Different Viewpoint: Kiffin to USC a Good Move
Everyone's saying that Kiffin to USC is a terrible idea. Here's my take.
USC's AD knows that the house of cards is going to collapse, shit's going to hit the fan, etc.
Why force a legitimate, un-blemished coach to take the fall?
They know outright that only someone as attention-starved as Kiffin would take the job in the face of the falling hammer. Kiffin's scrappy and absolutely loves the negative attention. He's a decent coach, and will put a very bring-it-on face on the program.
Give him his money, show him a fight, let the hammer fall on him, then hire a legit coach after a few years of sanctions. Damage mitigated.
In reality, this may be a Brilliant move.
Edit: From this point onward is new. It's a little more left-field, but it's still plausible...
There may be an ulterior motive here. The NCAA may have shown USC the stick - that's why PC bounced. Perhaps they sat down with the AD and basically said: "Look, we have this really big stick, and we are going to a-whack you with it several times. But, we really really really want to whack Lane Kiffin too, because he's been a thorn in our sides. How about we reduce the number of whacks you get Pete out of dodge and hire Lane so that he gets hit too?"
I won't hold the NCAA above meddling in such a way.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
Oooooor....
SMU was under sanctions for various infractions. They continued to break the rules. Death penalty.
USC is about to (likely) go under sanctions for activies during the Carroll era. They hire Lane "Walking Violation" Kiffin to head the ship while they're under sanction.
End result could be pleasant, assuming you're not a USC fan.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
Wow that's cynical. And actually not a bad idea.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:06 PM ^
All Kiffin needs is a competent staff to keep things rolling.
Good OC? Norm Chow signing on. Check
Good DC? Monte Kiffin joining his son. Check
Good recruiter? Ed Oregeron, the fiery Cajun behind the book "Meat Market." Check.
Now if one of them can figure out a way to keep Lane from running his mouth all the time, then things will be okay. USC will be fine with this staff coming together.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^
That staff is unreal. I'd say it's probably the best round up of assistant coaches in the country.
It's kinda of funny that it looks like Kiffin's staff at SC will be better than Carroll's staff in the NFL.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:19 AM ^
The biggest knock on Carroll (from the handful of insane SC fans who knock a coach who has won the Rose Bowl three of the last four years) was that his assistant coaches had been strictly amateur hour post-2004. Kiffin's staff looks even better than the juggernaut Pete put together when he first took over (bringing back Chow and O while adding Daddy Kiffin to the mix).
As the news on the assistants broke the texts I got from SC fans shifted from "OMG Kiffin, I'm gonna shot myself" to "I guess I'm okay with it" to "I have a raging boner that will last until opening kickoff!"
January 12th, 2010 at 10:08 PM ^
Problem is Kiffin has ties to the program during the period that the violations took place so the USC AD isn't showing that they're trying to make a clean break from their past with this hire.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:09 PM ^
That's the key... Kiffin will take the fall. NCAA may have offered USC somewhat of a carrot if they hired Kiffin, two birds with one stone. Sanction USC, sanction Kiffin (who is the biggest bully in the coaching class). Make example.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:16 PM ^
Definitely convincing, but I fundamentally disagree that the goal of USC's AD at this point should be damage control and finding "jail cover" for their past misdeeds. If they're being honest to their current players, future student athletes, alumni from the era and NCAA athletes in programs other than football or basketball they should be willing to say "what's done is done, it won't happen again, we'll take our medicine and move on." Hiring Kiffin doesn't say this.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
that's 4 posts Kiffen related posts already, and it's only 7PM pacific. My 3 post prediction from post number 1 was terribly off. Hopefully the 45 for the week is still sound, however, at this pace we'll hit 45 by mid day tomorrow.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:11 PM ^
Sorry, I was going to put it in another post, but it's a completely separate direction.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:16 PM ^
... I'm not a double poster hawk. I just like the action around betting how many posts there will be and am bitter that I predicted so low.
I didn't even count the OT - Ed Orgeron post.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:17 PM ^
My over has come in!
How many mgopoints do I get?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:30 PM ^
... well done.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
Could Kiffin have been leaving possible violations at Tennessee?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
As much as I hate to say it becaust I hate Kiffin and USC, I think USC is going to be great in 2 years. They'll be back to their usual Rose Bowl/NC game by 2011 or 2012.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:15 PM ^
No matter how foolish Lane Kiffin is.
Seriously, the other schools in the conference would lose too much to have one of their opponents wiped out. In the mid 1980s, only a select number of games were televised. Now, you can watch college football every day of the week - almost.
Besides, I'm still waiting to see Lane Kiffin singing Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:18 PM ^
The only thing that can stop USC now is the NCAA. I get the feeling that USC doesn't care about its reputation.
My biggest fear is that Kiffin will wow Baxter and Parker back into the fold. This move could be very BAAAADDD for our class. Although we might get an LB out of it.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
Completely agree with that. My myopic view is that the Kiffin hire keeps both of these kids in California now, unless the violations and sanctions come to fruition. This guy proved his snake oil is the most potent.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
The guy is great for USC, but not for the cynical reasons that the original poster suggested.
Instead, this guy will keep the USC train rolling. He's got the #6 recruiting class at Tennessee after a 7-5 season. You better believe he will keep Carroll's monster recruiting class rolling, probably including Parker and Baxter.
Incredible move for USC. Terrible for the rest of college football who thought they caught a break when Carroll left.
As for NCAA sanctions - I highly doubt it. That organization is a bunch of wimps. Kiffin gets a slap on the wrist and keeps USC in the elite echelon, that's my opinion.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:14 AM ^
Monte Kiffin: arguably the best defensive mind in the country
Norm Chow: arguably the best offensive mind in the history of college football
Ed Orgeron: arguably the best recruiting assistant in college football and a great position coach
I don't see any way that staff doesn't succeed, no matter who the head coach is. I also don't think those guys come on board if the NCAA is prepared to bring down any serious charges/sanctions (SC has now heard from the NCAA and should have a decent idea what they are facing).
January 13th, 2010 at 12:19 AM ^
USC just landed an incredible, incredible coaching staff. Their only weakness is Lane Kiffin's big mouth, but I think he'll be able to keep it shut.
Frankly, USC may just have *upgraded* their coaching staff.
My jealousy-meter is at about 10,000%, because I really feel that USC just got stronger - and I didn't think it was possible to do better than Carroll did!
One caveat: I dont think Norm Chow is confirmed as OC, is he?
January 13th, 2010 at 12:38 AM ^
SC beat writer has reported it, but he's made mistakes before (CJ Spiller did not commit to USC).
http://www.insidesocal.com/usc/archives/2010/01/dream-team-1.html
UCLA's SID says it is inaccurate "as far as he knows" and LA Times says not a done deal. All my SC fan friends seem confident but I don't think it is official yet.
Orgeron on the other hand is apparently already at Heritage Hall working.
EDIT: It has also been the word on the street for a while that UCLA can't afford to pay Chow what he's worth and that no matter what he would be gone after 2010 (they are basically getting subsidized by the Titans). His name came up throughout the coaching search regardless of the head coaching candidate (and some even advocated Chow for HC).
EDIT II: The latest says Chow interested but a deal is not done yet.
http://www.insidesocal.com/usc/archives/2010/01/on-chow.html
January 12th, 2010 at 10:29 PM ^
Does he think, or has he been assured, that stiff penalties aren't coming from the NCAA? Are all these coaches going to jump ship (yet again) if the hammer comes down?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:40 PM ^
Good hire by USC from every angle...unless you think USC intends to change their ways.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
Six secondary violations in the last year which the NCAA is currently investigating.
He's a piece of crap to recruit all those kids to Tennessee and then jump a month before signing day...
Lying piece of crap.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:30 AM ^
But the NCAA has shown that "ethics" is really an afterthought.
Just make sure you self-report and you'll be fine.
I think the non-USC football world just got the shaft. Hate to say it, but that's my opinion.
The good news is that we're not in the PAC-10, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. As Michigan fans, the only fall out is we probably don't land some recruits who we didn't really deserve in the first place (Parker, Baxter). We might meet them in the Rose Bowl somewhere down the line, but we got plenty of work to do before we can talk about the RB.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:20 PM ^
Jesus, everyone here really hates both USC and Kiffin. It's not a bad hire. Have you seen the staff they assembled? Also, he was in the USC system for a while so perhaps, maybe just maybe, he really liked USC and always wanted to go back?
If USC doesn't get any sanctions, and that's a big if, they shouldn't miss a beat. With Norm Chow as the OC and Monte Kiffin as the DC, every recruit will want to play for them. Be realistic, this hire is not bad at all.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^
I wouldn't want Kiffin as Michigan's coach, but the guy has proven he can recruit and coach at the college level. They basically played a Florida team that was out for blood to a stalemate. You don't think Myer didn't want to hang 60 on them?
Now we'll see what the NCAA does...
January 12th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
First of all, the staff he has assembled is simply outstanding. Secondly, just because we all think Lane Kiffin is a douchebag, well, that really doesn't matter. As much as I hate to say it, there are a ton of fans nationwide who only know what they read/see in the MSM about our head coach, and have a negative (and ignorant) opinion of him. I know- RR vs. Lane Kiffin= tons of differences (secondary violations; arrogance; buffoonery, etc) but still: most of the opinions many of us possess regarding Lane Kiffin are based on the same type of information and amount of information that fans at other schools who we don't play (and aren't in our conference) base their opinions of our coach on. . .
Also, tangentially related: I imagine most college football fans couldn't STAND Jimmy Johnson and the Miami team he let run rampant throughout the mid-to-late 1980's both on and off the field. . . but they won, didn't they? I have a bad feeling USC will still be a perennial top-5 team for at least the next few years.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
A West Coast guy that has ties at USC and he brings back the old success that USC had. From a Michigan and/or college football standpoint this is a very scary hire. If the NCAA does nothing to USC, then the PAC-10 will go back to what it has been, USC and everyone else. This is a powerhouse staff he is building and the only thing that will stop them is themselves. Hopefully the NCAA won't sit by and walk the show, and will nail USC and Kiffin for what they have done.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:41 AM ^
It's scary for the PAC-10, but not for Michigan. We are not really in the same market as USC. We have never really recruited Cali particularly well, and that probably won't change.
Moreover, we aren't on track to play them anytime soon. I'll gladly take a few ass beatings at the hands of USC if it means that RichRod has us back in the Rose Bowl.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:47 PM ^
I think assembling a staff that includes Monte Kiffin, Ed Orgeron and Norm Chow is going to make USC the monster it was in the first half of the decade. Short of major sanctions coming SC's way, which we don't know is going to happen, but which Kiffin wouldn't help if they do, SC is going to be the team of this decade like they were for half of the last decade. And Kiffin is young so he should be there to stay. Say goodnight, Florida, your time is just about over.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:13 AM ^
the NCAA will see the $$ that the can be made of the focus on the West Coast and night games for USC every week on nat'l TV. They'll give USC a warning. They'll say they rejected USC self-imposed penalties as too harsh.
So much for college football returning to some sort of competitive balance. It's starting to look like the only way to compete is to cheat. You either bend the rules or get slapped in the face by those that break them.
If the NCAA doesn't step up, Meyer, Kiffin and Tressell will own college football. Don't forget OSU has committed over 475 minor violations in the last 5 years.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:43 AM ^
Tressel is the only one we have to worry about. Meyer and Kiffin could be running NFL-caliber teams (hell, they basically already do) and it wouldn't really affect what we do in the Big-10.
Beat Tressel and Kelly (and Dantonio and Ferentz) and I'll be happy. I assume most Michigan fans agree
January 13th, 2010 at 12:25 AM ^
doesn't seem on the surface to be true. Right now it looks like the cheaters are inheriting collegew football's holy grail. Urban Meyer can lie through his teeth and create doubt of his longevity and still get all the recruits he wants. Kiffin openly flaunts his disregard for the NCAA and gets one of the top two or three jobs in the game and instantly is building a jaugernaut.
Meanwhile, Michigan is worried about getting slapped around for "over-practicing". WTF
January 13th, 2010 at 12:36 AM ^
So seeing how the top teams last decade were led by Saban, Meyer, and Carroll (probably the 3 most unethical coaches in CFB), do Michigan fans still want Michigan to play by the rules and have 100% integrity? Will there be a point where we'll start to turn a blind eye to some things in order to win big? Do the ends justify the means?
January 13th, 2010 at 12:47 AM ^
Saban hasn't done anything that's against the rules, as far as I know. His over-recruiting is quite distasteful, but unless the SEC stops him, I don't think we can blame his practices. And, let's be real - RichRod also "peace'd" out a few recruits, if you know what I mean.
Moreover, I find it a little bit offensive to call Meyer one of the three most unethical coaches in CFB. Perhaps I am missing some incidents, but what exactly did he do that's unethical? Are you referring to the 1/2 suspension for Spikes, or the handling of Dunlap? Frankly, I don't think that lands him in top three (or is it bottom three?) of ethics.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:51 AM ^
well of course its a great move personally for kiffin. the "omg" part of this is how he left tennessee after one year full of all the shenanigans and supposed passion for his job.
January 13th, 2010 at 12:52 AM ^
better than 4-7th on any given year because we don't cheat or skirt the rules so we can't get the players to beat the Sabans, Meyers, or Kiffins and Tressels(maybe 50/50 against him). The deck seems to be getting more stacked against us week.
The NCAA better stop turning a blind eye and deaf ear to what these programs are doing or it'll get so bad they won't be able to control anything. It's getting like the Yankees in baseball. The Yanks buy champtionships and the UF, Bama and USC "buy" theirs. The only question is, 'what's the currency'?
January 13th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^
The NCAA will punish SC, but in all likelihood, it's not going to be the program-destroying punishment people are suggesting. More realistically, they'll ask SC to vacate some past games, dock them some scholarships for a couple years, and maybe ban them from the postseason for a year. If Kiffin is a good coach, they'll bounce back.
January 13th, 2010 at 7:38 PM ^
Living out here in PAC 10 land for the last 18 years, I've come to have a love/hate view of USC. I hated that they got more of the good players and dominated the conference most years. I rooted against them pretty much no matter who played them. At the same time, I also admired what they had put together.
As I often said, if I was magically transformed into a top-echelon 18 year old football player, it was hard to imagine going anywhere besides USC. The chance to be #1 any given year, the weather, the beautiful women, and a very good school to boot. And the most important factor was Pete Carroll - a guy who understood how to be great at football and great at life and have a lot of fun doing it all, the epitome of a leader. Not one of those uptight sourpuss workaholics who mistake rigidity and "discipline" for real leadership. Carroll was the face of that program, more so than any other coach of any other program.
Carroll's gone now, and I'll never see that program the same way. Kiffin is ambitious, charming in a facile way, and probably very smart; he's also obviously immature, insecure, and selfish. My guess is, he won't grow up fast enough to keep up with the increased scrutiny from the press, NCAA, and alumni, and will flame out at some point.
Meanwhile, here's a tip: the new folk-hero coach in the PAC 10 is Chip Kelly, of Oregon. He's superficially very unlike Carroll, of course, but he's brilliant and he's not afraid to be a real person. He could become the focal point of a Carroll-like cult, even if Eugene will never be quite the recruiting draw that LA is.