At 1:00 p.m. CST time today University of Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton announced the 21st Head Coach in Tennessee history, Coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin as discussed numerous other times around Vols Blogsphere has a great deal of experience for a 33 year old. He’s played and coached under some of the best coaches at different levels of college and NFL football such as; Pat Hill, Jeff Tedford, Tom Coughlin, Don Capers, Norm Chow, and Pete Carroll. All of these coaches are proven winners at their respective levels of football. His pedigree is increased even more by the fact that his father, Monte Kiffin, is one of the most premier defensive coordinators in NFL history.
This has been an emotional and difficult week for this blogger. Personally I have supported Fulmer every minute until sometime shortly after the Florida game. I am thankful for what he has brought to our program, but I also realize it is time to move on.
I am excited about Coach Kiffin, and I behind him 100%. I just finished watching the press conference a few minutes ago, and I was impressed. His energy and excitement showed through his enthused briefing. The single thing I am most excited about is the fresh start he will provide the program. In Fulmer’s tenure he has tended to lean on experienced veteran players rather than more talented younger players. Sunday night Coach Kiffin met with the team for 41 minutes to discuss the direction of the program and how things are going to be done. Coach Kiffin put it straight by saying,
“They are going to earn their starting spots, not a single one of them are starters right now.”
This is exciting to me. I have felt this year our most talented players have found themselves mostly reserved for the bench, as example Ahmad Paige, Denarius Moore, and Brandon Warren. As in all big time programs these days, talent plays, not experience. That is the new trend of a winner.
One concern I’ve had in this process is the loss of tradition that is so strong within the Tennessee football program. Would he understand the importance of the Game Maxims, Running Through the T, and the Vol Walk among many others. Coach Kiffin put my concern to rest during his press conference, stating how he realized the importance of our traditions, and he finished with a statement I’ve craved to see for many years now,
“We are going to sing Rocky Top all night long after we beat Florida next year”
That is what I’m talking about coach! We need that type of confidence (or call it arrogance) in our program, players, and coaches! The work like heck attitude is gone, and the timing is perfect.
Coach Kiffin states he is going to focus on recruiting, and realizes that other SEC programs have declared war on the state of Tennessee. Our top talent has been picked clean over the last few years by the likes of Notre Dam, USC, and Alabama. I want this to STOP, as does Coach Kiffin:
“We need to build a fence around the state of Tennessee”
For those concerned with recruiting, I ask to give Coach a chance. A majority of our recruits right now are so excited to have the man at the helm that was responsible for recruiting and coaching Reggie Bush and LenDale White. As many will remember Coach Kiffin came into the state of Tennessee in 2005 and stole Patrick Turner right out of our grasps, who was the top WR recruit in the nation. Kiffin knows how to recruit, and will assure that his staff does as well. Don’t be surprised when he brings on Ed Orgeron and David Reeves. Orgeron was head coach at Ole Miss from 2005-2007, and although his head coaching abilities were not up to snuff, his recruiting was very good. The proof is in the pudding right now at Ole Miss. Also David Reeves led South Carolina as recruiting coordinator to a #6 ranked class in the nation last year according to Rivals.com.
I look at the past and smile with a bounty of great memories, but now I also look at the future and smile with the promise and excitement of a new era of Tennessee Football. GO VOLS!!!
Good for UT, good for the SEC. I like seeing that kind of talk from a guy. It fires me up and I’m not a Tennessee fan.
Lets face it, the SEC is down this year, aside from Florida and Bama and a rising Ole Miss. Bringing the marquee programs back to the top is key to bringing conference play to where it has always been, at the top. Yes, we beat each other to pulp during the year, but this is not the Pac-10. You should have to play well every week to be at the top of your conference, and that is not neccessarily the case this year in the SEC (and I have a feeling Alabama will find this out next week…just my opinion though). Yes, we are still a great conference, but I would say, at this point, not THE best right now (which is something I wouldnt have thought possible at the beginning of the season).
I hope it works out well for UT (not too well though…UGA still needs to win the East…). Good for ya’ll.
Did it get any better than that press conference? I am ready for 2009 to start right now!
Good post. I agree with ya buddy. The Florida statement gave me goosebumps!!!
[...] Bill Duff’s Love Child has probably the most comprehensive dissection of the presser over at CFJ (Don’t forget to doubly hit the link at the bottom of this article). [...]
It may or may not be a good idea to build a wall that includes keeping one of your enemies on the inside.
But, nobody expects the oppressed to rise up and throw off the shackles of the oppressor.
Congrats to the folks in Orange on their new coach.
And welcome to the great state of Tennessee: home to two SEC schools and one of the conference’s eight bowl-eligible teams.
Vandy is insignificant in football, and your life would be better if you accept that. I guess you deserve to tout your bowl eligibility, since it took 26 years to get there. Have fun in Shreveport, I hear it’s a fine town.
By the way Diezba… I really have enjoyed your site!
[...] Kiffin, Jr. in Knoxville. Peachy swore upon taking all that moonshine money that he would “build a fence around the state of Tennessee” and left his press conference to fly to Memphis and woo Harding Academy receiver Marlin [...]