Lane Kiffin has been college football’s wildcard since he hit the scene. We may not have realized it at the time, but the man with his fingerprints all over the Matt Leinart-Reggie Bush megapowered offense at USC was on his way to take over the Southeastern Conference. Granted, after his first stint in the SEC, that really seemed impossible.
Kiffin showed up thanks to Tennessee. He replaced the Volunteer legend Phil Fulmer in 2009, and lasted barely more than a year before retreating back to sunny California. However, during that year, amidst a single season of chaos, Kiffin left an impression on those with opinions most respected in all of college football. Sure, he antagonized. And yeah, he heard from the NCAA a good amount for his recruiting tactics. But he showed up to an old-school, hard-nosed conference and did things his own way.
So while this is a story of beef between one man and an entire conference, it is also the stage setting for one of college football’s most unexpected twists: how Lane Kiffin became the most sought-after coach in the entire sport.
