With NCAA investigators clocking many hours these days, there is going to be some major college football coaches that will need to fear their wrath. It is easy to forget about these coaches because they have not been in the news as much, but the NCAA has not forgotten about them.

Here are some coaches who should be fearful of the NCAA.

Lane Kiffin

Kiffin met with the NCAA early in June and was cited for a failure to monitor after coaches and student hostesses made improper contacts with recruits while he was at the University of Tennessee. The NCAA alleges that his coaching staff made 16 calls to recruits after they were warned not to do this. Also, Kiffin was at Tennessee when members of the school’s Orange Pride were spotted at High School games improperly making contact with recruits. The NCAA has not decided on Kiffin’s punishment yet but many people think it will follow him to USC.

Butch Davis

His problems began last summer when word got out that players on his North Carolina Tar Heels football team used agents’ money to a attend a party in Miami. Three of those players were ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA and fourteen others were suspended. The NCAA alleges that Butch Davis committed 9 infractions that resulted in a failure to monitor his players.  These charges include allegations of academic fraud to an assistant coach leading players to a NFL agent.

Gene Chizik

Chizik came under fire last season with the alleged Cam Newton pay-for-play scandal. He is being looked at by NCAA investigators for any wrong doings in bringing Cam Newton to Auburn. His troubles got worse when a HBO documentary aired and four former players claimed they received improper gifts. Two of those players were on the team when Chizik was an assistant at Auburn from 2002-2004. Chizik recently signed a contract extension at Auburn, and one of the clauses is that Chizik won’t be docked pay during a NCAA investigation.

Chip Kelly

Something to keep your eye on is the NCAA investigation towards Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks.  The NCAA is looking at payments that Oregon made to talent evaluators Willie Lyles and Baron Flenory.

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* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: ESPN

Throughout the day I participate in email conversations with friends about hot sports topics. One of my friends in particular is very active in these conversations. This is that friend.]

———-

Lane Kiffin… all hat, no cattle as my texas brethren would say.

How does Lane Kiffin score one of the premiere jobs in college football presenting a resume with more emptiness than wins?

Not to demean his accomplishments, but a 5-15 record in Oakland and a 7-6 record in Tennessee is hardly excellence especially considering the 7 wins in tennessee came against teams with an average of 5 wins on the season (including 3 teams with 2 wins or less).

Kiffin’s record as the OC at USC is noteworthy, but has anyone failed at USC during the Carroll regime? A greater accomplishment would have Kiffin managing a successful defense in an offense first conference.

Is it because Lane is the son of Monte? Is it because Al Davis’ only redeeming skill is identifying young head coaches — John Madden, Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden?

Moreover, why has Lane left every coaching job dramatically? Has the lawsuit with Al Davis even been settled? Is this a statement of him or is the truth in the middle?

If you’re Lane do you not want to better understand the impending NCAA ruling?  Was Lane contemplating this move longer than believed? After all, the news of his decision came rather quickly following Carroll’s departure.

Did his youthful exuberance to climb the mountain out pace the requisite lessons to achieve and maintain a championship level program?

Every sage would tell the whipper snapper you NEVER want to follow the legend.  Even if you have success it will never be enough. Expectations need to first ground prior to building up again. Successful transitions are extremely rare and typically end in tears.

Call me crazy, but i suggest with great confidence Kiffin’s USC tenure will end along the lines Matt Doherty — or the youthful vigor who hastily shot up the coaching ladder and into the spotlight of another premiere program (UNC basketball).

* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: TruFan.com

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Who is Wendell Willkie? Wouldn’t you like to know.

The pseudonym was inspired by the very Wendell Willkie who is an Indiana University legend and democrat turncoat who ran for president against FDR in 1940; however, the man behind the pseuodonym shall otherwise remain nameless.

Jerod simply posts WW’s ramblings here to help unclog his inbox (hence, the spam cleansing) and because there are occasional nuggets of insight that provide good jumping off points for conversation.

So go, converse. WW will undoubtedly be back soon with more email ramblings…

When I watched that terrible excuse for a coach, Lane Kiffin, stand in an untucked white polo in front of the press in Knoxville last night and say “There wasn’t one day that I didn’t work my hardest for this program,” I wondered, “How?”

How could that be true?

If it was true then you would be too damn proud of your blood, sweat and tears to walk away. These young men’s lives would mean too much for you to walk away like that.

You would be able to see their mothers and fathers faces in June lit with pride, whose hands you shook when they invited you into their home and then dropped their sons off for camp after high school graduation. You’d hear the small talk you made with their little brothers about being a Volunteer one day in your office.

You know that’s a lie, now, right?

I’ll explain. When you told some young man’s mother that her wildest dreams would come true and her son would play on the biggest stage in the Southeastern US, get a free degree, and become a man under your watch, you lied.

I not saying that in signing a contract Kiffin had an obligation. Contracts are broken all the time. I’m not saying that the game of college football requires Paterno-esque loyalty, or the optimistic constancy of Bobby Bowden.

Sure, I was a little miffed when Rich Rod left West Virginia, but I wasn’t that mad last year when Jeff Jadgosinski left my alma mater to go and fail in the NFL. I was a little ticked at Brian Kelly when he left Cincy, but glad he got roasted by Mardy Ginyard on SportsCenter.

What Kiffin did, though, was unacceptable. Absolutely and wholly.

Lane, you gave some of the most loyal fans in the country hope after they had to do the equivalent of pulling the plug on their grandfather, Phillip Fulmer, because he just couldn’t keep fighting. You took this position, one of the most prestigious jobs in the country, with a huge check, in the process knocking Urban Meyer and singing Rocky Top all the way.

Then you give them one 7-6 season, and walk out the door.

You’re like a guy who knocks a girl up, marries her, and then walks out when the kid turns one.

You’re the grandkid who inherits your grandfather’s hard earned estate, waits until the will clears, and then sells the house your grandpa built with his bare hands.

You’re a f—ing excuse for a man. Stick to something. See it through. The grass is not always greener. Doing what you want won’t always make you happy; doing what is right, however, will.

Do I need to sign you up for the free inspirational quotes app on your IPhone? Hasn’t anyone ever told you that commitment and honesty are virtues?

I imagine your dear old Dad tried.

I always loved Monte Kiffin. His faithfulness and career in Tampa Bay made my 2001 season as a Bucs fan one of the greatest sports moments of my life. His relationships with Tony Dungy, and then Gruden, and with players like Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber, were models for professionalism, at least in front of the camera.

Lane, however, used his time in front of the camera for a sloppily dressed sound clip to say thanks for the memories but, sayonara! Hey, I tried! That Lane Kiffin press conference will be a splinter in college football’s side for a long time, reminding us that it is a business and that capitalism plays by the golden rule – beat the other guy by any means necessary and make more money.

It’s no surprise, though, because those are the same rules that closed the door on Boise State. Kids play the best season that they can, win each and every game, and do it the right way through commitment to a program. Then, the big boys will shut the door in their faces because they’re not sure the Boises of the world can bring in enough money.

The money and its poster boy, Lane Kiffin, have tainted our game. It has created a mentality of “what’s in it for me” and has left fans of the college game wondering how the stink from behind closed doors got “baseball bad”.

College football used to be a place where boys were given a fair chance to become educated because they could play the game, where coaches took the spotlight off of themselves and managed to immortalize their players, games, and moments as some of the most pure and joyful in a sports’ fans memory.

The heat of money and the spotlight are drying it out, though. College sports don’t have that refreshing, honest taste to wash down the rest of the world with. We’ll try desperately to water it, to revive it with Cinderella stories – you know, overcoming improbable odds at the buzzer, Rudy doing it for his Mom, coaches bringing a town together – but it won’t taste the same because the smell of dishonesty will linger with images of men like Lane Kiffin, wandering away from questions, ripping the hearts out of fans and players with no regard for anyone but himself.

History will write the true story. Lane’s choice will live in infamy and his story will never be better, just bigger.

Unnecessary Note re: Boston College – I was furious initially, but the thought of

being such a liar and a deadbeat made me love the idea that he was gone. Plus, Frank Spaziani is the f—ing man, and every good man gets his due. In my mind, Spaz can have the job for the rest of my life. Leave the mustache and the towel on the sideline until they show his highlights next to Flutie’s as the only notables in BC history.

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* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: AP Photo/Wade Payne via Rocky Top Talk

Lane Kiffin showed himself to be no more than a “Trojan Coach.” For those of you who don’t understand the ancient Greek metaphor, simply, Kiffin is a joke.

In a shocking and sudden move yesterday, Lane Kiffin announced he would be leaving the University of Tennessee and take the head coaching job at USC. The move capped off a string of negative events for UT athletics and left students confused and furious.

Bottom line, Kiffin is a snake and the University of Tennessee got bit.

In his 14 months as the Volunteers head coach, Kiffin quickly started to build a foundation for the program to return to national prominence. And in one night, Kiffin managed to dismantle everything he built and set the program back years. The elite coaching staff that excited UT fans will now be the new staff of the USC Trojans. The top 10 recruit class that Kiffin had assembled for the 2010 season is now falling apart, as multiple recruits have already decommitted from UT.

As a Tennessee student, I personally witnessed the fallout from Kiffin’s departure. Within an hour of the announcement, students crowded around the athletic facilities enraged and ready to riot. Students set fire to mattresses, tables, chairs and many of the Lane Kiffin “It’s Time” t-shirts. Students also rushed towards Neyland Stadium to continue their rioting.

Facebook and Twitter have been hit with a flood of anti-Kiffin postings and groups. I personally have been invited to 5 anti-Kiffin Facebook groups. (I have joined all of them.) Sadly this seems to be the most unified the UT students have ever been for one cause. The amount of hatred Tennessee students have expressed towards their former coach is overwhelming. Kiffin obviously didn’t realize how much of a personal blow his departure would be to the entire city of Knoxville.

The students were not the only ones left feeling betrayed by Kiffin. Many UT players were confused and irrate with the news that their coach would be leaving them after one season. Quarterback Tyler Bray was recruited by Kiffin and had already enrolled for classes this semester. Local news reports stated that Bray’s parents were in Kiffin’s office giving him a piece of their minds after his announcement.

The meeting Kiffin held with the players was reported as being very business like and not very personal. Many players were said to be hostile and left looking for more explanation from their coach. Assistant coach Ed Orgeron, who will follow Kiffin to USC, was reported to be calling recruits during the meeting and telling them not to come to Tennessee.

The Tennessee students and fans have every reason be angry and react in the manner they did. The fans, students, and players were betrayed by Kiffin, who made false promises and showed zero loyatly to the university. The move itself to USC is somewhat understandable because Kiffin is a SoCal guy and it is his dream job. But what makes this move so terribly wrong is the timing of it. Only a mere 24 hours after Pete Carrol left USC, Kiffin forgot all about Tennessee and stabbed the program in the back.

I regret to admit that I was a vocal member of the Lane Kiffin bandwagon since he signed 14 months ago. I thought his attitude and edge would be what brought Tennessee back to the top. Unfortunately, it was those elements of his character which caused the downfall of Tennessee. In his wake, Kiffin left the Vols with 6 NCAA violations and an official NCAA recruiting investigation.

Sadly for Tennessee, Kiffin has proved himself to be the John Calipari of college football. Kiffin showed that he only cares about himself and has no respect for the University of Tennessee or the traditions of the SEC. It is fitting that Kiffin has made the move to USC, a school notorious for bending the NCAA rulebook.

The Tennessee football program has been knocked off of its feet and is left scrambling to find a new coach. Unless Tennessee can sign a big name like Jon Gruden, they will likely be stuck with an inexperienced assistant coach taking over. The recruiting class is completely shot at this point and the Vols will likely suffer a major talent drop-off. Tennessee fans will have to sadly accept that their program is bleeding out and is in major trouble.

I hope that Kiffin enjoys himself in the California sun because he has left the entire state of Tennessee out in the cold.

College Football:

• Volunteer Football Program Will Overcome Kiffin Departure — (MoonDog)
• Layla Kiffin headed to USC — (Rumors and Rants)
• Video of Tennessee fans reacting/rioting after Lane Kiffin’s announcement — (Sports Rubbish)
• A loooong list of USC’s alleged transgressions — (Major League Jerk)
• 14 months of hope, 61 seconds of pain — (Sparty and Friends)
• Fun with Wikipedia and Lane Kiffin — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
• Here is an animated .gif of Urban Meyer laughing at something on his phone last night (wonder what it could have been???) — SECTalk.com

College Basketball:

• Evan Turner shows Robbie Hummel who the best player in the Big Ten is — (Columbus Dispatch)

NFL:

• Got Oher? — (The Global Sports Fraternity)

NBA:

• The Knicks newest excuse for losing: haunted hotels! — (That NBA Lottery Pick)

MLB:

• Random Retro Baseball Player: Von Hayes — (Sharapova’s Thigh)
• I thought the Cubs’ biggest strength was their starting rotation? [Ben Sheets Edition] — (Not Qualified to Comment)

Misc:

• Mike Tyson betrays Jericho on WWE Monday Night Raw — (Outside the Box Score)
• Top 10 Performance Enhancing Drugs According to Bob Knight — (Major League Jerk)

But she did deliver one nice parting gift before she left: a record number of concurrent users on Midwest Sports Fans…500+ in fact, which had never happened here before.

As you can see from the graphic below, which lists out the top search engine phrases that have driven traffic to the site since 11:00 pm last night and exactly how many page views each term has driven, Layla has been a popular topic with the googlers today.

[Note: the screen grab was taken around 1:30 in the afternoon. I'm sure the numbers are a lot higher now.]

I mean, did USC get a new football coach or a new Internet obsession?

Well, judging by today’s incredible search volume and the Kiffins’ 14 months in Knoxville, I’d say it just might be more the latter than the former.

Kiffin works in a profession littered with insincere men who hop from one school to another, but ‘ol Lane stoooped a new low yesterday.

In 61 pathetic seconds, Kiffin verbally defecates on the school and fan base that hailed his arrival with such fanfare 14 months ago. And if you haven’t seen the video of Kiffin’s press conference, it really is priceless.

Here you go:

Video: Lane Kiffin Press Conference Announcing He Is Leaving Tennessee for USC (MSF’s Animated Interpretation)

Okay, so you might have guessed that the above video is not actually Lane Kiffin. (And yes, I did take a slight creative license at the very end of the video as Kiffin neither danced nor passed gas after he was done speaking at the press conference, at least not that I saw.)

There is, however, a striking figurative resemblance between the Kiffin we saw at last night’s press conference and the actor playing him in the video above. The fact that the clown sounds so much more sincere though should give away the difference.

Just in case you haven’t seen the actual video of Kiffin’s press conference and would like to compare, here it is:

Video: Lane Kiffin Press Conference Announcing He Is Leaving Tennessee for USC (Actual Footage)

(Note: The above video is from ESPN.com and they sometimes pull their videos down after initially making them available for embed. Please alert me, jerod@midwestsportsfans.com, if you come here and there is no video.)

Notice the similarities?

I didn’t create the animated video and call out Kiffin simply because he left Knoxville. USC is his dream job and college football coach movement is what it is, so ultimately I don’t think too many people would hold a long-lasting grudge against him for the move.

What I will always personally hold against Kiffin, and I’m sure many other Volunteer fans will as well, is him not even having the decency to sincerely thank Tennessee and its fans for giving him a lot of money and a lot of faith when his 5-15 career record as a head coach (in Oakland) should have inspired very little of either without some results first.

Look at this quote:

I really believe that this was probably the only place that I would have left here to go, uh, was to go to Southern Cal.

Way to throw the word “probably” in there Lane. So what it is? Do you really believe that USC was the only place you’d go, or do you probably, maybe, kinda sorta think that it was? You can’t really believe something and then consider it probable. Kind of goes against the definition of both words.

And how about this quote:

There’s so many people to thank so I’m just going to leave it real generic and say, um, I’m very thankful to all our Tennessee people and the way they welcomed myself and my family

Gosh, Lane. Be careful just how much appreciation you show to people who helped you out. Wouldn’t want to overdo it or anything.

I mean really? Why say anything at all if you’re just going to say that? Essentially what he’s saying is that he knows there are lots and lots of people who he owes a debt of gratitude to – so many, in fact – yet it is either not important enough to him or beneath him to actually take some time out of his busy schedule of lying-and-leaving to thank them.

Please Lane, stop with the sincerity. Honestly, it’s too much.

Anyway, what’s done is done and Lane Kiffin leaves one school in a cloud of NCAA trouble for another school in a cloud of NCAA trouble. At least he’ll feel at home. In the long run – though certainly not in the short-term – Tennessee will probably be better off finding a guy who doesn’t view Knoxville as a stepping stone to his dream job.

At one time, Tennessee was a destination job. It will be again, perhaps even for the next guy (Will Muschamp? Gary Patterson? Mike Leach?) to take the reins at Neyland Stadium.

But Tennessee fans don’t owe one iota of goodwill towards Lane Kiffin. He’s the one who got what he wanted and is apparently content to leave town without showing much gratitude to the school and fans that welcomed he and his family and his questionable methods with open arms.

Congrats on getting your dream job Lane. There was a way to take it and move on without shoving it in Tennessee’s face how little you care about their program and people. You just didn’t do it that way.

So don’t let the door hit you too hard on the backside as you scurry off to SoCal.

In the hours after the Kiffin story hit the Twittersphere, speculation ran rampant as to why Kiffin would leave Knoxville after only one year for L.A. (Okay, not really – it’s his dream job, he’ll get a lot of $$$, and he’ll be living in Southern California – but work with me here, it sets up the rest of the post if we assume that there is swirling speculation about Kiffin’s departure.)

In my endless quest to bring MSF readers the most hard-hitting and insightful sports information, I have put together the Top 10 reasons why Lane Kiffin left Tennessee for USC.

Top 10 Reasons Lane Kiffin Left Tennessee for USC

10 – If you’re going to help lead a school towards probation, it’s always easier to clear your conscience at the beach as opposed to in some smokey ‘ol rocky topped mountains.

9 – Tennessee has undergrad hostesses that help recruit players to campus, which is nice and all; but, USC has grad students who reportedly help recruit coaches away from campus. (And before you say, but Lane has Layla!, just remember, Tiger had Elin too.)

8 – In Knoxville, Lane’s buddy Al Davis was so, so far away! (More on Angry Al a bit later…)

7 – In Knoxville, Smokey is what passes for a celebrity dog. At USC, Snoop is the resident celebrity dogg. One of these two makes the school a much “cooler” choice for recruits; sorry, but it ain’t the Bluetick Coonhound.

6 – When former QBs come back to Knoxville, you get serious, relatively boring guys like Heath Shuler and Peyton Manning probably talking politics or route trees. When former QBs go back to USC, Matt Leinart brings the bong and Mark Sanchez brings the ladies. Party on Lane!

5 – At both schools, they want you to live up to the school nickname during your spare time. In Knoxville, that means actually, you know, volunteering. At USC, it means, well, whatever recreational activities involve Trojans. Hmm…might need to consult with Charlie Weis on this one.

4 – Lane’s father Monte has obviously made it his late career goal to climb the mountain of boss integrity and then do a barrel roll down the other side. You may remember that Monte worked for Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay – the top of the integrity mountain, is there any question? – then slipped down a bit with “scum bag” Jon Gruden, and then completed his freefall by joining his son at Tennessee and then following him now to USC. With support like that, from a man who clearly knows integrity when he sees it), why wouldn’t Lane follow his every whim?

3 – Anyone can win an SEC title (just ask Les Miles!), but it takes a true genius to make Al Davis look sane, competent, and…right. Lane Kiffin has done something no one else has been able to achieve for a decade.

2 – Though no one in Knoxville was complaining, poor Layla Kiffin could not have been happy to have her wardrobe choices limited to only clementine, tangerine, persimmon, and ‘ol Tennessee orange! In L.A., she can wear whatever she wants and actually find people who somewhat look like her!

And now, drum roll please, the #1 reason why Lane Kiffin left Tennessee…

1 – The Curse of the Bruce Pearl

Ah yes, I saved the more compelling reason for last (and it has a nice ring to it when you say it like the Pirates of the Caribbean movie title).

Do you realize that before Bruce Pearl was named Tennessee’s head basketball coach in 2005, Phil Fulmer had won at least ten games in seven of his ten previous seasons? Fulmer, in fact, was coming off a four-year stretch from 2001-2004 during which he won 39 games and won or tied for the SEC East crown three time.

In the four years Fulmer coached simultaneously with Pearl, the portly Knoxville legend went 29-21 and had two five-win seasons. Lane Kffin proceeded to go 7-6 this season with a loss in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. It was a season during which Kiffin had to report six secondary recruiting violations to the NCAA and deal with a group of his top young players being charged with armed robbery.

Oh, and then there’s that tiny little detail of Bruce Pearl acting pretty creepily around younger women, and you know that Layla didn’t want any part of that.

But seriously folks, the once proud Vols football program is 36-27 since Pearl’s arrival. With the constant threat of Bruce jumping on your wife’s lap should he ever come across her riding in a go-cart, or blinding you with his sideline attire, would you have continued to put up with it if you were Lane Kiffin?

Happy trails Lane. Your laid back indifference and insincerity will surely be a huge hit in SoCal. Time will tell (as it would have in Knoxville) if your teams ever will be a hit too.

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* – Bruce Pearl photo credit: Baltimore Sun

* – Al Davis photo credit: Dallas Observer

* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: Battle Hymn Notes

Why?

Because Lane Kiffin, the young and energetic coach with the hot wife who was supposed to lead the Volunteers out of the doldrums and back to national prominence, is now reportedly heading to SoCal to replace Pete Carroll at USC.

Update: And here are the Top 10 reasons why Kiffin is leaving Tennessee for USC.

From ESPN.com’s report on Lane Kiffin leaving Tennessee for USC:

Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin has agreed in principle to become the next head coach at Southern California, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com’s Chris Low on Tuesday.

…

According to the sources, Kiffin will bring his father and defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, and assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron to Southern Cal with him, and wide receivers coach Kippy Brown will be named interim head coach at Tennessee.

You will remember that Kiffin coached at USC under Pete Carroll before leaving to take the head coaching position with the Oakland Raiders. He then left Oakland embroiled in claims by Al Davis that he was a two-faced liar.

Tennessee fans might now be starting to side with Davis.

Update: Jason Whitlock just tweeted something that I think makes a lot of sense. Why not former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach in Knoxville?

Mike Leach would be a good fit at Tenn. Great athletes in that offense.

Well Vol fans, it was fun while it lasted. At least we’ll always Layla and her orange dress.

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* – Layla Kiffin photo credit: 3rd Saturday in Blogtober

College Football:

• Hilarious (because it’s a train wreck) rap about Julio Jones by Alabama fan — (Outside the Box Score)
• We know this much: Lane Kiffin won’t be Florida’s next coach — (MoonDog)

NFL:

• Can you find 10 Chicago Bears that you really want to keep? — (Zoner Sports)
• Vernon Davis ass-out hugs female fan after TD — (Detroit 4 Lyfe)
• Very funny: Tom Benson’s “celebration” during Garrett Hartley’s missed 4th Q kick — (Black Sports Online)

NBA:

• Lakers fans give the “foam finger” to Cavs — (That NBA Lottery Pick)
• Very cool: check out what happens when Derrick Rose’s new shoes are placed back-to-back — (Dock Squad Sports)

Non-Sports:

• 10 memorable quotes from Shit My Dad Says — (Uncoached)
• Flatulent pig causes gas leak concerns — (MoonDog)

The Volunteers are now being investigated for the use of recruiting “hostesses” a common practice amongst major programs.

The hostesses under question are members of Orange Pride, a student ambassador program of the university. The hostesses are accused of recruiting prospects off of UT campus, which is a violation if the hostesses are considered official representatives of the university.

The hostesses are said to have contacted multiple recruits on websites like Facebook and Myspace. Also one recruit claimed that a few of these hostesses drove 200 miles to his high school in South Carolina, to watch three UT recruits play. The recruit said the girls were holding up signs, one saying “Come to Tennessee.”

This investigation has the potential to be a serious problem for Tennessee. It will all depend on how much evidence the NCAA can find and if the hostesses actually broke any rules. But the use of recruiting hostesses is a long used practice, at the University of Tennessee and many other major programs.

As a UT student, I know first-hand that our university is filled with pretty girls. It doesn’t surprise me that seeing and meeting the sweet southern belles on the campus influences some recruits. It certainly influenced my decision to come to school there.

The key to this investigation will be whether these girls acted on their own impulses or under directions from the university. If the hostesses decided to take a trip to South Carolina on their own, the university has no control over that. These hostesses are supposed to be aware of certain NCAA recruiting rules, but a college girl would never think adding a person on Facebook is a violation.

The NCAA is making it seem like the Tennessee is pimping these girls out to recruits, which seems highly unlikely. It’s hard for me to picture Lane Kiffin with a fuzzy hat and a cane, telling these girls to go get him a running back.

This season Kiffin and the Vols have stayed in the headlines, usually not for winning football games. It will be interesting to see where the program goes from here. After having three freshman dismissed for criminal activity, Brandon Warren being dismissed for multiple offenses, and Kiffin talking about every coach in the conference, the program seems like a soap opera.

But the beginning to the Kiffin era isn’t all negative. Tennessee is back in a bowl game this year, facing Virginia Tech in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Kiffin’s recruiting standards and the type of players he is bringing in, are beginning to draw comparisons to the University of Miami.

Some Volunteers fans are afraid of Tennessee turning into “Thug U” because of the actions of the freshman. But besides the actions of a few, Kiffin has brought in a new swagger similar to the Miami teams of the early 2000’s. Kiffin does have the program heading on the right track, but he has to be very careful that this recruiting incident doesn’t derail the program.

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* – Bryce Brown and Lacey Pearl Earpes (a member of Orange Pride) photo credit: Deadspin

Three University of Tennessee football players, including much-heralded freshmen Nu’Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson, were arrested this morning and charged with armed robbery. (Thanks for SEC Rivals for the tip.)

I don’t have confirmation on this yet, but charges of extreme idiocy and operating a human body without a brain could also be forthcoming.

The story is still developing, but here are some of the details of the robbery itself, courtesy of VolunteerTV.com:

Reports from the scene indicate two black men approached the victim in the parking lot and used a small semi-automatic handgun to hold him up. They then fled south on Volunteer Boulevard in a powder blue-colored sedan. At least one of the suspects was described as wearing a black University of Tennessee T-shirt.

According to this message board thread at VolNation.com, each player made off with about $50.

Initially, VolunteerTV.com refused to list the names of the suspects. However, very early this morning a member of the Vols’ SID department did confirm that Richardson, Jackson, and fellow freshman Mike Edwards had been arrested for armed robbery.

Armed freaking robbery.

These three are lucky that being stupid isn’t a felony or they would have been charged with that too.

I don’t want to get too much into this because the guys are “innocent until proven guilty” and I have no idea about their family/life situation, but — at least the way it is being reported — this just seems so senseless and idiotic I can barely find words to describe it. I don’t now much about Edwards, but Richardson and Jackson are both players with tons of talent who were looked at as future stars and potential NFL prospects.

Now, if these charges end up sticking, they will most likely be booted from UT and forced to work their way back through junior college or Division 1-AA channels.

Armed robbery? I mean, underage drinking I could see…everyone does that in college. Maybe even swiping a video game system from someone’s dorm room; I’m not advocating it by any means, but we’ve all heard stories of it happening and is something that dumb college kids sometimes do.

But armed robbery? That’s pretty serious and hints at deeper problems than just simple immaturity.

All three of these guys have some serious ‘splainin’ to do. And we’ll get see what kind of a tone Lane Kiffin is going to set for his program with how he responds.

Update: The players involved in this story are actually dumber than I thought.

Via The Tennessee Journalist’s report on the players being arrested for armed robbery:

Jackson served a one-game suspension for disciplinary reasons in Tennessee 56-28 win over Memphis on Saturday.

Richardson missed Sunday practice leading up to the win over Memphis as he dealt with what was reported to be “personal issues”.

Head coach Lane Kiffin later said Richardson had “no situation”.

Pilot is owned by Jim Haslam, a former UT football player and major financial contributor to both the school and UT athletics.

Way to go fellas. Commit a crime, in the wake of having other issues, at a place of business owned by an alum of your school and team, someone who now doubt has some serious back-channel clout.

I’m speechless. But not because I’m terribly surprised by this, just because this was such a dumb thing to do it’s not worth wasting any more time or words over.

I will just leave you with a more in-depth police report (courtesy of The Big Lead) that provides even more detail into the activities of last night (teaser: marijuana paraphernalia!).

Lane, just remember, no matter how big things get…you can always go home.

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* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: Bootlegger Sports

The Volunteers have put two different teams on the field this year: one has been reminiscent of last season’s mediocre squad, with a sputtering offensive attack; the other has been a motivated SEC contender that can play with any team in the nation.

A week ago, the Vols had a chance to knock off one of the top teams in the country in Alabama. Tennessee dropped the game 12-10 after a last second blocked field goal by Alabama’s gargantuan defensive tackle Terrence Cody. Finishing games in the fourth quarter has been an Achilles heel for Kiffin’s squad.

This past Saturday, a different Vols team stepped onto the field in Knoxville. Tennessee played in black jerseys for the first time and manhandled South Carolina. From start to finish, Tennessee completely controlled the Gamecocks, beating them easily 30-13. Monte Kiffin’s defense left “head ball coach” Steve Spurrier shaking his head.

So far this season for the Volunteer offense, it has been a tale of two quarterbacks, yet both of them are Jonathan Crompton. The senior quarterback has been up and down all season and Tennessee’s record reflects that.

Crompton has performed extremely well in all four of UT’s victories because the majority of his throws came on rollout plays. When the Vols are able to move the pocket outside and cut the field in half for Crompton, he has been able to make better decisions. When Crompton has been forced to drop straight back and pass, he has had trouble being accurate.

With four games left in their season, the Vols look like they will return to a bowl game this year. Three of the last four games look to be sure wins for UT, playing against Memphis, Vanderbilt and away at Kentucky. The tough game will be in two weeks when the Volunteers play at Ole Miss. The Tennessee defense will have to apply pressure on Rebel quarterback Jevan Snead.

And as always, Crompton’s play will be the deciding factor for the Vols.

Prediction: Tennessee will face Memphis for UT’s homecoming game this weekend. The Vols take this one easy, 38-10

Sidenote: For those who are fans of Lane Kiffin’s wife Layla. Shirts were being sold on the UT campus with the words “Our coach’s wife is hotter than yours!” printed on the front, before the South Carolina game.

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* – Tennessee players photo credit: 3rd Saturday in Blogtober

]]> http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/11/tennessees-4-4-record-reflects-the-two-different-teams-kiffin-has-put-on-the-field-this-season/feed/ 0 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/10/lane-kiffin-and-the-vols-head-into-a-bye-week-after-blowout-victory-over-georgia/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/10/lane-kiffin-and-the-vols-head-into-a-bye-week-after-blowout-victory-over-georgia/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:00:35 +0000 J-Dools http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=5621 Last week, Georgia was supposed to walk into Knoxville, smack Tennessee right in the mouth, and walk out with a victory.

Apparently Lane Kiffin and the Vols didn’t get the memo.

The game looked like it would be a close finish, when Georgia trailed by five in the third quarter. But 21 unanswered points later, the Vols were celebrating a 45-19 victory.

This matchup was a complete role reversal. Georgia was supposed to be a legitamite SEC power and Tennessee was supposed to be a rebuilding team.The Vols completely shut down Georgia’s offense and the Bulldogs defense made Jonathan Crompton look like Peyton Manning. The Eric Berry-led Tennessee defense held Georgia to zero offensive touchdowns and never let the Bulldogs reach the red-zone.

But was this blowout just a fluke? Simply put, no. As much as fans were ready to give up on the Vols, this team still has life. There is no doubt the Volunteers have a championship level defense and the best defensive player in the country. Many fans and experts say that Tennessee can’t win with Crompton at quarterback. (I have even said this.) Though Crompton is likely one of the worst quarterbacks in the conference, he showed against Georgia that he is capable of stepping up in a big game.

In Tennessee’s three losses they were beaten by a combined total of only 18. The Vols had a chance in each of those games and are only a few plays from having a winning record. This Tennessee squad still needs work before they will be a contender for an SEC title. But right now they are capable of being competitive with anyone in the SEC.

Many Vols fans were ready to give up on the team and their new coach. But the win against Georgia has revived the fans in Knoxville and taken some pressure off of Kiffin. And for at least one week, Jonathan Crompton won’t have to worry about death threats from his own fans.

Tennessee gets a bye this Saturday and the timing couldn’t be better. The Vols have an extra week to prepare for #2 Alabama. This will give Kiffin the time to develop a gameplan and to make sure his players are ready for this big away game.

UT Running back Montario Hardesty suffered a knee injury last week against Ohio. Hardesty has been limited in practice but expects to play Saturday. This season has been a coming-out party for Hardesty and the Vols will need him to carry the football.

Nearly the entire Tennessee defense is dealing with minor injuries. Monte Kiffin will have to prepare this unit to face a high-octane Tigers offense. Auburn has scored over 35 points in each of their games so far.

However, everything isn’t as doom and gloom as it sounds for Tennessee.

This Auburn team remains largely untested and hasn’t proven if they are for real yet. So far Auburn has only played one SEC opponent, when they blew out a mediocre Mississippi State team.

Auburn runs a spread offense that has racked up high yardage and a ridiculous amount of points so far. The advantage Tennessee has in this game comes from playing Florida already. Monte Kiffin’s defense held the Gators to 23 points and as far as spread offenses go, Florida’s is the best.

The Vols will have the toughest defense Auburn has faced yet and the numbers should reflect that.

The one offensive guarantee Tennessee has in this game will be their running attack. The Vols have been able to run the football effectively against everyone they have faced.

Even if Hardesty’s injury holds him back, freshmen backs Bryce Brown and David Oku should be able to pick up the slack. Tennessee should be able to rush for 150+ yards as a team.

The biggest question mark for the Vols in this game, as it is in every game, will be the play of Jonathon Crompton.

The Vols’ aerial attack has been up and down all season. If Crompton can manage the game and be accurate on important passing downs, Tennessee will be able to walk away with a win. But with the inconsistency Crompton has played with, it will be either hit or miss.

Just like any SEC matchup, this game could go either way. Auburn comes into this game undefeated but may be exposed as a pretender. The Vols gained some of their confidence back after keeping it close against Florida.

This game is a matchup between an over-achieving team and an under-achieving team. Whichever team plays to their full potential should come out on top.

My Tennessee-Auburn prediction: Tennessee – 27 | Auburn -21

Here are the particulars for tomorrow’s matchup:

Auburn Tigers (4-0) at Tennessee Volunteers (2-2)

• Auburn-Tennessee Kickoff Time: 7:45 PM ET
• Auburn-Tennessee TV: ESPN
• Auburn-Tennessee Location: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Auburn-Tennessee Point Spread: Tennessee -1.5

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* – Jonathan Crompton photo credit: Rumors and Rants