Kiffin confident as he kicks off Tennessee career
Posted: December 1, 2008
1. Lane Kiffin loves Lane Kiffin
The 33-year-old was coy about assembling his staff, but there's no need for him to hire someone to stoke his ego. Kiffin told the story of his first meeting with UT athletic director Mike Hamilton, when he informed Hamilton that he didn't want to be offered the job yet. No, Kiffin said, go out and interview all the other guys who are supposed to be the best in the country. Then, call me, and beg me to come work at your school. "I want you to say that you can do a better job than anyone else," Kiffin said he told Hamilton. Kiffin's self-congratulation continued -- he boasted about building a program at Southern Cal ("it's easy to recruit there now," he said), showed self-pity over his 5-15 stint with the Raiders ("You can't go to school and learn crisis management like going there) and conceded he was a wanted man this fall, saying he interviewed for all the other major vacancies.
2. He's an experienced recruiter
When he arrived at Southern Cal in 1999, Kiffin learned from coach Pete Carroll that he'd be responsible for recruiting 49 states, or the whole country except California. That assignment only adds to his reputation as a coach with huge popularity and national reach. He added that in those days, every top high school junior in the country listed Tennessee among his top five schools on questionnaires the recruits sent to the SC football office. Kiffin suggested Monday that the tandem of that tradition, and his skills on the recruiting trail, have the Vols set for a resurgence. Get back to us in a couple of years on that one.
3. He's rocking the boat
Kiffin met with some of UT's returning players for 41 minutes Sunday night and delivered the typical new-coach message: No one should feel safe. In his press conference, Kiffin said his freshman will get the first crack at playing time next fall if the veterans don't suffice through the spring. That might help bring in more of those talented teens the Vols need so much. But it might also mean that Tennessee takes the field next year with a Miami-young lineup. Will there be four true-freshman starters? Six? Eight, including one at quarterback? In any event, this figures to be a rough few months for Tennessee's veterans.
4. He's rivalry-ready
SEC coaches can't seem to comment without a dig at their rivals. As he rattled off the fruits of Tennessee's eventual return to the top, Kiffin mentioned that he planned to sing Rocky Top all night long after upsetting Florida next September. The comment brought back images of Jim Tressel, who after getting hired told the crowd at an Ohio State basketball game they'd be especially proud of his team "in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Mich., on the football field." Kiffin's audience laughed at his words, prompting him to gesture toward Hamilton. "That line was Mike's idea, by the way," he said. "All right, Urban." Joke or not, the remark should make the offseason bulletin boards in Gainesville. And that evening at The Swamp will be the first referendum on Kiffin's tenure. His presence alone, though, should heat up a series the Gators have swept since 2004.
5. Is there a place for Fulmer?
Kiffin called Phil Fulmer "a legend in the profession" and said he would always be open to communication with the displaced Vols coach. Several times, he tried to show respect for the outgoing staff, despite firing many of them a few hours before the press conference (he kept four assistants to help him recruit, and he also hired David Reaves from South Carolina). So it appears there's a coach-emeritus role for Fulmer if he wants it. Once Fulmer gets over the idea of coaching next year (he publicly said he was interested in the Clemson job), the Kiffin-Fulmer relationship could rally some fans who wish the old coach hadn't been canned.
