When USC hired Lane kiffin you could hear the howling from L.A. To NYC. Kiffin left SC while being excoriated for not delivering the title in 2005 and then the loss to UCLA in 2006. Whatever you want to say about his time in Oakland and Knoxville he did make his teams better.
But Kiffin was not mine or many other peoples first choice to take the head coaching job at one of the most prestigious programs in CFB. We all knew of his antics at UT. And many of us scratched our heads at those things but since he has been back at USC we have seen none of that.
Simply stated Kiffin has been a model citizen. The only peep we heard out of him was on national signing day in regards to recruits that chose UCLA. Other than that, all has been quiet.
In the face of one the stiffest penalties handed out by the NCAA Lane Kiffin once again has shown his maturity...that he gets what USC is all about. He has stated it before, that USC didn't need that type of attention that he was trying to get at UT, but we all know actions speak louder than words.
Kiffin provided some great quotes this afternoon in light of today's events...
Kiffin: "We are in the process of appealing. We cannot say much..."
Kiffin on being here with Bush: "My name is not in the report. I knew nothing about any of these accusations."
Kiffin did not say if Todd McNair is still on staff. "I can't talk about that."
Kiffin: "I told the team that this is dealing with adversity...don't worry about what you can't control."
"We've been in contact w/ a number of signees & their families" They feel good about the class.
"USC is a powerful place...I don't think it will have an impact on recruiting.
Is it me or Lane Kiffin showing he is the right man for this job? He can start to define his legacy today with this type of calm assuredness.
This is exactly the leadership that SC needs right now!
It doesn't matter if you don't think he is the best man for the job...the fact is he is our coach RIGHT NOW. The program needs the focus and discipline that Kiffin is displaying under the specter of these sanctions.
Now, I am not foolish enough to say that this one instance will define his career forever, but it is a positive step in starting to calm the waters of this mess. Kiffin still has a lot to prove. He still has to win on the field. He still needs to win on signing day. But this is a great first step to laying the foundation of the future.