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New UT head coach, Lane Kiffin, talks about his experience and growing up learning the game. Watch »
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New UT head coach, Lane Kiffin, talks about his experience recruiting and what his plan is for UT recruitment. Watch »
The University of Tennessee's search for a new football coach is officially over less than a month after it began.
Former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin will be introduced as the Vols' head football coach during a 2 p.m. press conference today in Neyland Stadium's Wolf-Kaplan Center, UT announced Sunday evening.
"When it was all said and done, we felt like Lane Kiffin was a perfect fit for Tennessee," UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton said in a statement. "He's energetic, charismatic, consumed with recruiting and has had a lifelong love affair with football."
Kiffin replaces Phillip Fulmer, who was fired Nov. 3.
Fulmer guided the Vols to two SEC titles and the 1998 national championship but suffered two losing seasons in the last four years, including a 5-7 mark this year.
Kiffin, who becomes UT's 21st head football coach and the program's third in the last 31 years, was 5-15 at Oakland before being fired in September by Raiders' owner Al Davis.
Prior to joining Oakland for the 2007 season, Kiffin was an assistant at Southern California (2001-06) and spent his final two seasons there as offensive coordinator.
Southern California's 2005 offense, which featured future first-round NFL draft picks and Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, led the nation in total yards.
Kiffin has been credited with bringing an emphasis on national recruiting to USC and guided the Trojans to top-rated recruiting classes as their recruiting coordinator in 2005 and 2006.
In addition to Southern Cal, Kiffin spent time as an assistant coach with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, Colorado State and Fresno State, where he played quarterback 1994-96.
At 33, Kiffin becomes the youngest head coach in the SEC and the second-youngest in Tennessee history behind Bill Battle, who was 28 when named head coach in 1970.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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