I had to shake my head while watching SportsCenter earlier today. They were playing clips of people calling into local sports talk radio in Knoxville just shredding Lane Kiffin. I can empathize with them being upset over losing their head football coach after one season, but Vols fans need to get over it and move on.
What had me going was one fan who called in and said he cried tears of anger when he heard the news that Kiffin was jumping ship to USC. Really? You cried over losing your head coach?
My immediate thought, though, was are you crying that you lost your coach or because you came to the realization that your program is not as awesome as you think it is? Don’t get me wrong Tennessee is great job to have, and a lot of coaches would love to have that job. It is a SEC school that has a rabid fan base which means you have plenty of money to spend. It also means the school is willing to let in some kids who normally would not get in and possibly look the other way at some of the indiscretions that go on off the field.
All that being said, however, the stark reality is that the University of Tennessee football program is not in the same league as USC’s. Sure the Volunteers typically manage to stay in the mix atop the SEC and when things break their way can contend for a national championship, but, honestly, the program is closer to that of a Clemson than a USC, Texas, Florida, or Alabama.
It is a program that thinks it should contend for a national title every year and is disappointed when it does not. Much like Clemson fans think because they were a national powerhouse for a while in the 80s they think they should be a top ten program every year.
The other thing that got me while I was listening was how some of the fans were making idle threats towards Kiffin. One said something along the lines of Kiffin better get out of town as quickly as possible. Is that really necessary? Are you seriously going to find out where Kiffin lives and go beat him down?
Come on Volunteers fans I know you love your football but what had Kiffin really done for you in the year he has been there? Sure he landed some recruiting classes that were allegedly top notch, but, we had yet to see what he was going to do with them. There are those who thought Monte Kiffin was the main reason for making it to a bowl game this season not Lane.
Lane Kiffin won 7 games in one season for you Volunteers fans and he got smoked in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl by Virignia Tech. He did not beat any ranked teams and his only road win was at Kentucky and that one went to overtime. The thing about Kiffin is he is a good salesmen and gets people hyped up for his program but he has yet to deliver the goods as a head coach.
Who knows USC could be doing Tennessee a favor by taking Kiffin off their hands. It is one thing to be a great recruiter it is quite another to win with those recruits. Just ask Tommy Bowden.
If there is anything to cry over, Vols fans, it is the fact that the school is actually entertaining the idea of bringing Phil Fulmer back to coach the team. The guy you successfully ran off for not delivering a conference championship in 10 years or a top ten finish in nine.
You better start praying that Fulmer becomes your next Athletic Director as is rumored to be the case and not your next football coach or else you will be right back where you did not want to be in the first place. Buck up Volunteers fans you be back in the mix before you know and Tennessee football will go on with or without Lane Kiffin to run the show.
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