The Reign of Lane isn't a month old. But that has been enough time for new Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin to give you a high-definition view of his program.
You can synopsize it in three letters: N-F-L.
Most of his assistant coaches will have pro experience. He will recruit players with pro potential. He will run a pro-style offense. His father, Monte, will run a pro-style defense.
Kiffin was interviewed on "Inside the Huddle" last week on College Sports South. But he might as well have been on the NFL Network.
So what if it were a recruiting show. Kiffin's pitch was so decidedly pro, Mel Kiper should have been on the set.
And Tennessee fans probably loved every NFL minute of it.
Kiffin might put a younger face on it. He might be more blatant about it. But there's nothing revolutionary about going pro from Rocky Top.
Never mind that Knoxville is a can't-miss stop if you're planning a tour of college football's heartland. You can't ignore the NFL connection. After all, Neyland Stadium was once Peyton's playground.
Peyton Manning's path through Knoxville to NFL super stardom is only the most publicized success story. There are plenty of others, all of which are noted in the UT football media guide. In a tradition-rich program, putting players in the NFL is one of UT's traditions. Kiffin's predecessor contributed significantly to that.
UT coach Phillip Fulmer had no pro experience. Yet he understood what the pros meant to recruiting. So did his predecessor, Johnny Majors.
UT didn't become Wide Receiver U. by running the wishbone. It didn't attract Manning with the triple option. Instead, it has relied on an offensive system that has been NFL-friendly to quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs.
Kiffin's system is more than NFL-friendly. It's practically all-pro. For the most part, it will consist of former NFL coaches coaching college players who want to play in the NFL. And what college player doesn't want to play in the NFL?
Kiffin might as well have been talking directly to college/NFL prospects on "Inside the Huddle." He wasn't doing an interview. He was selling.
He wasn't selling the college experience. He was saying, "We'll get you ready for the NFL combine."
Other coaches deliver the same message. They're just more subtle about it. Recruits don't see a father figure in Alabama coach Nick Saban. They see someone who can get them ready for the NFL.
They also see that in Pete Carroll, Kiffin's mentor. Carroll has succeeded at Southern California by signing the nation's best players, putting them in a pro-style system and sending them on to the NFL. He usually has multiple future pros at most positions, and his backup quarterbacks are sometimes better pro prospects than the Heisman Trophy winner.
UT hasn't been signing those kind of players en masse for awhile. But Fulmer's outstanding recruiting in the mid-to-late 1990s was reflected in the drafts that followed.
Ten UT players were taken in the 2002 NFL draft, and three went in the first round. The team that preceded that draft finished 11-2 and No. 4 in The Associated Press poll.
It's another reminder that the pro-style system works just fine in college, as long as you have plenty of future pros playing in it.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 122
MarineDad writes:
Adams just had to get the back-handed compliment into that last sentence ...
bhjohnso#207063 writes:
2nd
ncvol writes:
I think we will have to wait and see the results but it sounds as if Kiffin is off to a good start.
Go Vols!
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
That made me laugh more than any wise crack I've ever read here before.
govols87 writes:
argggg.....
max357_2000 writes:
go get'em KIF.
hotrodvol writes:
It would be nice to see a run 2010-2020, like we had in the 90's. Kiffin will have great asst. coaches, the money will be there.
VolunteerMan writes:
Lane Kiffin will be on Jim Rome's radio show monday (12-3). Sorry to the Knoxville market that no longer is able to get the show.
MrBamSeydu writes:
I'm not mad a black man was not hired as head football coach.
Vawlfanpreandpost writes:
Please. I didn't see anything in this article that was critical of Tennessee. Adams has written another great article. If you hate Adams then don't read his articles. I personally think he says what needs to be said. Much like Kiff did in his interview on Inside the Huddle.
The_Mayor writes:
Is this an idirect way of saying UT is recruiting players with 3-years-and-out intentions?
newtonrail writes:
Pennington is fair and balanced. Have read his stuff since he had a blog here when this was a pay site. There are many times I wish it was still a pay site.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Ditto!
The_Mayor writes:
Agreed. Free is notorious for bringing out the stupid in people. It's kinda like "all-you-can-eat" restaurants. I mean dayum, anybody can gorge themselves til they can't take another bite, but who in hellz bellz wants to bring on that kind of self-inflicted misery?
adamsck#591720 writes:
Someone go get Adams out of the coat closet and get rid of the Adams imposter that wrote this. It was actually pretty good and I don't want the Fire Adams train to slow down as a result of quality work product being attributed to Adams.
MarineDad writes:
Can't help it if you are unable to see the inuendo. Didn't say I hated Adams either. Thanks for your opinion, though - it was great insight into your reading level ...
TommyJack writes:
The racial stuff is not funny.
GR82BAVOL writes:
We know it's not Tommy...that's why nobody's responding to it, and I'd like to commend everyone on here for it.
Kiff sure has shown he can work it hard on recruiting both coaches and players. I just hope he can coach them up just as good.
kdaff51 writes:
Not a thing wrong with it as long as you are able to replace them with other 3 and out players.
dfreeman writes:
I am with you TJ!
Imagine_this writes:
Pro.... Adams!!?? My assque.
Bloodrunzorange writes:
Idiots! Talk about UT Football!
bobbyutvol writes:
if I was a prospect it would entice me...90% of the players are not playing for an education, playing to get to the pros.... this might just work out...Go Vols
HonoluluVol writes:
FOLK LIKE VOLSUPPORTER NEEDS THEIR IP ADDRESS BLOCKED SO THEY CAN'T START A RACIAL RIOT. THIS UT FOOTBALL, ALL UNITED UNDER "ORANGE," I'M BLACK, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MATTER? VOLSUPPORTER PROBABLY ISN'T A UT FAN ANYWAY. FREAKIN TROUBLEMAKER.
khelton657 writes:
You're a dirtball, Supporter...take it elsewhere....
givehim6 writes:
Next ex-NFL coach to get receiver coach.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
misery seeks it's own company!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
what's color got to do with it? Why not a green man, a greek man, a two headed man, why not a wo man!!!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
VOLorado writes:
http://www.css-sports.com/pages/main
scroll down a little.
2 parts
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
tnbigg writes:
Just checkin' in. Whoah. I thought this was GoVolsXTRA...not a skin heads...white is right monthly meeting...as for the column...good stuff...glad to see the revival of Tennessee football well under way...
walkoff writes:
These racial comments are really sad. I am a parent of a daughter at UT and she chose UT over several other schools as a recruited athlete. My biggest concern was the type of ignorance I see that continues to show up on the various UT boards - for some reason race keeps creeping into conversations. I just don't see this type of talk on other college sites. I am glad the students don't behave like some of the folks do on here. Let's clean it up and leave race out of it. No black person that I know would ever call out another and refer to their hair the way this individual did. It is very disgusting!
tnbigg writes:
It is pathetic...I would like to see it stopped...no reasonable explanation for it...and its not funny...just mean spirited and hurtful...
BuckheadVol1 writes:
Let's all get back to talking football! Racial comments have no place on these boards! It should never be race but the quality and character of the person. Take that talk elsewhere please!
txsvol#372416 writes:
Me too, Newton! I'd prefer it be a pay site, so I'd not have to scan through so much stuff! SAVol
txsvol#372416 writes:
Agree 100%! Too bad we can't all respect each other as Tennessee Volunteer fans, but then, again, what do we expect for nothing? All who post on this site are not Vol supporters. SAVol
txvolsfan writes:
Very inciteful post as always!!! LOL
txvolsfan writes:
I agree SAVol, I wish it would go back to being a paid site. That would keep the non-Vols off.
UTBEATEMALL writes:
Before people on this forum starting carpet bombing black men in general, I'd like to point out a few things. Black men do not have the family structure that typically is the backbone of many families in this great country. I don't feel like I need to delve into why that is. Yet still without knowledge of our family history and pride, we move forward and in historically a small time frame, we have billionaires, millionaires, army generals, a president, and an huge cast of other very successful role models. Things don't happen overnight. We're only 30 or so years removed from the civil rights movement. At least give us black men the average person's lifetime with semi-fair rules before we start to seriously analyze the success of black men.
BigDave1964 writes:
Man, you and me both! Hilarious....
THE_VOL writes:
Actually you're a liar who's not even black. Apparently your idea of humor (that means funny for idiots like you) is to put this BS on here and get folks all pissed off. Sadly some fools fall for it.
King53 writes:
ok everyone...it is obvious that VOLSUPPORTER is new this forum and is only trying to goad people into racial arguments. Thank you to all who ignored him and shame on the rest for falling into his trap. KNS, please review his posts for deletion. his comments are so blatantly obvious that he is not black and just trying to stir up trouble. Thank you and GO VOLS!!!
King53 writes:
okay, i went back and read all of VOLSUPPORTER's posts and he is not black. he joined on Dec 9 and almost all of his posts are racially motivated. KNS, review this account. he is doing nothing to add to the discussion of VOL sports. He only wants to drag people down to his level.
volman49 writes:
LOVE IT, I'M OLD SCHOOL, BEAT THE HECK OUT OF BAMA!!!!!
bristolfan writes:
I'm just mad that a russian transvestite midget wasn't hired as coach. Tragedy.
richvol writes:
"So what if it were a recruiting show"...was a recruiting show, Mr.Editor. Unbelieveable.
4EST writes:
Adams:
I must applaude you for not mentioning Gators, Florida, Tebow or Meyer ONE time in this article. So here is my Thanks to you for writing something appropriate to this site. I hope this trend continues. Thanks again.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well, if not, why not? As the article said, the elite players all want to go to the League. Any school that wants to get the elite players has to show them how the program can get them to the League. It's all very well to pine for the days when college teams were filled with guys who wanted to sweat and bleed for Ol' Siwash, but teams like that don't fill 100k+ stadiums these days. Maybe we should just take down the upper deck and the luxury boxes and drop back to Division II.
alwaysorange81 writes:
welcome back sanders hadnt seen your ignorance in a while. Speaking of ignorance WOW. Im all for freedom of speech so this racist on here can talk all he wants. Cowards tend to speak there hate from places where they cant be held accountable for it. See Osama bin laden and the like. So now I got that off my chest. How bout that NFL staff??
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