Kiffin’s Tennessee staff ripping off shirts for recruiting
Lane Kiffin is first-year coach at Tennessee (AP)
Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin and his staff made an unforgettable impression on some of the Southeast’s top college prospects on Saturday.
More than 100 high school players, including several of Georgia’s elite prospects, attended Tennessee’s Junior Day. Things started off rather routine. “It was just like your normal Junior Day, with coaches and other people from the college talking,” Brookstone tight end Brian Vogler said. “You could see heads bobbing, with eyes falling a little bit. But the second they split us up from the parents, it got so much more intense.”
The prospects were led to the film room, where Kiffin thanked the recruits for making the trip and considering the Volunteers. “Then this other coach [assistant] got up there and said that Tennessee takes special teams very seriously, that it’s a big key to winning,” recalled Northview defensive lineman Denzel McCoy, who has 31 early scholarship offers.
“That coach said they get real fired up on special teams and yelled for everybody to ‘Get up, get on your feet, and get fired up about special teams.’ Then this other coach ripped off his shirt Superman style. It was crazy.”
Many in the crowd weren’t sure how to react. “The coaches told us to stand up, but nobody really knew what to do. We started clapping, sort of like one of those ‘Ah, this feels awkward’ kind of things,” Vogler said. “The coaches yelled ‘OK, we’re going to give you another shot. We’ve leaving the room. When we come back in here, we want it really to get crazy.’”
Denzel McCoy (AJC)
Douglass defensive lineman Garrison Smith said the lights in the room dimmed. “This one coach stayed behind and walked to the side of the room. Then he kept slamming the [side] doors, as if the other assistant coaches were trying to break it down. It was like an angry dog or some wild animals were on the other side.”
After a few moments, Smith said the doors swung open and the Tennessee assistants ran into the room. “By now, three or four coaches had their shirts ripped off.” Smith said around 10 Tennessee players, including All-America defensive back Eric Berry of Atlanta and quarterback Jonathan Crompton, ran down from behind the recruits to meet the coaches on the floor. “Eric and the rest of the players were chanting ‘U-T, wild boys … U-T, wild boys … U-T wild boys.’” This time, prospects left their seats and joined the celebration. “We were all jumping up and down together, it was cool,” McCoy said.
After things appeared to calm down, Tennessee recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron gave a rousing pep talk, which caused the whole scene to repeat itself, only more intense. “The last time, everybody was hyped up and feeling it,” Loganville tailback Storm Johnson said. “People were jumping all over the place. It was rocking. You should’ve seen it. Even the podium got knocked over.”
All four of the players said they never saw Lane Kiffin lose his shirt. “He was on the side, just watching and smiling,” Vogler said.
Garrison Smith (AJC)
The action-packed introduction pleased the prospects, which each said they had never heard or seen anything like it before. “I talked to some of the Tennessee players afterwards, and they said they had never heard or seen anything like that before when they were recruits and visited colleges,” Vogler said with a laugh.
McCoy: “Personally, I liked it … It was kind of crazy, but it was cool. Coach Kiffin is trying to get everyone fired up about Tennessee football, and it worked. He had everyone in that room fired up.”
Smith: “I loved it, especially when that coach ripped off his shirt like The Incredible Hulk. It was high intensity. I enjoyed the whole day. They [Tennessee] definitely moved up on my list.”
Vogler: “It was awesome. I didn’t know how to react at first. I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, these people are crazy.’ Then after talking to them later in the day, I realized that’s just their style. That’s how they go.”
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280 comments Add your comment
NewJersey
March 2nd, 2009
8:33 am
Richt at UGA would never do anything like that to motivate or fire a kid up or just have fune. Instead he would just promise a kid a certain jersey number. And then he would take the team for a swim and do a flip from the high dive. There is sooooo much difference in him and other coaches.
coladawg
March 2nd, 2009
8:38 am
That just sounds insane.
Love the State of Georgia
March 2nd, 2009
8:39 am
Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, or any other schools outside the state of Georgia SHOULD NOT get any press on the AJC or any other publications in Georgia. Only UGA, GT, GSU, & etc should get press. Don’t give these outside states’ schools any press. Matter of fact, take all the special (outside) schools’ logos off the Georgia plates.
Bubba
March 2nd, 2009
8:41 am
WOW! Just like 12 year old kids at summer camp. Sounds like the councelors are out of control.
GA Tech Insider
March 2nd, 2009
8:46 am
All that bravado sounds well and good; something like Dabo Sweeny might do at Clemson. At the end of the day, however, X’s and O’s on the field win games.
Anyone can inflate a balloon with a bunch of hot air or helium. The question is, once the balloon gets airborne, can you actually pilot it or control, or is it going to sail away on its own. If you can’t, then what good is all that effort?
Give me a good strategist any day; someone who will get the most out of his team; someone who can make adjustments during the games; someone who is creative in his game plans; someone who can control his emotions and his team. That’s someone who will win consistently. That’s someone who will maintain the respect of his players.
Smyrna Man
March 2nd, 2009
8:50 am
U-T, wild boys … U-T, wild boys … U-T wild boys.
ER-IC BE-RRY
Change the AJC to TJC… Love It
U-T, wild boys … U-T, wild boys … U-T wild boys
New Sheriff intown boys and girls of Jawjaw and his name is Lane Kiffin
Sounds like a bunch of scared dawgs crying over spilt milk this morning
Chuck
March 2nd, 2009
8:57 am
“Love the State of GA”….I hate to break it to you, but if the AJC considers itself to be more than just a state newspaper, it has to include other school’s news.(especially the SEC). I am a Bama fan, with a daughter at Auburn, and there are large numbers of GA kids in school at both. Try not to take yourself, and the game of football, so seriously. Whether a team from the state of Georgia wins or loses, I will still take all bets that the sun will come up the next day…..That realization comes with age/maturity. Regarding UT, Kiffin’s time in Knoxville will be entertaining, to say the least. He’s “all in” with these levels of theatrics, with Orgeron leading the show. He will “live or die” by this stuff…I suspect the latter.
HMMM
March 2nd, 2009
9:13 am
FLOYD, it sounds like you are the one that got excited about the no shirts fiasco. you mentioned it first thing.
NJ…what is fune? I don’t want to have fune either.
GTinsider…wow, agree on all points, good post.
Smyrna man…he may be want to be Sheriff Andy, but we all know he’s just Gomer yelling “citizen’s arrest, citizen’s arrest”
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
9:18 am
Are you freaking kidding me??? Kiffin and HIS WHOLE STAFF ARE OVERPAYED LOSERS!!!!!! If you find it necessary to rip your shirt off in front of 100 16 year old kids, VERY CREEPY!!!!!
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
9:34 am
Orgeron must have ignored the memo about ripping your shirt off. Hey ED, it didn’t motivate anyone at Ole Miss, why do you think this crap is gonna work at UT!!! I can just see Lane standing up at the morning coaches meeting and saying, “Alright guys, we have 100 kids coming in today. How can we get these guys fired up?” Orgeron says, “We need to rip our shirts off and have a bunch of smoke!!!” Lane says,”Great idea ED!!!” Monte replies, “why did I leave Tampa!!!”
dap01
March 2nd, 2009
9:36 am
Disturbing….The more we get to know Kiffen, the more…..
The Auburner - Giving squirrels fake nuts since before you were born.
March 2nd, 2009
9:38 am
[...] Arthur Gustav Malzahn III wants to go fast. In other news, Tennessee is weird. [...]
Micheal
March 2nd, 2009
9:41 am
Search youtube for the video of the USC coaches doing the same thing. Pete Carroll even gets into the act in the video. Kiffin is trying to make UT the USC of the east. The only thing he has done different than Carroll is not ripping his shirt off.
'ol sport
March 2nd, 2009
9:51 am
You vol fans have your hands full trying to justify the actions of this 33 year old juvenile. He certainly has much to learn, and it will come on the field this Fall. I have always liked the Vols (my son went there), but this guy is showing a lot of immaturity.
You Vol fans don’t have to respond about his “showing his immaturity” on the field come September. I already know how disillusioned you all are.
FloydLawson
March 2nd, 2009
9:52 am
In other news. The UGA coaching staff will agin this year have a swim party in which their coaches take their shirts off so the players can refocus for the remaining games.
Also, maybe it was LAYLA Kiffing that took her shirt off.
llkj
March 2nd, 2009
9:59 am
GA Tech Insider: This isn’t the pros, it’s college. At the end of the day, it’s the recruiting that matters more than the Xs & Os.
BILLY JACK
March 2nd, 2009
10:00 am
Anybody who does not see major probation here is a fool.This is the way SMU started in the 80’s.Can you say death penalty?
NewJersey
March 2nd, 2009
10:03 am
Again, UGA does the equal and it it genius. Someone else does it, it’s viewd as crazy,immature, juvenile etc. Tell us the difference betweek the UGA staff having a swim party where the coaches dive from the board and the players get to swim with the coaches. That is sooooo coool.
UGADawg88
March 2nd, 2009
10:10 am
That’s really intense and plays up to the type of intensity that recruits are searching for in a program. I gotta hand it to Kiffin, players are excited about UT.
joe
March 2nd, 2009
10:12 am
Sounds like Ol sport needs a new trick…so all Vol fans are disillusioned, eh??? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. If you look up disillusioned in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of Sanford Stadium with 90,000 disillusioned fans in attendance wondering why they lost to GA Tech 45-42. woof.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
10:18 am
UT sounds and looks more like Sesame Street than a college campus!!!
SEC fan
March 2nd, 2009
10:18 am
So the dramatics were to get the kids “fired up” were so they would commit that day. And how many did? The coaches wanted the kids to use their emotions and not their brains in making a college decision. Any decent coach can get kids “fired up”, this was just showing the prospects the coaches were good actors. Unfortunately for UT, most of these kids know there is much more to winning. There wasn’t a coach in the room that has ever been a winner. If there was, that coach would be in the NFL somewhere. This was just Kiffy and his crew trying to be memorable. If ya can’t win, at least be memorable. Wonder if they are going to rip their shirts off when Florida, LSU, Bama, South Carolina, UGA, etc. kick UTs tails. Good thing they have those high salaries to buy lots of shirts.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
10:31 am
I would like to be at the SEC meetings in a few weeks, Kiffin has been taking shots. Kiff might need some security behind closed doors, Slive might order a code red on baby Kiff!!!
TC
March 2nd, 2009
10:32 am
SEC fan: Uh, hate to break it to you but all schools do these Junior days and they don’t expect a bunch of them to commit to them at that point. It is clearly a process designed to get the recruits interested enough to put them in the top group for recruiting. Every so often you will have that one or two recruits that just know where they are going, but at this point they are just trying to be in the Top 3-5. It appears UT may have made that kind of impression. If they do well on the field (which I agree with you on) then this could reap huge dividends for them. If they don’t they’ll struggle to land the top talent.
NewJersey
March 2nd, 2009
10:34 am
I doubt that they had any thought of a kid committing at a junior camp. But according to the AJC there were several kids that left very impressed. Maybe if Kiffin had promised a kid he could wear a certain jersey he would have committed. ANd how many UGA coaches coached or coaches in the pros? About the same number as any other college program. And why would UT get the death penalty from this? I’m curious now.
GA Tech Insider
March 2nd, 2009
10:41 am
llkj;
You can have the best athletes on the field, but if they are undisciplined, or don’t have a good game plan to work from and the other team is disciplined and does, and your team can’t make adjustments and the other team can, then more times than not, the team with the so-called “better” athletes will lose the game.
Emotions will carry a player just so far in a game, as will physical skills. Intelligence and determination of the players, as well as great Coaching is what will win the games.
There are, obviously, some exceptions to this “rule”. For example, if injuries occur, or if weather conditions affect the game, then these might, perhaps, give an edge to the more “physically” superior team.
GA Tech Insider
March 2nd, 2009
10:45 am
llkj;
I should have stated that my analogy is only applicable in similar situated types of teams; i.e. Tennessee versus South Carolina, or Auburn versus Alabama, or Florida versus Florida State, or UGA versus GA Tech.
Obviously, I’m not speaking of Tennessee versus someone like a Samford (normally)…
KNelson
March 2nd, 2009
10:51 am
Sat what you will about UT , but to me it sounds like they are on fire to make major changes. Is it that far off from having a team dance in the end zone of a team they only beat once every 7 years?
Kiffin is the Man
March 2nd, 2009
10:53 am
Another day, another article in the AJC, another ten points on the Q rating for Tennessee and Lane Kiffin. This constant publicity is paying off big time.
The man has a plan for everything and everything will be done according to his plan. By all accounts so far, Jr. Day was a rousing success for UT. We appreciate the press release from the AJC.
GoDawgs
March 2nd, 2009
11:00 am
All the other SEC homers need to wake up. We can sit here and make fun of UT all we want, it won’t change anything. This fires up the players, is in no way a violation AND it helps get stories written about a new group of coaches. They have an iffy QB situation, but so do we and we play in Knoxville this year. I’m not so quick to write them off this year.
MegaT
March 2nd, 2009
11:01 am
FUTURE AJC HEADLINES: SEC Schools to follow UT’s lead! Auburn coaches teach recruits how to milk a cow. Georgia coaches teach recruits how to do the cannonball. This off season could get real interesting.
bank walker
March 2nd, 2009
11:07 am
Sounds to me as an act of DESPERATION! I know the state of tennerssee is a little short handed on recruits up there, but surely you don’t have to act like a nut to impress high school athletes from other states? Maybe we should donate some MAN genes to tennerssee so they could raise their own players. Then maybe, they wouldn’t have to make asses of themselves so frequent! Grow some viles!! GO DAWGS!!
Kiffin is the Man
March 2nd, 2009
11:08 am
GoDawgs, thank you for your reasoned response. The article clearly states how much the kids LOVED it. That’s all that matters. Getting their attention, capturing their interests, and then, showing them clearly how they fit in at UT.
Kiffin obviously has a plan and is working that plan and the team and recruits are buying into it. May not result in great results on the field this season with the holes we have, but we will not be an easy out.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
11:14 am
THAT plan is to look like he is an idiot, and he is succeeding in all phases!!!!!!!
Ed O and some White Girlz Gettin Crunk - Video « Loser with Socks
March 2nd, 2009
11:16 am
[...] After things appeared to calm down, Tennessee recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron gave a rousing pep talk, which caused the whole scene to repeat itself, only more intense. “The last time, everybody was hyped up and feeling it,” Loganville tailback Storm Johnson said. “People were jumping all over the place. It was rocking. You should’ve seen it. Even the podium got knocked over.” Address : Wild Boyz [...]
The General Feeling
March 2nd, 2009
11:19 am
Yep. Another headline about the University of Tennessee football program in the most read media outlet in talent-rich Georgia. Make fun all you want, boys. But it appears to this reader that the Tennessee football staff is changing the playing field and those who don’t also change or innovate will soon fade away.
NewJersey
March 2nd, 2009
11:22 am
St. Nick, how do you know Kiffin walks around instead of running around? News flash there hotrod, all teams try to do something for the kids to get fired up about before they go out and bust their rear for about 5 hours trying to impress the coaches enough to get an offer.Can you idiots not understand that?
Bamafan
March 2nd, 2009
11:23 am
It sounds like a LIVE FROM NEW YORK IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit!! The Vols wild boys
should be in San Frano not in Knoxville if you catch my drift!! Wonder if Lance (no pants) Thompson
swings both ways!! Any bama fan will enjoy that statement!! Well Vol’s wildboys are crazy and will
do any thing to get the media to talk about its stupid hillbilly university!! VOLS YOU ARE THE LAUGHNING STOCK OF THE SEC AND YOUR TO STUPID NOT TO SEE THE TRAINWRECK COMING AROUND THE BEND!!
Huh?
March 2nd, 2009
11:27 am
Why don’t we wait to see what Kiffen does on the playing field before we start talking a big game about how he’s changing the playing field? That’s the general feeling that I have.
atlg8rfan
March 2nd, 2009
11:34 am
llkj:
Tell Ron Zook that!
Joe
March 2nd, 2009
11:35 am
My God, what an embarrassing, pathetic bunch of people. These Coaches are supposed to be leaders of men. I am sure that the kids who are swayed by this will have lots of respect for their leaders, and will really dig down when things get tough.
Buffoonery looks good in the short term, but is always doomed to failure in the long run.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
11:36 am
Gimmicks, Gimmicks, Gimmicks!!! Is Kiffen really CMR in DRAG?????
'Rural' Kiffin accuses Urban Meyer of cheating and hates grandmas - Page 21 - BuckeyePlanet Ohio State Forums
March 2nd, 2009
11:44 am
[...] Kiffin’s Tennessee staff ripping off shirts for recruiting | College Football Recruiting Quote: [...]
UT Staff Gets Shirtless to Impress Recruits! - VolNation
March 2nd, 2009
11:49 am
[...] UT Staff Gets Shirtless to Impress Recruits! Crazy stuff by Coach O and the staff–the recruits were all fired up! Kiffin’s Tennessee staff ripping off shirts for recruiting | College Football Recruiting [...]
bull-gator
March 2nd, 2009
11:52 am
You can’t spell STUPID without UT…what a sophomoric stunt. If my coaches had ever acted like that, I would have personally kicked the sh*t out of them. What’s next? A group grope?
85Gamecock
March 2nd, 2009
11:55 am
This so story would be SOOOO much better if we found out that Lane’s wife was the one who ripped her shirt off in front of the recruits. Heck, their 2010 class would already be full.
Supes
March 2nd, 2009
11:58 am
There is not such thing as “bad press”…unless you are the Tenn Vols these days and it’s related to football!
Shirt stripping spreads to East Tennessee... - Page 3 - TideFans.com
March 2nd, 2009
12:03 pm
[...] Shirt stripping spreads to East Tennessee… http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-footbal…or-recruiting/ Funny quote from TE [...]
bo stephens
March 2nd, 2009
12:04 pm
Tell New Jersey that Knowshon musta used up all the class that state ever had to offer!. As for Tennessee, Lane Kiffin obviously not only is not a southern gentleman-he can spell class with only 3 letters! Georgia doesn’t want Oakland Raider thugs in their program-and never will. If you can’t have a little class-your university doesn’t build men(or character) it builds something far less. We don’t want a program like Miami used to be noted for-Tennesse can have that-and drag their whole school down with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-jhs
I-20 Reb
March 2nd, 2009
12:04 pm
Enjoy O, UT. Honestly, what makes you think things will be any different for you? You would have been far better off making David Cutcliffe a “co-head coach.”
3 years of an O nightmare (to fans, players, and assistants) were more than enough for us.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
12:05 pm
Orgeron has a bigger cup size!!!!
al
March 2nd, 2009
12:07 pm
i am an ole miss fan and this is the same crap rebel fans had to put up with. wild boyz,ripping off the shirt, thank goodness coach 0 and 8 days are over in oxford. don’t miss this one bit. this is just the beginning, things will get out of control. coach oh my god teams sucked so bad in oxford, if and this is a big if, his teams had been bowl eligible his lst year over 30 players didn’t have the grades to play in it. ut’s mess and embarassing moments are just getting started. everyone wonders why you can’t wipe the big smile off of a reb fans face right now? thank you lord for houston nutt and what he stands for.
Joe
March 2nd, 2009
12:09 pm
This impresses the recruits? How lame. I can’t wait to watch this staff on the sideline the first game they lose.
Andy
March 2nd, 2009
12:12 pm
ok i just had to throw something out there for a sec. I am getting tired of this talk that UT is an embarrasment to the SEC. I just want to
bama12titles
March 2nd, 2009
12:17 pm
I kinda like Lane Kiffin. The guy is growing on me. Every time I read the AJC and it seems like this guy and his staff are always doing or saying something that absolutely cracks me up. Thank God for Kiffin. He is pure entertainment during the dull off season.
Bull-gator. You can’t spell stupid without UT. I like it. And yes. Kiffin and his staff are sophomoric but its funny as in Saturday night live goofy funny. Kiffin keeps me amused and makes me wonder what he’s gonna do or say next. Everybody stay tuned.
Ole miss FB player
March 2nd, 2009
12:19 pm
This is definatly a Coach O invention. i have been involved in quite a few of these raids. i will say they are alot of fun but what isnt fun is when they work you have to death everyday and come gameday they dont have a clue to what the hell is going on. Trust me iv experieneced it first hand. Have fun with that staff TN, it will get old fast. See ya in oxford next year and boy its gonna be sweet! yaw yaw
some sense
March 2nd, 2009
12:21 pm
Cheap gimmick.
Kids who fall for that should go to UT.
Ole Miss
March 2nd, 2009
12:25 pm
The talent we have at Ole Miss is because of Coach O. How do people forget that so easily?
DudeoftheSouth
March 2nd, 2009
12:26 pm
in case no one guessed though In Houston Nutt’s first year the reason for his success involved the fact that he used players that Coach O recruitied
Jim n Buckhead
March 2nd, 2009
12:30 pm
wow…..the coaches should be arrested for hazing or soliciting sex with a minor…..
UT Wild Boyz…..thats just crazy fun….
orangefloyd
March 2nd, 2009
12:33 pm
Old news, David Green and David Pollack ripped each other’s shirts off all the time.
Eston
March 2nd, 2009
12:35 pm
The only gimmick cheaper is to have your entire team run on to the field after scoring your first TD….this is why UGA continues to go after people who could never actually earn a degree….go GATORS…THE TRUE CLASS ACT OF THE SEC
OneSmartGaBoy
March 2nd, 2009
12:42 pm
This sounds reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, with Coach O being Piggy.
Ed
March 2nd, 2009
12:43 pm
Don’t get too fired up Tennessee fans. Orgeron did this same “wild boys” act at Ole Miss.
Charlie
March 2nd, 2009
12:43 pm
Couch Richt would never do that, neither would Coach Fulmer. What a minute! Isn’t UGA the only SEC team with 6 straight top 10 recruiting classes? Didn’t Coach Fulmer beat Coach Richt two out of the last three? Is Coach Richt the new Coach Fulmer?
Eston
March 2nd, 2009
12:47 pm
Coach Richt actually needs to MAN UP and win a title before he becomes the new Fulmer….otherwise he is the reincarnation of Ray Goff….just another great recruiter who can never win it all
Vol-n-ATL
March 2nd, 2009
12:53 pm
Keep talking Dawgs. You guys have not figured out yet the your coach is the next Fulmer. Had some early success and a good run(we won a NC but you UGA guys wouldn’t know anything about that), then became complacent, predictable and overly loyal(I’m lookng at you Willie Martinez). Next thing you know you will be losing to teams you should not be losing to (Tech) and seeing the losses pile up while your coach makes no changes and “works like heck” to fix things. The key indicator is the first time you hear Richt say “I’m going to need to look at the game film”. At that point it’s all over but the crying.
Seriously, for all the talent Richt has brought in recently what have you won outside of a pre-season #1 ranking? The one time you finally beat the Gators your coach spends a year apologizing for showing a little fire and Coach Urban Meyer went on to spank him for it anyway. Richt was scarred going into that game and your team was scarred going into that game. Believe me, I know what it looks like when a team fears the Gators every year, it does not end well.
Say what you want about Kiffin and this staff, the one thing I guarantee you is they will fear no team and our players will play hard. If Urban hangs 80 on us in September I guarantee you he will have had to earn every point, unlike the regular thumping he lays on you guys in Jax.
MS Fan
March 2nd, 2009
12:53 pm
Coach O picked that up from USC. Did the same thing at Ole Miss- what a nightmare. Good luck Vols, you will need it. Wild Boys= Losses
Music City Dawg
March 2nd, 2009
12:53 pm
Gimmicks only work for so long. See ‘blackout’ game vs Bama.
Buddy El
March 2nd, 2009
12:54 pm
Apparently CLK went through the first phase of his plan to find out how many, if any, guys were there that swings from both sides of the plate.
Next step may be to rip off pants. That ought to send the straight guys running out the door.
Buddy El
March 2nd, 2009
12:58 pm
VOL-in ATL: Did you intentionally omit the part where the Gators laid 80(give or take a couple of points)points on UT in 2008?
ThaLaneTrain
March 2nd, 2009
12:59 pm
Seems as though the players enjoyed it for the most part. That means more than any bunch of anonymous names at the bottom of a newspaper article. Get ready to deal with a loss in the Fall and staring up at a top 5 class next Dawgs.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
12:59 pm
Bama and Fla by a combined score of 110 to 14!!!!!
Lifelong Hawks Fan
March 2nd, 2009
1:01 pm
This entire coaching staff reminds me of a big group of clowns!
P Man
March 2nd, 2009
1:03 pm
Personally, I prefer Richt’s approach. It seems to me that Kiffin is promoting style over substance. Me, I prefer substance!
SEC fan
March 2nd, 2009
1:03 pm
TC, I was aware that schools have Junior Days and I fully understand the purposes. So you think the only purpose for the shirt ripping show was to let these prospects know the coaches were excited and therefore could excite the players? Many coaches have prior success that demonstrates their passion and the ability to communicate enthusiasm. Not having a successful record to point to, I guess acting at a Jr. Day event is all these UT coaches could do. Kiffy and his staff are a bunch of failed pro and college coaches. Don’t be surprised if any day now Kif hires Paris Hilton as a trainer. Some of the UT fans and the AJC writers will go crazy. The UT bloggers will point out how she can motivate the players and some of the potential recruits will say “wow, that is really different, I am fired up”. Once the fires die down, the prospects will look at “The Man’s” record. Kiffy has always been different but his record as a head coach was 5-15 before he was fired. With a staff making the money these guys are getting and with their years of experience, I am glad the assistants can give a pep talk. That is a skill they will be needing while addressing next season’s losing record.
An army of O « Get The Picture
March 2nd, 2009
1:04 pm
[...] #3: The AJ-C’s Michael Carvell has more on it. With the “wild boys” chant, it definitely sounds like a Coach O [...]
Vol27
March 2nd, 2009
1:16 pm
I love my Vols, but enough is enough. Not sure how any objective minded Vol fan can look at this behavior and be excited.
Fulmer’s time had come, but what have we replaced him with? Guess we’ll really find out in a few months.
Baba O'Riley
March 2nd, 2009
1:16 pm
LOL @ MegaT’s post
Bryce Brown's Trip To LSU - SECTalk Forums
March 2nd, 2009
1:20 pm
[...] he just wants to glorify his ego, he’ll go sign with the idiots at Tennessee who have adopted the Ed Orgeron/Ole Miss no-shirt idiocy as their own. And if he just wants to stay being the local guy made good, he’ll go to Kansas State. [...]
Volition
March 2nd, 2009
1:21 pm
Ole Miss fans: Orgeron sure didn’t leave your cupboard bare, did he?
Gator fans: Orgeron sure didn’t leave Ole Miss’ cupboard bare, did he?
Georgia fans: Thanks for all the great players that your state continues to provide to the University of Tennessee.
Bama fans: You guys are idiots.
that is all
GBO
DTC
March 2nd, 2009
1:24 pm
How can the AJC consider itself a national newspaper, when you cannot even get the thing in North Georgia, or even in Chattanooga TN BOokstores, which does have national Newspapers? First they stopped printing yesterdays news, and started printing day before yesterdays news. Then they stopped delivering it up here because the sales were too small. National. They are even statewide.
Kiffin is the Man
March 2nd, 2009
1:25 pm
You guys cracking on O realize he’s just our fourth ranking coach right? He’s not even a coordinator. He’s doing what we need him to do in attracting players and setting a tone. Some of the Ole Miss fans on here understand what he did for their talent level. Plus, he was an excellent position coach at USC, but no one wants to admit they remember that.
This was a sales pitch based on establishing a tone of high energy with the Tennessee program. It worked. Every single HS kid in the article thought it was great. Perfect. Until the ball is snapped, all the guys can do is promote the new energy in the program, and let each one of the kids know exactly how they will fit into the program.
I have no idea what we can do on the field given how poorly Fulmer’s less energetic staff had recruited in the end. Two classes outside the top 20 in the last four years should have never happened at UT, so now, Kiffin and staff have to make the best of the situation.
Dave
March 2nd, 2009
1:27 pm
Sounds about right didn’t Orgeron talk about challenging his players to fight him when he started at MS and you saw what that did to get him some wins. This crowd thinks hype will win games in the SEC it won’t.
Vol-n-ATL
March 2nd, 2009
1:33 pm
Buddy El, it was 30-6 in 2008, still a loss but not quite the 50 Urban laid on the pre-season #1 Dawgs. I do see where you got confued, that 3 must look like an 8 when it is not in block letters and crayon.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
1:35 pm
At spring drills they are gonna play duck duck goose with the 100 man roster!!!! That will fire up everybody!!!!!
cursive
March 2nd, 2009
1:37 pm
Seriously, seriously, seriously. Stop covering Lane Kiffin and all of the stupid garbage that he is doing. It is like a kid; Good attention, Bad attention, it is all the same. Ignore him.
TommyP
March 2nd, 2009
1:42 pm
“Wild boys?” LOL
And then Lane cranked up the Duran-Duran to finish the moment.
hk
March 2nd, 2009
1:45 pm
… said it before and I’ll say it again, this guy is an embarrassment to UT and should be terminated ..
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
1:50 pm
THE University of Tenn at Sesame Street!!!!!
Sounds just like "Meat Market" - VolNation
March 2nd, 2009
1:56 pm
[...] just like "Meat Market" Kiffin’s Tennessee staff ripping off shirts for recruiting | College Football Recruiting UT Wild Boys….haha I like [...]
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
1:56 pm
For the Fla game Lane has Barney coming to speak at halftime!!!! For the Bama game he invited tickle me elmo!!!
Kiffin is the Man
March 2nd, 2009
1:58 pm
Don’t be so terrified Satan Nick. You might, MIGHT hold off the Lane Train this one year. After that all bets are off.
SEC fan
March 2nd, 2009
2:07 pm
Coaches can normally depend on their prior winning record as evidence of the coaches’ passion for winning and ability to inspire a team. In this case, with Kiffy’s losing record of 5-15 before he was fired, this was the only way to communicate these abilities to the prospects. The new UT coaching staff is a bunch of losers. Don’t be surprised to read that the next addition to the staff will be Paris Hilton as trainer. Fans and AJC writers will go crazy. Potential recruits will say, “this is really different, I am excited”. However, being inspirational and different doesn’t make Kiffy a winner. His is just has a different way of being a loser. Sharp prospects will see thru the smoke before making their decisions.
Saint Nick
March 2nd, 2009
2:07 pm
The Lane train is what happened Sat.
jawaan
March 2nd, 2009
2:14 pm
i think kids of today just see this kind of stuff as goofy. trust me, i’m only 22. it might grab a couple of players but no1 seroius about winning and it def wont work in the long run. this guy is making a mockery of the league
Ole Dawg
March 2nd, 2009
2:15 pm
March 2, 2009 11:33 AM | Link to this
Dear “Kiffen is the Man”, Your coaching staff has many flaws that haven’t yet surfaced. Orgeron was doomed from the first day he took over at Ole Miss. He alieniated himself from the “money alums” when he repeatedly used foul language in front of their wifes ( calling one opponents coach a co-ks-cker numerous times) He definitely can’t coach…just look what Nutt did with the same talent.He’s nothing but a Louisiana backwoods scum bag. Lame Kitten has showm himself to be an immature little boy masquerading as a footballl coach who needs his daddy close by to guide the way. Tennessee will be lucky to win 4 games next year and I predict that Lame Kitten will be gone in 3-4 years. The recruits you do land will be the left overs that can’t read or write properly and are easily influenced by the garbage that Kitten and Orgeron will feed them. The smart athletes will see through their BS and sign with other schools. What you Tennessee fans haven’t yet figured out is that money can’t buy integrity or good coaching.
Brock D
March 2nd, 2009
2:19 pm
There’s a reason so many recruits are turning a cold shoulder to UT. Thanks Kiffin! Looks like you just narrowed down Orson Charles’ choices to USC and UGA!
Kiffin is the Man
March 2nd, 2009
2:19 pm
Hey SEC fan, keep hanging your hat on 5-15 in the NFL. A pro record is certainly always a total indicator of how good a college coach someone is…you know like Spurrier, Carroll, and Satan. BTW, how many sharp prospects saw through the smoke at USC and Ole Miss during O’s years. He and Kiffin brought in all that talent after Carroll’s first season…a losing season I believe. That worked out o.k., huh?
And wittle bitty Saint Nick, Lane’s just going to pat you on the head while that train is being pulled on you for years and years and years. Or, until you decide to lie about where your NOT going again and run off like a thief and call your assistants on your cell phone while you’re streaking out of Tuscaloser.
tennezz
March 2nd, 2009
2:21 pm
Love him or hate him, it does not matter, He is here to stay! All your whining and crying will make no differance. You know whats coming, BEND OVER AND GET READY FOR IT!