AD change may ultimately pave the way for a new head coach in Los Angeles. Dave Miller
With the announcement that NBC Notre Dame analyst Pat Haden will return to USC to become the school’s new athletic director, head coach Lane Kiffin’s tenure in Los Angeles doesn’t look to be longterm.
Does it seem insane to even think this way before Kiffin has coached a single game for the Trojans?
Absolutely.
But if we’ve learned anything about college athletics over the years, it’s that a little bit of smoke can turn into an awfully big fire — really fast.
ICONNew AD Pat Haden is part of a new regime in Los Angeles.
Southern Cal administrators were set on changing the perception of the school when they searched for an AD to replace Mike Garrett. Right or wrong, Garrett represented everything that went awry at the major program. Being in charge during the Pete Carroll-Reggie Bush era? No one could survive that.
So in comes Haden, who will right the ship and keep it tight. But can Kiffin work in that type of environment?
Let’s be honest, Kiffin is young and brash. He has his own way of doing things. He believes that he is the program.
Under Haden, the head coach may still be the face of the program, but he will be grounded. And regulated.
I’m sure we all have heard the calls for Haden, who played quarterback for the Trojans, to act immediately and fire Kiffin — which is ludicrous. Just from a financial perspective, that won’t happen because ‘SC would never eat up the millions of dollars in salary and risk a wrongful termination lawsuit. From an organizational perspective, Kiffin will be given every opportunity to win now with a roster still loaded with talent despite player defections from the recent sanctions and the team coming off of a less-than-spectacular season.
Some will argue that Kiffin was a Garrett hire, which by extension means that Kiffin is seen as part of the recent problems and should be gone, as well. After all, he was on the staff when Bush was winning his Heisman Trophy. Plus, the way Kiffin bolted from the Tennessee job isn’t one of his shining moments but until this point is his defining moment as a coach.
But nonetheless, Kiffin certainly should be given every opportunity to right the ship in Los Angeles and prove everyone wrong.
What I wonder about is whether Kiffin decides that working under a new regime ultimately isn’t worth it and that this new USC — one with a dramatically altered power structure — isn’t the USC that he had come to love while he was first on campus.
Incoming president C.L. Max Nikias is certainly doing a good job of rebranding the Trojans’ athletic department. Under his watch, he will make it a priority that the words “lack of institutional control” will never be associated with ‘SC again. That seems to be one of the main reasons why J.K. McKay is being brought on board as an associate AD for football. Having another cook in the kitchen so close to the football team may be what ultimately gets under Kiffin’s skin. McKay, a longtime friend of Haden’s, will stick to Kiffin like glue.
ICONHow long will Lane Kiffin's tenure at USC last?
Of course, if Kiffin decides that he wants out of this situation, he will only do so knowing that an opportunity will be waiting for him somewhere else. No matter how much money he is being paid not to coach, Kiffin needs the spotlight. He wouldn’t stay away from the sideline for too long.
While the situation in Los Angeles is certainly awkward, winning cures everything. What if Kiffin is the right leader for the football team, the one who restores the glory in clean fashion?
Perception is everything, however. Even if Kiffin does win this year, eventually gets through the two-year bowl ban and the lack of scholarships, and everything seemingly is done by the books, Kiffin’s residence at ‘SC will always be overshadowed by doubt and second-guessing.
Kiffin, along with Ed Orgeron, is still associated with Carroll, Bush and Garrett.
Therein lies the rub for Haden, the university, the media and college football fans across the nation.
And for the coach who was supposed to make a seamless transition as the new face of USC football.
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Funny how so much is wrote about a guy that has done nothing as a Head Coach in the NFL or in College. All that come in contact with him end up not being able to stand him. He is the Paris Hilton of Football, never has done a thing with 0 talent yet the media writes about him as if he is a Star. His old man needs to teach the kid to man up and grow a pair.
Funny how so much is wrote about a guy that has done nothing as a Head Coach in the NFL or in College. All that come in contact with him end up not being able to stand him. He is the Paris Hilton of Football, never has done a thing with 0 talent yet the media writes about him as if he is a Star. His old man needs to teach the kid to man up and grow a pair.
I find it laughable that Kiffin is being portrayed in this light; it's college football where coaches reign supreme. HE IS THE FACE OF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM. Just like Saban is Bama, Meyer is Florida, Brown is Texas. Before the scandal I honestly didn't know the name of the AD at SC. So now all of a sudden Haden is the face of the school? Ok, let's see how long that works out for him and SC...
I find it laughable that Kiffin is being portrayed in this light; it's college football where coaches reign supreme. HE IS THE FACE OF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM. Just like Saban is Bama, Meyer is Florida, Brown is Texas. Before the scandal I honestly didn't know the name of the AD at SC. So now all of a sudden Haden is the face of the school? Ok, let's see how long that works out for him and SC...
I find it laughable that Kiffin is being portrayed in this light; it's college football where coaches reign supreme. HE IS THE FACE OF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM. Just like Saban is Bama, Meyer is Florida, Brown is Texas. Before the scandal I honestly didn't know the name of the AD at SC. So now all of a sudden Haden is the face of the school? Ok, let's see how long that works out for him and SC...
where's the story?? another rip on kiffin with nothing to back it. i hope you have a good day job!
Mr. Miller, I appreciate the column, but you need some better fact checking. It is well known that Pat Haden was the head of the REAL group that hired Kiffin. Garrett had no real say in who the next USC coach would be after Pete, and it was Pat Haden along with other members of the USC Board of Councilors that chose Kiffin to be the next coach. With that being said, why would Haden come in and not automatically give Kiffin his full support?
Mr. Miller, I appreciate the column, but you need some better fact checking. It is well known that Pat Haden was the head of the REAL group that hired Kiffin. Garrett had no real say in who the next USC coach would be after Pete, and it was Pat Haden along with other members of the USC Board of Councilors that chose Kiffin to be the next coach. With that being said, why would Haden come in and not automatically give Kiffin his full support?
Mr. Miller, I appreciate the column, but you need some better fact checking. It is well known that Pat Haden was the head of the REAL group that hired Kiffin. Garrett had no real say in who the next USC coach would be after Pete, and it was Pat Haden along with other members of the USC Board of Councilors that chose Kiffin to be the next coach. With that being said, why would Haden come in and not automatically give Kiffin his full support?
As a die hard SC fan, who has family ties to the school, I have to say that Pat Haden is going to KILL OUR FOOTBALL program! I say that because I didn't care for what he said about his vision. He said that SC can have the same programs as Stanford and Notre Dame. AYFKME! What has Notre Dame won in the last 10 years? NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA. What has Stanford won? Yeah, they beat us last year, but I really feel that Pete mailed last year in, knowing that he was going to the Pacific Northwest to create USC north.
There's a reason why Rice, Northwestern, the Ivy League schools, Stanford et al don't win. The game of football isn't the only thing that their players are into. Most of the players that go to those schools come from upper economic strata backgrounds, where they don't feel the obligation to take care of their families. They use football as a means to further their education, so that they can go pro in other areas. With the sanctions, who else would Pat be able to hire that's a better coach than Lane that won't be working if Lane gets blown out next December? Remember, if that guy is so good, then why available?
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Jul 24, 2010
04:28 PM
Maybe Kiffin could go work for Jeff Fisher in Tennessee...