General CFB — 26 November 2008

Hearing more and more talk about Lane Kiffin to Tennessee.  This just continues to boggle my mind.

Tennessee deserves so much better.  Kiffin, at best, is a San Diego State-level coach.  I hear there’s an opening there, by the way.

Kiffin has never been a college head coach.  He’s an abrasive, unlikeable guy who, despite his reputation, is a lousy recruiter.  He does not mix well with college athletics and all that it entails.  The idea of him coaching in the SEC, where so many people care about so many things that he will consider beneath him, is laughable.

About the only thing he is good at is evaluating talent.  But he will bring a complicated pro-style offense to Tennessee that the players will struggle to learn.  He hangs his hat on his work with the 2005 USC offense, but that offense was built by Norm Chow and comprised of players who were already developed.   A close look at that season reveals a lot of unnecessary struggles and some questionable calls, including the decision to keep Reggie Bush on the bench for the crucial 4th and 2 against Texas.  And ultimately, that team could not win a title despite having maybe the greatest offensive talent ever.  The 2006 USC offense was inconsistent and anemic despite being loaded with talent.

Kiffin is being pushed and talked up by his coaching cronies and, apparently, Tennessee is falling for it.  It’s just so sad.

It’s not too late, Tennessee.  Go out and find a proven college head coach, or an up-and-coming proven college coordinator who understands the game.

Why not Gus Malzahn?

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Heismanpundit

Chris Huston, A.K.A. ‘The Heisman Pundit‘, is a Heisman voter and the creator and publisher of Heismanpundit.com, a site dedicated to analysis of the Heisman Trophy and college football. Dubbed “the foremost authority on the Heisman” by Sports Illustrated, HP is regularly quoted or cited during football season in newspapers across the country. He is also a regular contributor on sports talk radio and television.

(7) Readers Comments

  1. LOL! Just yesterday I suggested San Diego State has the place he oughta be, besides Washington >:)

    Either you read that post on another mb, or it’s just GMTingA.

  2. I am shocked that Tennessee is this desperate. Oh hes an arrogant jerk….so that means that since other arrogant jerks have been successful coaches, that must mean, Kiffen will too.

    Makes no sense at all. The guy has never accomplished one thing, yet Tennessee is willing to give him millions of dollars?

  3. jesus will you get off gus malzhan’s dick already
    by the way kiffin was not too terrible in oakland despite al davis
    so it is not like he does not have any qualifications

    plus the oakland players liked him

  4. The problem in Tennessee is : We have a non athelete from Clemson as an AD. He has fired Rod Del Monico{ base ball} Buzz Peterson {basketball} and now Phillip Fulmer {football}.
    He was very very lucky in his hiring of Bruce Pearl. The Todd Rahleigh hire in base ball has not proven to be an improvement. The hiring of Kiffin will define Hamilton’s tenure and his reputation and will either be a boon to his future or it will shorten his time as AD at Tennessee.
    I for one hope that he has hired the right man because if Tennessee gets on the roller coaster ride of hiring three or four coaches before finding one who can in fact rebuild the program, then I believe that Tennessee’s recognition as a football power would be over.

  5. A GM from the NFL described Kiffin to me as “a spoiled little brat.” An NFL strength coach who knows him fairly well offered a similar description.

    It seems that Kiffin’s primary skill is being impressive in a job interview.

    http://www.LAMEkiffin.com

  6. Pingback: A kindler, gentler Kiffin watch « Get The Picture

  7. Pingback: USC Commits Suicide | Heismanpundit

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