What would you do?
By: Chase Fleetwood
Issue date: 1/25/10 Section: Sports
Imagine working in your chosen field after graduating from college for about 10 years and you are offered your dream job. The only problem is that you have only been working at your current job for one year and you've been doing a good job there, but it would upset some people if you left. You have shown a great talent for your job and have a charisma that is nearly unmatched in your field. What would any one of us do in that position? 99.9% of us would take that dream job. If you have been working your entire life for this one position, why wouldn't you take the opportunity?
This is the decision Lane Kiffin made this past month when he left the University of Tennessee to take the head coaching job at the University of Southern California. The job that he had wanted his entire professional career was offered to him and he did the only sensible thing any of us would do: he took it. This may look bad to some because of how little time he spent at Tennessee, but this will work out better for both schools in the long run and I think he understood that.
When Tennessee hired Kiffin, they were able to find a coach that would embrace the traditions of the school and of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Kiffin was resented by many associated with the school because he had spent more time trying to turn Tennessee into the USC of the south instead of returning it to the SEC glory days it once enjoyed. USC will be getting a coach that will embrace the lime light of Los Angeles, understands the culture of the program, and can recruit the type of athletes that USC and its fans covet.
This is also a great hire for USC because of the staff that Kiffin has been able to bring with him to the university. His father, Monte Kiffin, went with him to act as defensive coordinator where he can teach Trojan players the true pro system they all desire playing within. In addition, Ed Orgeron, the man who was most responsible for Pete Carrol landing most of his major recruits during his tenure, will be head of recruiting for USC again.
With Kiffin, the school is getting a coach who has professional head coaching experience and a staggering charisma that will draw the best athletes in the country to his program. Does that sound familiar? It should, because that's exactly what USC did nine years ago when it had to hire its last coach-the one that took USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles and two BCS National Championships. It looks like the school thinks it has found a formula for finding a successful coach for its program. So just remember one thing before you criticize Lane Kiffin for his decision to leave the school: if you were in his position with your dream job in the balance, what would you do?
This is the decision Lane Kiffin made this past month when he left the University of Tennessee to take the head coaching job at the University of Southern California. The job that he had wanted his entire professional career was offered to him and he did the only sensible thing any of us would do: he took it. This may look bad to some because of how little time he spent at Tennessee, but this will work out better for both schools in the long run and I think he understood that.
When Tennessee hired Kiffin, they were able to find a coach that would embrace the traditions of the school and of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Kiffin was resented by many associated with the school because he had spent more time trying to turn Tennessee into the USC of the south instead of returning it to the SEC glory days it once enjoyed. USC will be getting a coach that will embrace the lime light of Los Angeles, understands the culture of the program, and can recruit the type of athletes that USC and its fans covet.
This is also a great hire for USC because of the staff that Kiffin has been able to bring with him to the university. His father, Monte Kiffin, went with him to act as defensive coordinator where he can teach Trojan players the true pro system they all desire playing within. In addition, Ed Orgeron, the man who was most responsible for Pete Carrol landing most of his major recruits during his tenure, will be head of recruiting for USC again.
With Kiffin, the school is getting a coach who has professional head coaching experience and a staggering charisma that will draw the best athletes in the country to his program. Does that sound familiar? It should, because that's exactly what USC did nine years ago when it had to hire its last coach-the one that took USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles and two BCS National Championships. It looks like the school thinks it has found a formula for finding a successful coach for its program. So just remember one thing before you criticize Lane Kiffin for his decision to leave the school: if you were in his position with your dream job in the balance, what would you do?