| Lane Kiffin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Head Coach | |
| Tennessee Record | 0-0 | |
| Born | May 9, 1975 | |
| Place of birth | Bloomington, MN | |
| Career highlights | ||
| Overall Record | 0-0 | |
| Bowl Record | 0-0 | |
| Playing career | ||
| 1994-1997 | Fresno St. University | |
| Position | Quarterback | |
| Coaching career | ||
| 2009-Present 2007-2008 2005-2006 2001-2004 2000 1999 1997-1998 |
University of Tennessee - Head Coach Oakland Raiders - Head Coach University of Southern California - Offensive Coordinator University of Southern California - Positions Coach Jacksonville Jaguars - Assistant Coach Colorado St. University - Positions Coach Fresno St. University - Positions Coach | |
On November 28, 2008, multiple media outlets reported that Lane Kiffin would be the next head football coach for the University of Tennessee Volunteers in 2009, replacing ousted head coach Phillip Fulmer.[1][2] UT formally introduced Kiffin as the school's 21st head football coach on December 1, 2008 in a 2:00 p.m. news conference.[3]
Kiffin, 33, was hired by Tennessee and became the youngest active head coach in Division I FBS, surpassing Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald.[4]
Raiders Feud[]
As expected Kiffin targeted several of his Raider staff members when assembling his staff at Tennessee. On December 15, 2008, Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable lashed out at Kiffin for hiring one of his assistants, James Cregg, with two weeks remaining in the NFL season. Cable called the timing of Cregg's departure "wrong in the business of coaching" and indicated he had lost respect for Kiffin and planned to confront him about it. Nothing further was said publicly regarding the incident.[5]
Contract[]
Kiffin signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Tennessee on November 30, 2008. The tentative deal will pay Kiffin $2 million in 2009, with additional performance bonuses, including a $300,000 bonus if UT competes for the national championship. His salary increases over the six-year-deal, reaching a high of $2.75 million in 2014. The average salary of the deal is $2.375 million. If Kiffin is fired in 2009 or 2010, the school will have to pay him a buyout clause of $7.5 million; after the 2012 season, the buyout clause decreases to $5 million.[6] If Kiffin resigns his position, he will have to pay UT $1 million in 2009, with the sum decreasing by $200,000 each year of his contract.[7]
Controversial Remarks[]
On February 5, 2009, Kiffin accused Urban Meyer the head coach of the Florida Gators of violating NCAA recruiting rules at Tennessee Booster breakfast at the Knoxville Convention Center. [8]
"I'm going to turn Florida in right here in front of you," Kiffin told the crowd. "As Nu'Keese was here on campus, his phone keeps ringing. And so one of our coaches is sitting in the meeting with him and says, 'Who is that?' And he looks at the phone and says, 'Urban Meyer.'
"Just so you know, you can't call a recruit on another campus. But I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him."[8]
While Kiffin was accusing Meyer of violating NCAA rules, he was actually violating Southeastern Conference rules himself and his accusations of Meyer's conduct being against NCAA rules was incorrect.[8] For his violation of conference rules and lack of knowledge of NCAA rules, Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive issued a public reprimand to Kiffin.[9] In addition to the public reprimand by Slive, Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley issued a statement demanding an public apology from Kiffin for his false statements.[10]
Kiffin issued a public apology a day after the remarks. In a statement released by the University of Tennessee, Kiffin said, "In my enthusiasm for our recruiting class, I made some statements that were meant solely to excite those at the breakfast. If I offended anyone at the University of Florida, including Mr. Foley and Urban Meyer, I sincerely apologize. That was not my intention."[11]
On February 13th, 2009 on a Knoxville radio show, Kiffin referred to Bryce Brown, a coveted high school recruit, as a "great player," which the university plans to self-report as a secondary recruiting violation. [12]
In late Febrary 2009, Kiffin denigrated the Georgia Bulldogs recruiting efforts in the state of Georgia on a talk radio show with the Rivals network. The University of Georgia Athletic Director Damon Evans responded that the program does not need to cheat to have success.[13][14]
Personal[]
He is the son of Monte Kiffin, a long time defensive coordinator in the National Football League, who now serves as the defensive coordinator on Lane's staff at Tennessee.[15]
Lane and his wife Layla have two daughters named Landry and Pressley. On January 13, 2009, Layla gave birth to their first son, Monte Knox Kiffin.[16] Kiffin's brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State University. [17] Kiffin's father-in-law, John Reaves, was a former NFL quarterback who played his college football for the Florida Gators, a rival of Kiffin's current team, the Tennessee Volunteers
- ↑ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3731656
- ↑ https://archive.is/20120718071801/www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/11/28/tennessee_kiffin_sec.html
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2008/nov/28/source-kiffin-become-vols-head-football-coach/
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ Template:Cite news
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- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Template:Cite web
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- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Atlanta Journal article about Kiffin's remarks to UGA recruiting
- ↑ Sports Illustrated info about Evan's remarks
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ http://www.collegian.com/media/storage/paper864/news/2002/04/22/UndefinedSection/Snow-Doesnt.Slow.Gold.Team-1699925.shtml