Monte Kiffin heading back to NFL

[ThomasTomasz]

LOS ANGELES -- Monte Kiffin will resign from his post as USC's de facto defensive coordinator after the Trojans' December bowl game, he announced Thursday.

The 72-year-old Kiffin, who came to USC when his son, Lane, was hired as coach in January 2010, said in a statement he plans to pursue opportunities in the NFL. He said he made his resignation announcement now to help USC's recruiting efforts and to keep attention on the team's bowl-game preparation.

"I really enjoyed my time at USC and the opportunity I had to work with our players and coaches," Monte Kiffin said in the statement, released Thursday night on the school's official site. "The chance to work for my son, Lane, was unique and memorable, but we always treated each other professionally on a coach-to-coach basis."

With most of USC's coaches out on recruiting trips during an off week for the team, players had not officially been informed of the news as of 11 p.m. ET Thursday.

USC (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12) started the season as the AP's preseason No. 1 team but fell out of the rankings entirely after losing three games in November, and four out of the final five. The Trojans are the first team in 48 years to complete such a drop, and Monte Kiffin and his defense absorbed much of the blame.

The Trojans lost back-to-back games to Arizona and Oregon despite scoring a combined 87 points, with Kiffin's defense allowing a school-record 62 points and 730 yards to the Ducks.

His conservative style of defense, developed in the NFL, worked well against pro-style offenses at the college level but struggled to stop the spread. Kiffin has been credited as the inventor of the "Tampa-2" zone defense, but he veered away from that style at USC after the Trojans struggled on defense in 2010.

Kiffin's official title with the Trojans was assistant head coach, but he called USC's in-game defensive schemes and led defensive meetings. Ed Orgeron is the Trojans' defensive line coach and holds the defensive coordinator title.

Orgeron is a candidate to take over the role of defensive play-caller. Other potential candidates could include San Diego Chargers linebacker coach Joe Barry, who coached USC's linebackers from 2010-11 and has been an NFL coordinator in the past.

Lane Kiffin said in a statement Thursday that he plans to begin a search for a new coach immediately. It's unclear if the new coach would take over play-calling duties.

"I respect my father's decision and his desire to return to the NFL," Lane Kiffin said in a statement. "We are very appreciative of the hard work and effort that he put in at USC these past three years. He has a tremendous passion for coaching young men and he is a phenomenal recruiter.

"The timing of this allows us to move forward now in the hiring of a new coach."

Before USC, the Kiffins had worked together for one season, in 2009 at Tennessee, where Orgeron also worked.

Monte Kiffin's reported $1.5 million salary at USC was a significant sum for a college assistant. He was making as much as Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez and more than twice as much as Colorado head coach Jon Embree, who was fired earlier this week.

For that amount, USC could give many NFL defensive coordinators and college head coaches a raise.

Kiffin has been a football coach for 47 years, including 26 in the NFL, where he won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003. He hasn't sat out a season of football without coaching since the mid-1960s.

He said Thursday that he expects his son's program to rebound soon.

"Although things didn't always go as well as we would have liked this year from a defensive and win-loss standpoint, I will leave USC with the utmost respect for the University, the Trojan Family and, most importantly, the players I had the good fortune to coach," Monte Kiffin said in a statement. "I see great things ahead for the USC football program."

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/coll...4/monte-kiffin-resign-usc-following-bowl-game

 

[ram29jackson]

Like a friend of mine said...falling on the sword for his son. Lane could be next though...?

 

[Aso]

Shouldn't have left Tampa Bay then Jon Gruden might still be there or at least would have lasted a little longer.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

This was totally by choice.

 

[Bigpapa42]

Considering that the USC defense under-performed to a huge degree this season, its laughable that he's "choosing" this.

 

[BigBucs]

Shouldn't have left Tampa Bay then Jon Gruden might still be there or at least would have lasted a little longer.

If him staying in Tampa would have kept Gruden there, Im glad he left. One hell of a coordinator though, was pissed when he left us the way he did. Was happy to see Gruden go though.

 

[Cornelius]

Other potential candidates could include San Diego Chargers linebacker coach Joe Barry, who coached USC's linebackers from 2010-11 and has been an NFL coordinator in the past.

:lol:

0-16 Lions coordinator. Fuck you Joe Barry.

 

[MVPete]

If him staying in Tampa would have kept Gruden there, Im glad he left. One hell of a coordinator though, was pissed when he left us the way he did. Was happy to see Gruden go though.

Yes because there's been nothing but success since Gruden left. :lol:

 

[BigBucs]

Yes because there's been nothing but success since Gruden left. :lol:

Yes, because this offensive "guru" didnt field nothing but POS offenses year after year. Monte's defenses is what made us competitive. Grudens offenses was offensive, flat out pathetic. Shianos and Sulli's offense in their 1st year blows away any of Grudens offenses during his tenure. Hell, Raheem Morris and bum ass Greg Olsens 2010 offense had more success than any of Grudens.

You know how frustrating it was knowing you had no shot at winning a game if you fell behind my more than 7 unless the D made a play? You dont because all you did was tune out like the fairweather "supporter" you are.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Yes, because this offensive "guru" didnt field nothing but POS offenses year after year. Monte's defenses is what made us competitive. Grudens offenses was offensive, flat out pathetic. Shianos and Sulli's offense in their 1st year blows away any of Grudens offenses during his tenure. Hell, Raheem Morris and bum ass Greg Olsens 2010 offense had more success than any of Grudens.

You know how frustrating it was knowing you had no shot at winning a game if you fell behind my more than 7 unless the D made a play? You dont because all you did was tune out like the fairweather "supporter" you are.

Hence the reason why I fail to see how Jon Gruden always pops up as a popular name for head coaching positions. He's one of those coaches who just started believing too much in his own story and has a huge ego.

 

[MVPete]

Yes, because this offensive "guru" didnt field nothing but POS offenses year after year. Monte's defenses is what made us competitive. Grudens offenses was offensive, flat out pathetic. Shianos and Sulli's offense in their 1st year blows away any of Grudens offenses during his tenure. Hell, Raheem Morris and bum ass Greg Olsens 2010 offense had more success than any of Grudens.

You know how frustrating it was knowing you had no shot at winning a game if you fell behind my more than 7 unless the D made a play? You dont because all you did was tune out like the fairweather "supporter" you are.

GTFO with this shit, I wasn't even in Florida for most of the Gruden era you dumb motherfucker. I was in the army from 03-11 and rarely would be home to catch the games. Meanwhile you are a black piece of shit that doesn't have car insurance, born and raised in the DC area but doesn't root for the Skins because you like Pirates?

Bucs are having their best offensive year in the history of the team right now, but you the team spent draft picks and money towards it and it's paying dividends. I don't think Gruden was the greatest but I'm sure you could put some of the blame on the GM, and the players he was working with on offense.

 

[Matt]

:shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired::shotsfired:

:homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol::homieslol:

 

[Villain]

Meanwhile you are a black piece of shit that doesn't have car insurance, born and raised in the DC area but doesn't root for the Skins because you like Pirates?

:jonesy:

 

[NAHSTE]

"because you like pirates"

:dead:

 

[s@ppisgod]

GTFO with this shit, I wasn't even in Florida for most of the Gruden era you dumb motherfucker. I was in the army from 03-11 and rarely would be home to catch the games. Meanwhile you are a black piece of shit that doesn't have car insurance, born and raised in the DC area but doesn't root for the Skins because you like Pirates?

Bucs are having their best offensive year in the history of the team right now, but you the team spent draft picks and money towards it and it's paying dividends. I don't think Gruden was the greatest but I'm sure you could put some of the blame on the GM, and the players he was working with on offense.

I got nothing against BB, but daaaaaammmmnnnn....

Gruden didn't get a fair shake because McKay screwed him. His crazy contracts to Sim, DB, and especially Booger really hurt us. And the picks lost for Gruden didn't help him any. And then there was the Glazers throwing all their resources to Man U, and not even getting to the cap floor. Gruden had to make chicken salad out of chicken shit with guys like Galloway, Garcia, and Hilliard. It does make a difference to be able to go out and buy a Vincent Jackson.

As far as Kiffin, he's awesome and some team is going to get very lucky to have him available.

 

[BigBucs]

Pete mad. Doesnt like for me to call out his fairweather ass :yao: