Lane Kiffin Resigns
Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin speaks at a news conference in Knoxville, Tenn., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010. Kiffin announced he will leave Tennessee after only one season to take the head coaching job at Southern California. (AP Photo/Knoxville News Sentinel, J. Miles Cary)
The University of Tennessee Athletics Department announced Tuesday night that first-year head football coach Lane Kiffin has resigned his post effective immediately. Kiffin, hired Dec. 1, 2008, has accepted the position of head football coach at the University of Southern California, where he served as an assistant coach from 2001-06.
Kiffin’s resignation left UT in a state of disarray, as national signing day for recruits is just weeks away. Kiffin took with him to Southern Cal both Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron.
Kippy Brown, who was recently hired as an assistant coach at UT, has been named by Athletic Director Mike Hamilton as interim head coach.
What will Tennessee do? Who will Hamilton hire to be the new coach? Will all the recruits that Kiffin’s staff sold on Tennessee now bolt somewhere else?
If you’d like to make a suggestion or vent, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Good riddance!!!
Comment by Jennifer Roe — January 13, 2010 @ 11:15 am
I think it was a shame what he done to tenn fans.
Comment by Walter — January 13, 2010 @ 11:56 am
We are better off with out him. Lane I am glad you are leaving cause we are about class here in tenn and you dont know anything about that. Have fun under investigation at USC.
Comment by tom — January 13, 2010 @ 12:51 pm
Whatever happened to dedication to your team, win or lose, staying until the job is done? Coach Kiffin sold out the UT players, staff and fans. In my opinion, the players deserve much more from a coach than what Kiffin brought to UT. Being a coaches wife I have experienced first hand what a true coach really is. I am proud to say, my husband stayed until the job was done at each school and left it much better than he found it and trust me, it takes many years. Coach Kiffin’s heart wasn’t here from the beginning regardless what he made us all believe. I feel sorry for the players and incoming players who he simply bailed on. This should be considered a learning experience and UT WILL prevail from this.
Comment by Jennifer Hatcher — January 13, 2010 @ 12:54 pm
why not bring steve spurrier to tn. he has always been a winner
Comment by eddie fillers — January 13, 2010 @ 1:24 pm
I think it is HIGH Time that the UT Atheletic Dept. GET SERIOUS! (Which they have NOT been for at least the past SIX Years). Instead of giving SKY HIGH raises to certain head coaches, which are little better than HIGH SCHOOL COACHES,and recruiting players with little or no morals,the Athletic Dept. should FIRST CLEAN ITSELF UP, Then get BUSY! I am tired of paying those high prices for tickets,and seeing high school plays,& the BAD NEWS BEARS antics.Perhaps Kiffin was NOT the RIGHT Man for the job in the first place.
Comment by Hubert Drain — January 13, 2010 @ 3:51 pm
I new he was trash the moment i seen him, and this proves it….
Comment by James Holt — January 13, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
With a 7-6 record being enough for USC’s requirements, I think it speaks volumes about their dire situation on the west coast. If he can’t do better than that with Monte and Norm Chow next year, then it will be quite obvious why he fits the USC plan; he is a perfect match for the glitzy, eye-candy land of California. All fluff and no stuff.
This may have been a shock to UT fans, players and alumni. But I truely believe it is better to find out his true colors now.
One word summation of Lane Kiffin’s career at Tennessee? CARPET-BAGGER
Comment by Stacey E — January 13, 2010 @ 8:29 pm
Why don’t UT let Coach Summit hire the football coach? She has class, ethics, morals and certainly is a WINNER!!!
Comment by Greg — January 13, 2010 @ 9:49 pm
Go for the best available, Mike Leach, ex Texas Tech Red Raiders Coach. Proven winner and highest graduation rate of players.
Comment by Lew Leonard — January 14, 2010 @ 9:24 am
good riddance and for kiffin whhat goes around comes back around….. The Tennessee football program is a lot better off without Kiffin
Comment by B — January 15, 2010 @ 5:17 pm
I wish Tennessee could get mike leach though…
Comment by B — January 15, 2010 @ 5:18 pm
As a lifetime Vols fan I sincerely appreciate the leaving of lane kiffin, our great University of Tennessee has recently fell on hard times with the character issues of some of our players, our athletes deserve a leader, a Mentor with far more character than lane kiffin, they deserve a Real Man that will teach them true character, and commitment, that obviously kiffin does not have, and could not teach! kiffin I hope your dad is proud of you for the lack of integrity that you have shown the VOL NATION! Thanks again kiffin, for leaving before you tarnish the lives of our great athletes.
Comment by Tim Burns — January 16, 2010 @ 1:50 am