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Does the AD Garrett ever catch heat at SC? Hes had multiple programs in trouble. Will he ever even hear a peep about it? Hes the Teflon AD it seems.
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At the minimum he has 13 games more experience than he had when Tennessee hired him. Tennessee fans are just butt hurt, because they weren’t questioning his experience when he was there coach. I don't get people bringing up his inexperience as a coach now when last year he went to a traditional powerhouse in the SEC and everyone was running around talking about how it was such a great hire.
Kiffin has an opportunity to get out of the tough SEC and go home to the Pac-10, where he should be able to dominate. He’s also bringing in a really good and experienced coaching staff with him. I figured Kiffin would turn Tennessee into a championship team in 2-3 years and now at USC I think he’ll be able to continue on Carroll’s legacy, while making his own. Great move by him.
As it happens every offseason the players will be upset, feel betrayed and some will transfer, while others will stay, but at the end of the day it will all work out for everyone. I don’t like the fact that the players can’t just up and leave to another school like the coaches, but what can you do?Comment
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but yeah UT sucks for you.... probably shouldnt have hired that guy in the first place.
I could see Calipari doing the same thing if a "better" job came along. Only one i can think of is UNC though and i dont see Ole Roy going anywhere.Comment
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On the radio this morning they were saying Ed Ogeron , one of the better recruiters in the country talked about how tough it was to recruit to UT. Fat Phil got kids to come in from Cali, Georgia, Florida all the time. He was saying the staff had to take the SC job, CANT BLAME THEM THERE. But it will suck for all those guys to go out there and then be slapped with sanctions, USC with sanctions imposed is still a better job than UT. I hate to break it to you Vols fans.Comment
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LA Times link
BILL PLASCHKE
Lane Kiffin: a lightweight for USC's heavyweight program
The former Tennessee coach is a poor choice by Trojans A.D. Mike Garrett.
Bill Plaschke
January 13, 2010
What was Mike Garrett thinking?
This question, of course, is based on the large and dangerous assumption that he was actually thinking.
On the contrary, in handing his heavyweight USC football team to lightweight Lane Kiffin on Tuesday, Garrett has seemingly lost his mind.
The USC athletic director's few remaining defenders have always deflected criticism toward Garrett by claiming he is a true Trojan.
This is who a true Trojan hires?
A program that defines itself by victories over UCLA just signed a guy who was out coached by UCLA's Rick Neuheisel just four months ago, Kiffin's Tennessee team losing to the Bruins in Knoxville.
I haven't yet talked to Neuheisel, but I can guess his two-word reaction to this move.
"Thank you."
This is who a true Trojan hires?
A program that defines itself in consistency of leadership just acquired a guy who walks out of a Tennessee program after only one season.
If he's not staying in football's best conference for one of its best contracts -- more than $2 million a year -- then how much chance does USC have of keeping him long? Volunteers students and fans were so angry at Kiffin's sudden betrayal, they marched on his goodbye news conference Tuesday night and showered him with obscenities.
Once they calm down and remember that he led them to only a 7-6 record with nearly as many minor NCAA infractions as big plays, I'm sure those Tennessee folks will also have a two-word reaction.
"Thank y'all."
This is who a true Trojan hires?
A program that covets an NFL pedigree just added a guy who was 5-15 with the Oakland Raiders in his only NFL head-coaching experience.
How bad was that experience? Al Davis ended it by calling him a "flat-out" liar.
Yeah, that bad.
This is who a true Trojan hires?
A program that thrives on the big play just hitched its future to a guy who was holding the controls during this team's worst play in many years.
It was the Rose Bowl after the 2005 season, the Trojans needed one first down to clinch the win and national title against Texas, it was fourth and two, remember?
USC called a running play with LenDale White plowing straight ahead while Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush incredibly watched from the sidelines. White was stopped, Texas took the ball and eventually a game, the dynasty's downfall began.
The offensive coordinator for that play? Your new USC head coach, Lane Kiffin.
What was Mike Garrett thinking?
Other than, why not hire a 34-year-old former Trojans errand boy who won't challenge my power or ego?
I mentioned about 86 names of potential candidates in my Tuesday column, but I purposely did not mention Kiffin even though I covered him and liked him during his six seasons here on Pete Carroll's staff.
He wasn't big enough. His star wasn't bright enough. Maybe one day, but not this day, not now, and especially not after his recent past.
When protected by Carroll's buoyant presence, Kiffin was a smart young assistant. But after he set out on his own, he seemingly devolved into a spoiled kid.
He couldn't command the Raiders' respect. He struggled to bring the Volunteers credibility. He led the Southeastern Conference in smack talk, even accusing Florida's Urban Meyer of cheating, but while his team nearly beat Alabama, it couldn't match his hype, on or off the field.
On Kiffin's watch, one of his star freshman recruits pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. On Kiffin's watch, the NCAA began an investigation into the role of Tennessee hostesses in luring players.
"I was able to watch him closely when he was an assistant with us and what I saw was a bright, creative young coach who I thought would make an excellent head coach here," Garrett said in a statement issued upon the hire.
You liked him when he was at USC, cool. But have you followed his career since then? Don't answer that.
In giving Kiffin much-needed support, the Trojans are also bringing in Kiffin's legendary father, defensive guru Monte Kiffin, while bringing back former Trojans assistant Ed Orgeron and possibly even stealing Norm Chow back from UCLA.
But even this is weird.
Chow left the Trojans after the 2004 season partly because Carroll was giving some of his responsibilities to the kid Kiffin. They can work together after that?
Orgeron is the real deal, a main cog in the rebuilding of the Trojans culture. But his tough-guy ways worked best in contrast to Carroll's nurturing ways. Will he resonate as much when backed by a head coach who has not yet been around long enough to nurture?
The Trojans needed to replace Carroll quickly, but did they need to move so quickly that they compromised their future?
Word is, they were turned down by Mike Riley, Jack Del Rio and Jeff Fisher. Couldn't Garrett haven't taken a few more days and made a few more calls?
Much as he did with Carroll, Garrett is risking his USC career on this hire.
But this is different. The program now commands national respect with the expectations that demand a national presence.
At first glance, Lane Kiffin has neither.Comment
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Another example of a song that shouldn't be used by another school besides UF. Too many syllables in it for it to work.
Anyway, the one person I really, really feel for is Nu'Keese Richardson. He was the Pahokee HS player who was poached on signing day last year by Kiffin from UF, and was later arrested for doing dumb shit.
If he hadn't fallen for Kiffin's smack, he'd be a Gator and going for another SEC title. Now, he's at Hampton University...a middle of the pack MEAC school.
Though I would like to thank the University of Tennessee for giving us all of your Florida recruits you lost....I hear Mike Leach is looking for a job.
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I LUL'ed at a Fox Sport article bashing Kiffin for going after Meyer when he was first hired. Yeah Kiffin is a punk butit said Meyer was one of the "classiest guys in college football". Pff.....Meyer is a slime ball.Comment
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How is that different from other big time programs? You go for big time athletes, sadly, some of them are going to be troublemakers off the field too...it happens.
His recruiting practices? What's wrong with them? He talks kids into coming to Florida away from other places? Other schools do that too...until that LOI is signed, everything's open.Comment
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