Life in the Fast 'Lane'

From the minute the University of Southern California hired Lane Kiffin, I've heard nothing but negative comments from every sportswriter, talk show host and college football fan. While most are scratching their heads at this hire by the Trojan empire, I am quietly pumping my fist.

The predominant question I hear is, "what has this brat ever done?" Paying your dues is in the eye of the beholder. Lane Kiffin got into coaching in 1997. Not 2007....1997. He took the same route most coaches take, he started as a graduate assistant, at the school he played for, Fresno State. From there he held jobs at Colorado State, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and then finally landed at USC in 2001, where he spent five years learning under arguably the nation's top coach, in Pete Carroll. In 2005, Lane was given the opportunity to be involved in the offensive play calling on his own. That season, the Trojans offense averaged 49 points per game and 579 yards per game. He developed such players as Keary Colbert, Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett. So, for the record, he started at USC in 2001, and when Norm Chow left in 2005, he was handed the play calling duties and delivered. That smells like "paying your dues" to me.

For the past decade, USC has been called 'the closest thing to an NFL program in college football.' Pete Carroll ran a pro style offense during his tenure in Los Angeles. Kiffin was a rising star and an NFL team came calling, in the Oakland Raiders. That doesn't seem too far fetched. Your an NFL owner, you want to hire an up-and-coming energetic guy, and if you look in the college ranks, Lane Kiffin kinda fits that bill. Well, things didn't work out in Oakland, but they rarely do...for anybody! Lane probably regretted leaving USC at that moment, and he couldn't go back, since his role was filled by Steve Sarkisian.

Then, Tennessee came calling. Lane wanted a shot at running a program. Anybody that lived in the South this past year could tell that Lane was like a fish out of water. He was like the newbie in the prison yard who wanted to do something brash to let the other inmates know he could hold his own here. Did it help? Was he a bit over the top? Aside from aggravating fans at every school in the South, he did improve Tennessee's win total and quarterback Jonathan Crompton had his best season ever, throwing 26 touchdowns.

When Pete Carroll announced he was leaving USC, you don't think every coach in America (not named Saban or Meyer) had the same thought, "Should I make a call?" Bright lights. Big city. No NFL team, no semblance of a program in Westwood. California recruiting base. Oh, and a school that has as rich a history and tradition as any program in the country. Ask any assistant coach that was part of USC's dominate run this decade what their dream job is, and they would all tell you, 'to walk in Pete Carroll's shoes.' So why was everyone so shocked, when Lane Kiffin was offered to slip on those sneakers, that he tied up his laces and headed West?

Here is an analogy: you are a marketing analyst at Coca-Cola for 5 years. RC Cola offers you the CEO position at their company. You leave Coke and take the job. A year later, Coca-Cola calls you and asks if you would like to be the new CEO OF COCA-COLA. The biggest brand in your industry. What would you do? You'd be the CEO of Coke...that's what you'd do!

If Lane didn't have such a surly attitude, I think outsiders would be more understanding of his decision to leave Tennessee after one year. Does it stink for the kids? Yes, but Lane Kiffin is human, and he has to do what's best for himself and his family first. Who doesn't live by that creed? Self and family first.

Another line I've heard over and over again these past 24 hours, "this guy is a walking secondary violation." Guess what - College Football is a walking secondary violation. Go google, "SEC Football Violation" and see what you find. There are recent stories on LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and yes even Vanderbilt. So please, get off the moral soap box and stop acting like Lane Kiffin is the only coach in America committing secondary violations.

Bottom line is Lane Kiffin feels at home at USC. Isn't that what we all look to achieve in life? Finding a career at a company that feels like home. Only time will tell if the move into his new 'home' on the West coast works out for him and the university. In the meantime, you can bet that everyone outside of the USC family will be hoping the Trojan Empire goes into foreclosure.