Kiffin’s abrupt departure has forced many players to change their minds. Joe Fortenbaugh
While USC begins to usher in a new era with head coach Lane Kiffin, the University of Tennessee is left scrambling to pick up the pieces.
After just one year on the job in Knoxville-a year in which the Vols went 7-6-Kiffin stunned the Volunteer community by stepping down and bolting for the west coast to take over for Pete Carroll at the University of Southern California. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin as well as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron will be joining Kiffin at USC.
Here’s the big problem for the University of Tennessee. Not only must they get a new head coach in place (athletic director Mike Hamilton wants to make a hire by January 17), but the Volunteers must find a way to keep their 2010 recruiting class from decommitting and jumping ship-quickly.
With National Letter of Intent Day-the day in which most high school football players announce where they will be playing in the fall-just under three weeks away (February 3), the University must try to clean up the mess left by Kiffin and put their program back together.
The 2010 Tennessee recruiting class was ranked No. 6 in the nation by ESPN, but that number could drop in a hurry. Since Kiffin’s departure, four of the 23 members of the 2010 class have already decommitted. The four players who will no longer be playing at Tennessee are:
1. Brandon Willis Defensive Tackle 4-Star
2. Michael Taylor Linebacker 4-Star
3. Calvin Smith Defensive Tackle 4-Star
4. Delvin Jones Defensive End 4-Star
As if the situation couldn’t get any worse on Rocky Top, Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Orgeron is already trying to get members of Tennessee’s recruiting class to follow him and Kiffin to USC.
To rub more salt in the wound, J.C. Shurburtt of ESPN.com is reporting that the Volunteers’ top recruit, safety Ahmad Dixon, who had recently committed to Tennessee, is now possibly heading to USC for a recruiting visit this weekend.
One thing is for certain: Tennessee needs to get a new coaching staff in place in a hurry.
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"The Tennessee walk-ons" has a nice ring to it.
What a scumbag Lane Kiffin is. All this chaos over a guy who hasn't won a single meaningful game in his short head coaching life. No doubt much of what we are seeing from Kiffin is done all over college FB, but what a jerk.
I'll admit, Lane Kiffin is a terd, but I hesitate to bash him as quickly as others have. Lane got his start at USC. If I had to guess, being head coach of the Trojans is probably his NCAA dream job. I can't blame him for jumping at the opportunity. I think what makes the situation so ugly is the timing. Pete signed with Seattle only a week ago so the replacement process went about as quickly as it could have. If this was a month earlier then it would have given UT more time to find a big name replacement that recruits would be drawn to.
That being said, it's a little dirty to try to convince recruits to decommit and go to USC. If they choose to on their own, that's one thing. But to deliberately persuade them is a little out of line. I understand Lane's doing it to cover his ass by beefing up USC recruit class, but still a little low.
My only question is, how often does this happen. How often are committed recruits contacted by other schools? And if so, is this breaking any rules? If it is, then I say dirty pool. If no rules were broken, well then it's a dirty job but apperantly Lane's happy to do it.
Vols alum here. I understand why Kiffin took the USC job; however, there had to be a better/classier way to separate from UT. I think he's a punk. I hope he fails miserably.
That being said.... the recruits who want to jump ship - I say let 'em jump ship. If you think Lane Kiffin is a trustworthy leader, have at it. Go. Go to USC. If you don't want to be in Tennessee, screw you. We'll find a way to win games and kick some ass this year regardless. If you don't love it, leave it, let this song that I'm singin' be a warning. If you're running down my country, man, you're walkin' on the fightin' side of ME.... (most Tennesseans will recognize that as class Merle Haggard...we don't have much "Beach Boys" music on our iPods here in God's Country).
GO VOLS GO!!
Merle Haggard? Brush your teeth and take the dip cup outside.
HAHAHA vol fans you cant even keep coaches. they dont want to be at a loseing program.I Dont blame them would you want to be at a loseing program? This is the funniest thing i have ever seen. TENNESSEE you make all the sec football look bad. tennessee is the laughing stock in all the college football.Oh well the vols and all you fans can give us all something to laugh at in the 2010 season when you go 3-9 or 4-8 i know ill be watching and lmao at this loseing program.
Hey Shawn:
Post dated Jan 17, 2010 @ 12:08 am...... Wow, your criticism of our Tennessee Football Program is so justified, especially when you can't even SPELL, get a Dictionary, LOSING is spelled correctly in my email, not how your IGNORANT way spelled it, and Sean, look up another word, LOSER SEAN is spelled correctly in my sentence here as well.........FYI..........Thanks.
Lance Smith
A pretty good team with a few guys who didn't have that good of a yr. Ray and Hutch both are getting up there. Surprisingly with all the hype about AP he only ran for a little over 1300 yds.
Team's lease called for all games...
Former Chiefs head coach will...
But free agent is rehabbing from...
Vikings director of player personnel...
'SYNDER SUCKS' he wrote on Twitter
Jan 14, 2010
08:50 AM
If the NCAA really cares about "student-athletes" they need to do something to prevent this unethical poaching of recruits. It's bad enough how schools fall over each other to get recruits. But when you leave and try to take your recruits with you, that's wrong. I think that's probably an accurate snapshot of the Lane Kiffen "year" at UT. I will admit I am a Florida Gator fan, but I thought Lane Kiffen was good for SEC football. Good riddance. I hope David Cutliffe or whoever UT hires can right the ship and improve the UT football program.