Are SEC rivals turning Tennessee, Kiffin in to NCAA?
Here's Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin doing interviews Thursday. This seldom turns out well.
Sitting on stage, unaccompanied by blonde recruiting hostesses (good news) but still clearly devoid of a filter between his brain and mouth (oops), Lane Kiffin listened as somebody asked what he considered the toughest thing about coaching college football today.
“Following all the rules,” he said. And the room, free of NCAA investigators, broke into laughter.
I’ll say this for Kiffin: Most folks who devolve into a human punch line every 17 minutes eventually learn their lesson and know when to hit the mental mute button. Kiffin soaks it all in and wears the target proudly, like a new tan. There’s something to be said for consistency.
“I thought you guys were getting bored out there,” he said later about the rules comment. “We were answering every question politically correct, so I thought I’d give you something.”
Kiffin coaches Tennessee, at least when he’s not setting the campus on fire. The Volunteers are under NCAA investigation for recruiting violations, the most salacious of which is sending bubbly coeds off campus to high school football games to help lure hormone-raging teenage football players. There’s also all of that other stuff he has said or done since taking the job, from the occasional tweak, to accusing Florida coach Urban Meyer of cheating, to seeing three of his prize recruits arrested for armed robbery.
The good news? He’s not a schlep like Phil Fulmer, so nobody can make fat jokes.
Kiffin was in town Thursday for a news conference to help promote the Chick-fil-A Bowl game. I think Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer also was there. But Beamer’s 228 career wins just didn’t compare to Kiffin’s seven really loud and obnoxious ones. So the spotlight followed Kiffin.
Tennessee has been accused of sending female members of the school's "Orange Pride" off-campus to help recruit.
He did not torch any particular SEC program (or rule) while in town, although he did remark to Beamer about Georgia’s failed pursuit of Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster, “We’re very glad he’s not going to Georgia.”
But he remarked on the probability that he has made coaching enemies in the conference and that, as fallout, other schools might be turning him into the NCAA.
“I think any time you do something [high profile], there’s going to be good and bad to it,” he said. “The approach we took, the good thing was it gave recognition [of Tennessee] to recruits. But I’m sure some of that stuff has made people more apt to try to find things we’re doing wrong and turn us in.”
But he has no direct knowledge of this.
“When you’re turned in, they don’t tell you what school did it,” he said.
For the record, he again denied any wrongdoing. He also said recent remarks that he viewed the NCAA investigation as a “compliment,” were taken out of context. “The context of the question was about what was going on in recruiting and do you feel like you have a target on your back,” he said. “We’re operating at such a high level, I said I take that as a compliment if people are coming after us and they’re [saying], ‘They’re doing something wrong.’ People come after you when you’re on top.”
Two things. First, the Vols are 7-5. They’re not quite on top. Second, Kiffin’s explanation for his frequent bombastic comments and actions – that it’s all orchestrated to the raise the profile of the Tennessee program – isn’t completely believable. Some of that might be true. But it’s also true that he’s a cocky guy who loves the attention but has been somewhat blindsided by the SEC’s lunatic following.
If Kiffin were a head coach in the Pacific 10, everything he said in Scottsdale, Ariz., wouldn’t detonate in Eugene, Ore. In the SEC, it’s like a wet finger in an electric socket.
But maybe he is learning just a little. When I mentioned to him I was surprised he didn’t bring any hostesses with him, Kiffin smiled and said, “Come on. I already gave you one line.”
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252 comments Add your comment
GoodTraction
December 17th, 2009
9:02 pm
Jeff – Now every time I eat at Taco Hell and get the spork, I will think of Schultz and your following . . .
Sonny Clusters
December 17th, 2009
9:06 pm
Jeff, will you be buying any of the Falcons like Warrick Dunn?
Kiffin needs adult supervision.... - Page 7 - VolNation
December 17th, 2009
9:10 pm
[...] [...]
He Hate Gator
December 17th, 2009
9:14 pm
I may become He Hate Vol
He Hate Gator
December 17th, 2009
9:15 pm
No, better yet He Hate Orange
Cobb Dawg
December 17th, 2009
9:19 pm
Bad news for UT fans. Your walking joke of a coach thinks 7-5 is “on top”. Someone needs to explain to this “gentleman” that there are much higher mountains to climb in the SEC than tied for 4th in the league. Ignorance is one thing, arrogant ignorance is quite another. He’s lining up enemies who will have more than enough venom against the program to not only beat UT, but embarrass them. He’s got me really looking forward to next season. I’ll pull for whoever’s playing UT, no matter what the conference.
romegavol
December 17th, 2009
9:22 pm
Jeff…things are so boring with uga that the ajc loves to write about kiffin….alot. obsessed is more like it. you are making kiffins day. this rome, ga vol can’t wait to see the vols in the dome but not half as much as i have loved the whippings that UT puts on the puppies.
bob horner had a sweet compact swing
December 17th, 2009
9:27 pm
I wouldn’t kick a sexy girl out of bed wearing orange…..that said..I’d never pull the Vols…
Albert Means
December 17th, 2009
9:33 pm
I remember Phat Phil turning in the bammers for a booster trying to buy me. In exchange for helping the ncaa dig up dirt on Bama,(some of it fabricated by the ncaa investigator as proven later in court documents) phat phil and the viles escaped the ncaa cops when they were trying to do the very same thing. Karma is a beyotch and what goes around comes around. And its gonna come around on UT big time.
Also, I hear Tee Martin is a little short on money this month. Tee Martin can just have one of the UT boosters wire him some more money. Apparently its okay if a self ascribed big UT fan wires him cash for no other reason than the fact that he was a UT football player. They got away with cheating long enough. Time to make em play by the same rules as everyone else.
Lane Pimpin
December 17th, 2009
9:34 pm
7-5 I’m on top of the world! I’m on top of the world at 7-5! Yee haw!
LaLaLaLaLacey
December 17th, 2009
9:37 pm
“Coach Summitt’s entire recruitin’ class last year? Got ‘em. Had to show a few of ‘em my breasts instead of just rubbin’ ‘em on ‘em, but I got ‘em. Gonna make a nice livin’ readin’ a tellyprompter in Bowlin’ Green or Supartsanburg someday but THIS is my finest hour. Howdy! You at least a four star recruit? Well, let me get a little closer! How you doin’?”
solomon
December 17th, 2009
9:41 pm
Has the ncaa sent a letter of inquiry to UT? Has the ncaa even contacted kiffin or the vols? Seems like there’d have been some action by the ncaa if there was any truth to these allegations.
NCAA COP
December 17th, 2009
9:42 pm
solomon,
Yes the ncaa did send a letter of inquiry
Amnesiac
December 17th, 2009
9:44 pm
How bout them Dawg gymnast hostesses from a couple years back?
mEMPHIS
December 17th, 2009
9:49 pm
Albert, don’t forget that thanks to Fullmer you had to go to Memphis and you never panned out
Vols
December 17th, 2009
9:53 pm
Dear Cobb Dawg …. 45-19
Vols
December 17th, 2009
10:02 pm
NCAA COP – As of Dec 11th, Tennessee has yet to receive a formal letter of inquiry from the N.C.A.A.
tall vol
December 17th, 2009
10:07 pm
Can’t wait to see kiffin beat the dawgs for next decade.
Volhala
December 17th, 2009
10:17 pm
UGA might be more comfortable in the ACC. Or Conference USA.
Otto
December 17th, 2009
10:17 pm
Wouldn’t surprise me. He has taken shots at SOS, Urban and Saban. The he signed a player Slive advised against taking. The most powerful people in SEC football have all taken shots from this young hot shot from USC, all the while coaching at a school whose old coach turned Bama in for cheating. He does not have many friends and neither does the Athletic Department.
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
10:18 pm
Yup. I remember the 1998 Tennessee national title team. The professors gave 22 players passing grades to keep them eligible for the bowl game. Then after the bowl game the professors went back and changed their grades to failing grades. The NCAA looked into what is and should be obvious cheating by UT. We know cheating when we see it. But the ncaa said that although it looked bad they did not have the authority to go into classrooms and tell professors what grades they should be giving students and whether or not they should or shouldn’t change some grades.
That’s alright though. The rest of us know cheating when we see it. And UT is UcheaT university.
This program has no morals or standards whatsoever from enrolling people like Jason respert to the kid that participated in a rape of a cousin when he was 14 to whoring out their hostesses. This program makes me wanna puke.
VolNation
December 17th, 2009
10:19 pm
You dog fans make think the UT hostesses are easy, but make no mistake, they would still not get within 10 feet of any of you. Stick to your weekly trips to the Cheetah….45-19 is just the start.
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
10:19 pm
Otto,
You mean he signed someone like respert, someone both uga and uf passed on. Doesn’t surprise me one iota the level to which UcheaT will stoop.
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
10:22 pm
VolNation,
Apparently you are way wrong. Especially about the one hostess rubbing her breasts not only on the 18 year old son but also on his old probably 40+ year old dad. The young girl is 20 years old and rubbing all over some old man and you gonna act like this 2 bit ho has some degree of sophistication. Surely you jest?
VolNation
December 17th, 2009
10:23 pm
Playing fast – don’t be so self righteous
VolNation
December 17th, 2009
10:26 pm
Playing fast – whats your issue? The fact that the girls are white and player black? Bigotry and self righteouness go together. Check on what your own daughter is doing before calling anyone a “ho”.
Volhala
December 17th, 2009
10:28 pm
Otto,
He didn’t come to the SEC to make friends. 45-19.
Volhala
December 17th, 2009
10:31 pm
Playing fast and loose with grading players,
Pace yourself. You’ll have years of justifying your losses to UT.
About lane kiffin, coach, football, recruiting, tennessee, ncaa | Find me About
December 17th, 2009
10:35 pm
[...] Sitting on stage, unaccompanied by blonde recruiting hostesses (good news) but still clearly devoid of a filter between his brain and mouth (oops), Lane Kiffin listened as somebody asked what he considered the toughest thing about coaching college …Read Original Story: Are SEC rivals turning Tennessee, Kiffin into NCAA? – Atlanta Journal Con… [...]
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
10:35 pm
Volhala,
Ahhhh! So much big talk. So little to back it up. But you are correct. UT will have years of celebrating moral victories against Bama and UF. Kiffin will never beat Urban or Saban. It will never happen and after another year or 2 of moral victories and big talk Kiffin will be gone. Behind all that false freaking bravado you know it and I know it.
Volhala
December 17th, 2009
10:38 pm
Playing fast and loose with grading players,
We’re about to sign the best kicker in the country = Bama problem solved. We’ll beat FL next year.
Try to calm down. Otherwise, you’re going to be very upset for the next several years.
TnJack
December 17th, 2009
10:42 pm
Nice to see the fear and obsession you all have for Lane Kiffin. Vol domination is the thunder you hear in the distance. Keep talking about our Coach Kiffin, we love the attention, and you know you can’t stop the Vols!
hind tit
December 17th, 2009
10:43 pm
who’s sonny clusters?
TnJack
December 17th, 2009
10:46 pm
What’s the matter Fast and Loose? Don’t ya like girls?
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
10:46 pm
Dude. If Ingram doesn’t lose a fumble for the first time in his career that game isn’t even close. And getting an onsides kick is really lucky too. You were lucky just to come close and it looks like you got your moral victory. Next year Saban will actually take you seriously and we’ll go back to kicking the crap out of you as always. You remember the last time Bama came to Knoxville. 29-9 and 30% of the crowd was bama fans. And now you saying you gonna beat Florida? How funny. Speaking of that exactly when is the last time you beat Florida?
Good luck beating both Bama and florida after losing your starting qb, tailback, top receiver, top tight end, losing 4 of 5 starting o lineman, losing dan williams, wes brown, rico mccoy, eric berry.
The reality is that you guys will actually go backwards. I’m forecasting 6 wins for UT in 2010 with blowout losses to both Bama and UF. Its funny that you don’t even know that you lose the core of your team this year. You guys are gonna be really, really bad next year. 6 wins max. BOOK IT!!!!!
Hillbilly Deluxe
December 17th, 2009
10:46 pm
If the NCAA would drop the charade and pay the players, these problems would go away. Or let the NFL fund it’s own minor league system.
bp
December 17th, 2009
10:50 pm
sonny is a legend in our mind
Guess who
December 17th, 2009
10:50 pm
I don’t get that Kiffin. Does he think he’s another Steve Spurrer? He’s makeing alot of enemies. He will embarrass the univ. of Tenn. and will be gone after 2 seasons.
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
10:50 pm
TnJack,
Nobody is obsessed with Kiffin. I personally hopes he stays at UT for as long as possible. You guys are celebrating a freaking 7-5 year. Good grief that is pathetic. I’m hoping this clown is there forever. He is a walking talking imbecile and makes your whole program look idiotic. That’s why I’m hoping he will be there for a long, long time. But reality says he’s gone after next year or the year after at the latest. I will miss the ole azz clown
jesse james
December 17th, 2009
10:52 pm
I agree with you hillbilly. I believe that college football and college basketball are two corrupt outfits. College baseball is the most descriminated sport there is . Eleven and a quarter scholarships is unbelievable.
Volhala
December 17th, 2009
10:55 pm
“Dude!” Bama got outschemed by our coaches this year. The only thing that saved Bama was that Fulmer left so little depth. It’s amazing that Saban had so much talent and the game came down to a kick. “BOOK IT!!!”
UT Grad '91
December 17th, 2009
10:56 pm
I’m not gonna lie. As a graduate of the University, I’m embarrassed by Coach Kiffin. He’s a complete disgrace when he is compared to the other coach’s of the SEC. He felt like he had to come in and pick fights, but no other coach in the league has to do that to gain respect. Our University has a proud football tradition without all this so-called “needed” media attention.
Phil Fulmer had a few bad years in the 2000s as the head coach, but he also had some great ones, including a near SEC championship win over LSU in 2007. What eventually sunk him was the fact that he lost Cutcliffe in 1 year and hired Dave Clawson, who was not ready to bring his spread to the SEC. If you look at it, UT’s defense was WORSE last year than it was under Phil’s last season with Chavis and they did not graduate too many seniors on that side of the ball. The offense was better not because of Kiffin but because the players who were at UT were recruited to run a pro-style offense like they did under Cutcliffe . . . and the offense was not better than Cutcliffe’s.
Im telling you, as an alumnus, with all of the clout he is raising as well as how much money they are spending, if he has not won a SEC championship in the next 3 years, he needs to be gone.
TnJack
December 17th, 2009
10:58 pm
The 7-5 year is just the start. In two years after great recruiting and great NFL caliber coaching from these guys, we’ll be winning SEC and National championships again. Your days are numbered. Here come the Vols and they’re bringing hell with them. You Dawgs, Gators, and Tiders are going to get your pathetic butts kicked. You know it, so keep talking……………………
bp
December 17th, 2009
10:59 pm
orange bowl jan 5th
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
11:00 pm
TnJack,
Reality check. 6-6 next year for UT. Domination by a coach who once lined up his team the raiders to attempt a 75 yard field goal? What fool in the history of organized football would line up to attempt a 75 yard field goal? You think Saban or Meyer fears an idiot like that? You’ve got to be kidding me?
Good luck replacing your top 2 qbs, 4 out of 5 starting o lineman, your tb, top wr, top tight end, top 2 d-lineman, top linebacker, and eric berry. Saban went 12-0 in his 2nd year and finished 12-2. Meyer won a national title in his 2nd year. Think UT will go 12-0 regular season or win a national title next year? Um, uhhh, that would be NO! 6-6 most likely and 7-5 if some breaks fall their way. 5-7 is also a possibility. Come back to reality folks. Because it will be settling in soon on you in another 9 months.
Playing fast and loose with grading players
December 17th, 2009
11:03 pm
TnJack,
You need to check the recruiting rankings son. As of now Bama has the top class but it can be argued that Florida has a better class. Georgia will also always get better talent than UT. So will LSU. UT is a very thin state as far as talent goes. Everyone knows that and its why UT has to get all the leftovers in the surrounding states. They’ll have decent recruiting classes but still will not be on the level of the other programs mentioned above. It is what it is. Deal with it.
TnJack
December 17th, 2009
11:04 pm
TWO YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a 3 to 4 year plan. Keep talking……………Tennessee will dominate again!
jesse james
December 17th, 2009
11:05 pm
Hey BP, is your last name Patel?
Volhala
December 17th, 2009
11:06 pm
Come on TnJack. “Deal with it.”
PaulC
December 17th, 2009
11:06 pm
If conference rivals aren’t hating on you, you’re not doing your job. If sports writers aren’t acting desperate to hold on to their lazy narrative about you, then you know you’re doing something right. Seriously people do you really think we’re worried that fans of SEC schools say about Lane Kiffin? We LOVE Lane Kiffin. We love that he gets under the skin of Urban Meyer, we love that he brings great players to UT, we love that he attracts NFL coaches to campus, we love that he skull drugged Coach Jesus 45-19, we love that instead of a 20 pt loss to Bama at home, we came within a gimpy legged kicker of beating them at their place, and we love that all you can do is predict doom for us next season cause we’re losin all that TALENT. You can’t shame us into not liking Kiffin, because we know that with the exception of Saban at Alabama, we’ve got the best coach in the league.