pro career and going to classes is an annoying impediment that they could well do without. Coaches like Saban, Petrino, Tiffin and Spurrier have known this. Also there is the importance of connections and networking in the pros. How else to explain Tiffin? (Unless Tennessee really wanted his old man on board). If you succeed in the pros well and good, but if not. good jobs are awaiting for you back in the college ranks if you have previously been highly successful there. Carrol and others are not naive and they know that the quality of their players in the pros is not going to be determined by their own recruiting skills but by the vagaries of the draft, the ability of management's decision making and the size of the owner's pocketbook. Barring garlands of garlic surrounding NCAA coaches armed with wooden stakes, Carrol will be back.
Ripple effect of Pete jumping ship at USC. Lets see where next ripple is when TN hires someone elses Coach.
Hey, I agree with reporter that said if Lane can talk his hot wife into marriage then he can probably convince an 18 year old to come play for him.