Hamilton: Kiffin not offered job

Lane Kiffin

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton steadfastly denied on Wednesday afternoon that he had offered UT’s soon-to-be vacant head football coaching job to Lane Kiffin contrary to broadcast reports earlier in the day.

“We have not offered the job to anybody,” Hamilton said. “If anybody has said that, that would be incorrect information.”

Kiffin, 33, was fired by the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 1 after compiling a 5-15 record in 1 1/2 seasons.

While the process appears to have focused on Kiffin, Hamilton declined to discuss any specifics, such as if he has any remaining interviews scheduled or if he has a leader in mind.

“Our process is fluid,” Hamilton said. “I understand there is a lot of interest in what’s going on. It would not surprise me that people would want to talk about these kinds of things. The process is not over.”

WNML reported that Kiffin has been offered the job and is assembling a staff that could include Ed Orgeron of the New Orleans Saints and Kiffin’s father, Monte Kiffin, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Orgeron is a natural fit. He and Lane Kiffin coached together at Southern Cal before becoming coach at Ole Miss, where he furthered his reputation as one of the nation’s top recruiters. Orgeron coaches the Saints’ defensive line.

Monte Kiffin could be a tougher pull. He’s an extremely well respected NFL defensive coordinator that reportedly makes $2 million annually.

While Kiffin is now the focus of UT’s coaching search, a source has told the News Sentinel that Gary Patterson of Texas Christian also had contact with UT recently.

Patterson’s regular season was complete as of last Saturday meaning he is more available for interviews. Patterson’s name has also been circulated with the Clemson vacancy.

Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly seems less a possibility after some comments he made to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“Where you feel it the most is in my want and desire to continue to build this football program,” Kelly said when asked if considering other jobs made him evaluate himself and his career. “(I’m) having those conversations with potential donors, from a facilities standpoint to a stadium standpoint, and (I’m) getting the response, ‘We’re going to get this thing done.’

“If I wasn’t married and I didn’t have kids, I’d look at what the best personal thing is. That’s not the case. When you come home and your son goes, ‘Dad I don’t want to go to Tennessee,’ that affects you. But you know that comes with the territory. If you win, you’re going to get those things.

“I think every day, am I looking at the next challenge? Am I trying to suit my own ego? You weigh all of those things. You look at your family. You look at what you’re good at. Does the place allow you to do the things you’re good at?”

North Carolina’s Butch Davis seems a longer shot than ever considering he’s recruiting UT’s commitments. However, it’s certainly reasonable to think that Davis will get one final call from UT once his regular season is complete this Saturday.

Davis has publicly denied interest in the UT job.

Hamilton said he’s still adhering to his timetable of having a coach in place by mid-December, although he declined to say an announcement could come next week, as many believe.

“There’s a chance it might be done before then,” Hamilton said. “The goal is to have it finished by the middle of December at the least.

“I’m not going to put any more of a timetable on it than what we have already. When you get near the conclusion on these kind of things, you don’t know exactly what the end result might be, how things play out, what gets involved in the process.”

Hamilton said a quick announcement would benefit current players who will soon leave for the holidays and prospects, who can host recruiters in their homes as of Monday, as per NCAA rules.

However, Hamilton said fans shouldn’t expect a decision just to fit into the NCAA recruiting calendar. Hamilton said there is a plan in place to send some of UT’s current staff on the road recruiting if a staff isn’t in place by next week.

“We have plans to do that,” Hamilton said. “We’re still evaluating who’s going to go where and when.”

When pressed again on the issue of the Kiffin offer, Hamilton was emphatic.

“I think the main thing is what I said earlier,” he said. “The process is ongoing. The job has not been offered to anybody. We’re still advancing the process.

“That’s the bottom line at this point.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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