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
U TENN - UNION OF THUGS
December 19th, 2009
3:03 pm
U TENN —– PROUD TO BE UNIVERSE OF THUGS.
Dawg Trainer
December 19th, 2009
5:31 pm
Check one two…yep, I can still smell it. Fear is in the air in Athens.
This Vol doesn’t have to explain the fear. It’s oozing out of every Dawg’s pores. Fulmer owned you, now this cocky youn’un puts 45 on you first time out. And is brash and bold enough to say we’ll never lose to Jawja as long as he’s at Tennessee.
You want him gone. You NEED him gone.
dawgdays
December 19th, 2009
8:46 pm
I am mad because we got beat by UT. But, Schultz is like all drive by media reporters and doesn’t give context or facts. I would love for UT to forfeit some wins or a bowl, but the reality is that they have about the same secondaries as other SEC schools. Schultz tries to get our hopes up and has no real basis except hating a coach. I AM CALLING YOU OUT ON THIS SCHULTZ!!! How many secondaries do all SEC teams, including Lame have? I despise the Orange, but have no respect for “reporters” who don’t give the whole story.
Red Dog 77
December 20th, 2009
1:44 am
Dawg Trainer 5;31pm 12/19, No actually I think you would find that most UGA people would love you to keep Coach Kiffen around for years to come. A little bravado in college football is understandable, But this guy is beyond the pale. I am quite sure Mr. Trainer, that OL Al Davis was right on target with his evaluation of Coach Kiffen, and all of his shananigans will come back to bite him in the butt if we dont get to him first.
takedowndawg
December 20th, 2009
8:22 am
Who cares what kiffin is or isn’t doing? Until he reaches the level of the Reggie Bush scandal at USC and Pete Carroll’s “lack of knowing anything about it ” level he isn’t big time! A house for the family anyone?
Volhala
December 20th, 2009
11:16 am
Kiffin may say things he shouldn’t at times, but the truth is that he has more head-coaching ability than Richt and Spurrier (at this point in Spurrier’s carrier). It has been clear in the way Kiffin has assembled his coaching staff, the way he has recruited such talented players, in his playcalling, and in his quarterback coaching. The coaches on his staff have coached in great programs around the country, and they agree that he is going to be great. We outcoached Bama and FL. We lost on ability at kicker and qb in those games. It’s amazing how close we played those teams with the unbelievable lack of depth that Fulmer left. Meyer and Saban will always be difficult to beat b/c they are two of the smartest coaches ever to coach. But Richt isn’t. Kiffin will beat UGA repeatedly until UGA hires a different headcoach.
Volhala
December 20th, 2009
11:25 am
Also, Kiffin works harder and prepares harder than most headcoaches in college football today. And he picks assistants based in part on their reputation for work ethic and the hours they’re willing to put into the program as well as ability. One of the reasons that Gran left is b/c of the time commitment under Kiffin. Ask any player at UT, and he’ll tell you that the coaches arrive before dawn and leave sometime close to midnight. (And Monte and Coach O are rumored to sleep in their offices.) Many coaches in college football put in crazy hours, but this staff seems to never take a break or lose focus during all of those hours.
Volhala
December 20th, 2009
11:34 am
If Kiffin is the idiot that Schultz and others claim, why would great assistant coaches want to play for him? And why do the UT players and recruits talk so highly of him? People in Knoxville who know him and work around him are sold on his ability and work ethic. We have no concern over UGA beating us as long as the status quo remains there.
Kiffin will bring UT up to Bama’s level within four years. Then we’ll beat Bama based on our edge in quartback play. Kiffin can take a decent qb and, given enough time, make him look great. No coach in the SEC East can coach a qb as well as Kiffin.
UT
December 20th, 2009
12:02 pm
If the Dawg team could play like the Dawg fans can run their mouth, oh well, they can’t
Rotten Top Teeth
December 20th, 2009
12:37 pm
How long do you orange jumpsuit wearing THUGS think Slive is going to let you embarres the SEC ?
The hammer comes down real soon on coach kiffin and his band of dregs soon ..
Back to being the door mat of the SEC.
Rotten Top Teeth
December 20th, 2009
12:40 pm
UT Stands for under termoil or under toilet .
Cant spell slut with out UT
Volhala
December 20th, 2009
1:21 pm
Has Richt hired a defensive coordinator yet? Heard several of his picks had rejected the offer. I know of some decent middle school coaches if the dawgs are still looking.
boots
December 20th, 2009
2:09 pm
Kiffin coached his team “up” to a 7-5 year and is on the verge of having the Vols on probation in year one. Is that a great first year for a coach? No. And on top of that, he has drawn attention to his illegal recruiting and seems to boast in it. He has slammed other coaches and made a fool of himself. Further, he is running an escort service and dragging coeds in to this mess. Is that something UT is proud of??? If so, then it is true: you can’t spell slut without UT.
Volhala
December 20th, 2009
3:50 pm
Kiffin had very little to work with in terms of depth of talent when he arrived. He turned around Crompton and hid several huge deficiencies, especially in the offensive line. Monte used Berry and Jackson to cover many holes on D. To accomplish a 7-5 season w/what Fulmer left was an accomplishment. It’s more of an embarrassment to opposing coaches that they were unable to find and exploit our weakness (numerous walk-ons and injuries).
The Vols are not on the verge of probation. The allegation that coaches sent the Orange Pride members to SC is ridiculous. Anyone who continues to make this claim is going to be embarrassed this week when the investigation is concluded.
UT fans are excited to see how the staff coaches the kids and to see Kiffin’s expectations and installs each week. Richt and Spurrier won’t be able to compete; the game is changing too quickly. SC and UGA won’t be able to compete unless they get new coaches.
Georgia h.s. talent is about to get raided. Richt can’t even hire a decent defensive coordinator. Initially, his picks were rejecting his offers so now he’s backed off and claiming that he’ll take his time to get it right. He’s taking his time so that he can find someone who’ll accept and won’t embarass his program further by rejecting the offer. No one great wants to coach under Richt after this last season. UT’s assistants have opportunities to move up in responsibility and earn more money when they leave; UGA is not anywhere close to be able to provide that outlook to coaches right now b/c UGA unperformed so badly.
Spurrier just can’t keep up. Kiffin will raid SC’s limited amount of talent even more than GA; it’ll be easier in SC. When I saw Spurrier and the SC qb coach screaming at Garcia during the Bama game, I knew that UT would destroy SC. Compare Spurrier and Kiffin’s performance at the UT v Sc game.
It isn’t embarrassing to be a target, especially when the truth will come out next week. It’s embarrassing for a “well respected” coach to lose on the field and in the recruiting battle to first year college head coach with no prospects of a different result next year or the year after. UGA and SC are going to be embarrassed frequently until they make significant changes.
Volhala
December 20th, 2009
3:59 pm
boots,
Kiffin coached up to a 7-5 record b/c he hid from Richt and other coaches huge weaknesses in depth of talent, especially in the O-line. It’s more embarrassing that opposing coaches were unable to find and exploit those weaknesses. Kiffin performed much better than he was given credit for at the start of the season. Richt underperformed.
UT isn’t going to be on probation. The coaches didn’t tell those girls to go to SC. Those players committed a long time ago.
We heard the slut joke the first time. There’s no need to repeat yourself; funny.
UGA and SC are going to lose their 5-stars over the next few years to UT, Bama, and FL. Until Richt and staff are let go, UGA won’t be able to compete again. With UT’s recruiting and coaching, UT will win an SEC Championship by 2012 and get close in 2011.
Cobb Dawg
December 20th, 2009
8:26 pm
Volhala wrote “Kiffin may say things he shouldn’t at times, but the truth is that he has more head-coaching ability than Richt and Spurrier (at this point in Spurrier’s carrier).”
My UGA bretheren, there’s no rationalizing with some (most) of these Vowels. There must be something in that orange kool aid that they drink that affects their thinking. Anyone who can compare Lane Kiffin to Mark Richt, much less Steve Spurrier, is slap off their gourd.
Take a little time and read the bios and you’ll find that Kiffin has exactly one year of NCAA headcoaching experience. He was 7-5, 4-4 in that season. Compare this to Spurrier’s UF inaugural 9-2, 6-1, Followed by 10-2, 7-0 and Richt’s UGA inaugural 8-4, 5-3 (Hobnail Boot) Followed by 13-1, 8-1. When/if Kiffin does similar, we’ll talk. Until then, why don’t you Vowels stopping embarassing yourselves by making foolish comments like the afore-mentioned one. Don’t you ever wonder why the rest of the country makes fun of you? Psst, it’s your delusions of grandeur and the “Rocky Top” thing!
Red Dog 77
December 20th, 2009
10:01 pm
As I said to one of you Tenn. brainiaks, Now I will say it to you all. I think you will find that most UGA people hope you keep Coach Kiffen for years to come. As far as coaching ability goes, yes you have some fine coaches, But as far as coach Kiffen saying he will never lose to UGA, well we will see. Talk is cheap ,lets see what happens on the football field. You beat us this year, congratulations, you have less than one year left to boast. Then next year in Athens, lets see what happens on the field.Coach Kiffen has given us alot to post on the locker room buletinboard
Red Dog 77
December 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
bulletinboard.
Red Dog 77
December 20th, 2009
10:23 pm
Didnt know there were as many fortune tellers in Tenn. as there appears to be.Is it a Gypsy thing or what? Or is the rumor true, that they are going to change their fight song from Rocky Top[irritating] to Gypsys tramps and theives[soothing]?
Jimmy
December 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
Volhala,
What Kool-aid have you been drinking? I want some.
It must be nice for you to escape reality for a while.
Gen Neyland
December 21st, 2009
12:19 am
Red Dog 77 : Bulletin-boards don’t win games.
Cobb Dawg : This is OUR year to swag, isn’t it..? But if you’re a history buff, we’ll not mention overall records much less 2007 for I’m sure I can’t give you something you don’t already know…
Boots : Your level of fact finding continues to amaze me. Just where do you get your ‘accurate’ information..?
BG
December 21st, 2009
9:16 am
Who cares? Kiffin will hang himself.
Dawg Trainer
December 21st, 2009
10:15 am
Sit. Stay. Fetch. Roll Over. Heel. Play dead (oops, y’all already have that one down pat).
Good dawg.
Maybe I won’t have to roll up my AJC when I come to Neyland East (aka known as Sanford Stadium) next year!
fearnot
December 21st, 2009
11:38 am
The only thing we fear is that kid with the duct tape. Just one of many felons on your lovely team.
fearnot
December 21st, 2009
11:39 am
Sorry trainer, I had to piss in your face. Of couse those prostitutes..I mean hostesses get that request a lot I bet.
fearnot
December 21st, 2009
11:41 am
Yea we lost, but at least we don’t have to live in “incest” land, otherwise known as Knoxville. LMAO
fearnot
December 21st, 2009
11:41 am
Roll up your AJC. Pshshst like you can read.
Gator Mike
December 21st, 2009
1:13 pm
The one thing that the DAWG, TIDE, Gamecock and GATOR fans will agreee on is that kiffin is brash, mouthy and an embarassment to the SEC.
It will be interesting to see how it all plays out over the next 22 months; however, in the meantime he is making UT look foolish while painting Al Davis as a wise person. VANDY is still the class school in the State of Tennessee.
I know the Gators must go to K’ville next year, but I am not worried about it. It will be fun watching the DAWGS stuff the Vols in Athens.
Too many Vol Fans are criticizing Mark Richt, and that is a huge mistake which I hope my Gator brethren never key on.
Richt does not say much, but he will definately get back at kiffie for his remarks after the UGA-UT Game this year.
Dawg Trainer
December 21st, 2009
3:26 pm
45-19. Could have been worse.
35-14. Could have been worse.
51-33. Could have been worse and we spotted you a double-digit lead.
We’ll be down to our home away from home real soon. Keep my hedges trimmed, will ya?
Dawg Trainer
December 21st, 2009
3:31 pm
“Richt does not say much, but he will definately get back at kiffie for his remarks after the UGA-UT Game this year.”
What happened after we hung half a hundred on you at yer own house? Thought so.
Our goal in 2010? Hanging at least 52 on you at Neyland East, and not letting you pass our 35 yard line. Of course the victory is a given, the question is only by how much.
Dawg Trainer
December 21st, 2009
3:36 pm
Once again the Dawg Trainer puts these curs back in their place.
Heel, you mangy mutts!
Don’t make me come back over here. Bad Dawg!
CitizenK9
December 21st, 2009
4:26 pm
Sending these flirty “hostesses” out of state to lure these players is sleazy. Clearly the message is come to UT and you’ll get “some of this.” Shame on UT, Kiffin, and the “hostesses.”. Kiffin spent too much of his time in Oakland cruisin’ the streets.
Footballer
December 22nd, 2009
4:14 pm
What’s new about Tennessee cheating to get recruits? Nothing!
The Dentist
December 22nd, 2009
4:15 pm
A good Christmas gift for your UT Volunteer fan friends are, Denture Cream or a nice glass to keep their teeth in at night when they sleep.
Vol Hostess
December 22nd, 2009
4:18 pm
Vol hostesses will do anything to get the best recruits. It is our duty. Nothing is too sleazy.
Georgia_Jim
December 22nd, 2009
9:35 pm
It’s funny that Tenn. fans think a winning season is 7-5 and UGA considers it a losing season.
doug
December 23rd, 2009
8:04 am
Ive seen these chicks. They are absolutly beautiful. Never saw any of the dudes. Maybe some Liberal Socialist bed wetters will make a stink. Then again nobody is breaking any rules. Are they?
HT
December 23rd, 2009
7:57 pm
YOU CAN’T STOP A TRAIN—–ESPECIALLY THE LANE TRAIN. GO BIG ORANGE!
Lane/volhala,et al ad nauseum
December 24th, 2009
12:56 am
Whew!!! Kain’t stop a train-specially-a-lame-train!!! Whew!!!
Dumbass coach/dumbass school/dumbass fans/dumbass alums.
Kiffin is a fool
December 24th, 2009
12:59 am
Give us all a break. CLK is either the biggest fool ever in college ball or the biggest genius. Come on back in 2-3 seasons….I know where MY money’s goin’.
UT hillbillies go home
December 24th, 2009
1:20 am
Does the Obnoxville Newscent-n’uhl even have a blog-os-sphere? Doubt it. Even when UT wins (wins? does it ever truly win?), it still sucks. Good gosh ‘git’ your douche bags back up to tenn-er-suhee an try to make a livin’ up there (good luck with THAT!). What a 3rd world country in the middle of the US (Tenn–yep! Good ol’Rocky (fat-ass) top. Go on a diet obesity-U.
How2fish
December 24th, 2009
10:28 am
Dawg Trainer 1st we don’t want Kiffin gone..it would forestall all the excuses he will generate when CMR and the Dogs beat that ass next year..now get back in the holler and whip us up some Holiday ’shine boy..and while your were “training Dawgs” was one of them your Hostess sister who you taught to “fetch” at the not so local high schools?
pete
December 24th, 2009
12:22 pm
Ugly mutts best be careful turning people in to the ncaa, as we all know, dog poop stinks and sticks. Just one more major ncaa violation, and its the DEATH PENALTY FOR GEORGIA.
How2fish
December 24th, 2009
12:37 pm
pete your a moron you must have UGA confused with Bama!
Lacy Pearl
December 24th, 2009
4:40 pm
Better lock up your little boys,the Hillbilly Ho Train is coming to your town.
Vol Master
December 24th, 2009
9:59 pm
I guarantee you that urban meyer or nick saban is behind all this recruiting BS that the NCAA is bringing against UT. It’s no big deal, but meyer and saban are probably whining to the UT hating NCAA every day that the Vols are getting all their good recruits. mark it down—Kiffin will remember all this—florida and bama better be ready for some beatdowns in the years to come. Lane’s already circled the dates of the florida and bama games on his calendar.
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
December 27th, 2009
10:46 am
ONE DOWN(MEYER), ONE TO GO(KIFFEN)
College Football Fan
December 28th, 2009
1:29 am
It is pretty funny to watch one group of southern uneducated rednecks wearing red make fun of another group of rednecks wearing orange, who in turn make fun of the rednecks with an A on their caps, who in turn make fun of the rednecks wearing blue and orange.
You are all the same.
But by the way, didn’t the rednecks in Orange play the rednecks in Red this year?
College Football Fan
December 28th, 2009
1:50 am
Hey Jeff,
Either you or Tony Barndawg better write another Herschel retrospective in a hurry. Your base is suicidal.
superDawg
December 30th, 2009
2:20 am
I saw one of these hoestesses and she had a BB gun and a sign that read stick’em up boys it’s time to pull for volipops.