Tuesday, January 12, 2010

LA Times: Lane Kiffin returns to replace Pete Carroll

Former Trojans assistant, who had short stints as head coach with the Oakland Raiders and University of Tennessee, is the surprise choice. He will have his father, Monte, and Ed Orgeron on his staff.

By Gary Klein

Given the giant task of replacing charismatic, championship-winning football coach Pete Carroll, USC on Tuesday surprised no one by turning to one of its own.  But the coach the Trojans chose was a shocker.

Lane Kiffin, a Carroll protégé who had quickly become among the most controversial coaches in college football during his one season at the University of Tennessee, rejoined a program he helped to glory in six seasons as an assistant.  "We are really excited to welcome Lane Kiffin back to USC," Athletic Director Mike Garrett said in a statement announcing the hiring. "I was able to watch him closely when he was an assistant with us, and what I saw was a bright, creative young coach who I thought would make an excellent head coach here if the opportunity ever arose."

Kiffin, 34, will be introduced at a news conference at USC's Heritage Hall at 4 this afternoon. He was hired on the day Carroll was introduced in Seattle as the new head coach of the NFL's Seahawks, completing a move that sent shock waves throughout football's highest levels.  USC enjoyed one of the most successful runs in college football history under Carroll, but the coach left behind a Trojans program that is being investigated by the NCAA for various rules violations.

LINK TO REST OF ARTICLE.

1 comment:

http://www.ehow.com/members/stevemar2-articles.html said...

I don't know why anyone would want to become a football head coach at a school that is facing severe NCAA sanctions. USC may be in a good area for recruiting, but I bet few players would go there knowing that the program would be weakened by the penalties the NCAA imposes.