Tennessee’s woman fans took a crash course in UT football Friday, and early returns were that they passed with flying colors.
Head coach Lane Kiffin and his first-year staff hosted the inaugural Lane Kiffin Football Clinic for Women on the UT campus. A total of 214 “students” signed up and were in attendance Friday morning.
“I hate to admit this but I thought it was going to be pretty lame,” Knoxville’s Lynn Taylor said with a laugh afterwards. “I was wrong; it was great. They had us totally fired up for this season. I can’t wait to go to the games because I will see them in a completely different light.
“I got to see things I would never get to see and meet people I would never get to meet. I just really enjoyed it.”
Attendees began with tours of the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center, followed by welcoming comments from Kiffin and athletics director Mike Hamilton. Layla Kiffin, wife of the Vols head coach, then answered questions before turning things over to UT’s all-star coaching staff.
From there, it was just like Game Day in Knoxville.
“They showed us how the players put on all their equipment, we toured the Neyland Stadium locker room, they gave us the pregame speeches - it was impressive,” Taylor said. “My husband and my brothers-in-law were completely jealous, and that was last night. Wait until they hear what all we did and what we heard. They will not believe it.”
Kiffin says he gets a thrill out of seeing Tennessee fans fired up about their Vols.
“It was an exciting day for my staff and me,” Kiffin said. “To be around the passion that was there among the women of Tennessee, and from other states as well. We had people from all over, some from as far away as Florida to get here.
“It was great for it to be our first event, to be able to reach out and educate our fans about what we’re doing. Not only did we talk football, we also talked about recruiting and we did Game Day. I hope they enjoyed it.”
Megan Kain, UT associate director for athletics development, thanked the women who attended the event.
“Fans like these are what it is all about, and we look forward to seeing them at Neyland Stadium this season.”
Kiffin hopes that “students” like Taylor pass the word about the excitement surrounding Tennessee football, with the 2009 opener against Western Kentucky just more than two months away.
Says Taylor, “I definitely would come back next year.”
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
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Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 78
CT_VOL writes:
Was hoping for some pictures of some hotties dressed in pads!
Frank
DennisVols writes:
Win em over coach
vol4gzus writes:
Actually I believe it might be won over...what do you think on second thoughts?
Coach is learning on the run more and more everyday about UT VOL passion.....
CoachNeyland writes:
perfect example of how sleepy baseball season is... c'mon September!!!!!!!!
dvols writes:
dang, should have sent my x-wives...
im just sayin
Voluvr writes:
I wonder if they fell for Orgeron's "Everybody take off your shirts" pep rally?
the10sevol writes:
reports are that several of the...umm...larger female attendees saw coach orgeron, and ripped their shirts off.
coach o suddenly remembered that visit with jesse scroggins he was late for, and bolted for the airport.
thanks to the new sec rule, i guess we don't get to see that video, either, seems a shame...
GBO
Rick4UT writes:
Some may be or will be moms of future football stars...Win them over...it may help recruiting. :) GO VOLS!!!!!!
blitzshoot writes:
I wanted to be a trainer...just saying. Help work out some cramps.
vol88 writes:
LMAO
imw8n4u writes:
Good one!
Go4Two writes:
Got to wonder what coach Neyland would think.
DennisVols writes:
I believe these are very important steps in the process of regenerating fan support which we saw drop of last year.
This team will be quite different and I believe quite better than what we saw last year. Trying to install a "spread" system with players who had been recruited from "pro" style systems just was a bad idea. We all thought it would be better than it was but starting with the UCLA loss things began to fall apart. It was like trying to force veggies down a kids throat. A lot of hard work to get minimal results.
The biggest challenge facing this staff is to straighten the mind set and restore confindence in the players concerning the system they will be using. Many have seen too many OC's in a 4 year period and too many different systems.
I like the "run it down your throat" football. It ain;t pretty but when you throw a pass 3 things can happen and only one is good. Throw it enough to keep the defense honest and thinking and control the clock with the run.
It is going to take at least one more top recruiting class before we should expect a championship but who knows. Most of these players came from good recruiting classes. I am worried about the depth issue at certain spots so hope for good health throughout the season.
It will be interesting and I'll be surprised if anyone scores more than 21 points against CMK's defense.
GirlslikeVOLS2 writes:
OMG!! You guys are just jealous! I was there today. It was an awesome opportunity to meet the new coach and his staff. Us Girls learned a lot about football today and the UT Vol Program. The coaches, trainers, staffers, everyone we met today were a great bunch of people. Very professional and passionate. They really care about what they do and it showed today. I will go again next year. Maybe you guys will get lucky, and they'll have a clinic for you. I for one can hardly wait for the season to start!!
appalachianvol writes:
I would have gone if I had known that his wife was there.
the10sevol writes:
preach the true gospel, brother dennis!
and girlslike, i may have to copy the interlopers and adopt a new posting name, 'cause guyslovegirls(who)likevols2! thanks for the report.
how many days 'til 9/5?
MrKnoxville writes:
I'll say it again...its like the presidential election and Lane Kiffin is running for the Republican party & the liberal media is trying to crush him before he gets started.
BillVol writes:
I thought our Tennessee women knew football already. Did it take Lane Kiffin to educate them? Women!
jcherrie#219531 writes:
Don't trust this man he's a liar!
FWBVol writes:
I understand your points DennisVols and I won't argue with your logic. I just think that it is a shame that Tennessee ever has to regenerate support after a few years that aren't up to the standards of some people.
I think the true fans are going to support the team through thick and then. In my opinion, all the others are no more than fair weather fans.
GirlslikeVOLS2 writes:
Sugar, us TN women do know football and learned most of it from you guys, the Vol faithfuls. But today we learned some things that ya'll haven't taught us. Did the men in our lives leave these things out because maybe they didn't know them either?
It was a very informative clinic. We got to see what it looks like behind the scene. Many TN women understand the game of football but just as many of us lacked the understanding of the football program. What has to happen before the game ever begins. Recruiting, conditioning, training, etc. I have a newfound appreciation for the coaches and the players. From what I witnessed today Coach Kiffin seems to know what he's doing.
wyomingvol writes:
Can any of them (football for women attendees...) Play O Line?
NoogaVol55 writes:
For the sake of how I am trying to picture this in my head, I hope not!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Wonder if they got any discount coupons for manicures at HCBP's ex's digs?
VOLFTBL writes:
I flew in from Illinois to attend Coach Kiffin's clinic after attending Ron Zook's Fighting Illini football clinic last year. Being a true Vol fan and SEC fan, I had a feeling that Tennessee's clinic would be more imformative and fun and it most definitely was. I mean... the Big 10 is no comparison to the passion of SEC fans, coaches, or players! I can't wait for the UT home opener as it's going to be a blast. I truly beleive our new coaches are going to have our team ready to play and score... and score a lot!
txvolsfan writes:
And I thought this was going to be another article about Urbie Cryer and T-Blows!!!
I was getting tired of gator articles.
Bring on the Hotties!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CoastGuardDoc4UT writes:
I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't wait until fall ball starts. The stories of late have been a little dull. It is good to see how Kiff is getting the fan base involved though.
Down_The_Field writes:
hopefully the sports writers at the KNS and the Tennessean went to this. they need it.
writer#358485 writes:
We'll see in September, but I'm encouraged about the possibilities. Kiffen came into a difficult situation--a highly successful and popular head coach fired after a couple of rough seasons, despite a national championship. I admit, I thought Fulmer was badly treated.
However, I have been impressed by everything Kiffen is trying to do and I will be surprised if the Vols aren't highly competitive this fall. Will we win the SEC? Probably not, though not impossible. I think we may be in the mix. Talent is important, and we may be lacking a bit there. But emotion goes a long way in a game.
Kiffen is trying to "fire up" everyone, including the women. His minor verbal gaffs are just that, minor, and greatly overblown by the media. If the team is as fired up as the coaches--and I think they will be--it could be a pretty good year. Not bad Kiffen, not bad at all. Go Vols!
BuckheadVol1 writes:
Wish my wife could have attended! She needs the lesson!I am jealous!
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
Very funny. Very, very funny.
gohawks1 writes:
This one is just for you, Frank:
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/buzzer...
VolFanNC writes:
Hopefully will have a few celebration drinks this year instead of last year where I needed a few extra shots of Tequila to get through a Saturday evening Sports Center.
dvols writes:
wonder if they had funnel cake?
im just sayin
Pullingguard writes:
They were there and stayed late.
gohawks1 writes:
You are exactly right about the fan base - this new staff will love it.
However, it wasn't Kiffin who commented that it might be a lame experience, it was one of the participants.
gohawks1 writes:
You got that right, brother.
I wonder if I can get somebody to sponsor a team in my hometown?
kman29 writes:
Now if you can just learn how to spell your head coaches last name correctly.
gohawks1 writes:
I'm already packing.
gohawks1 writes:
I doubt 1 is the loneliest number, regardless of what Three Dog Night says.
wyomingvol writes:
Yep, and the brokebackers treated the Vols like there ladies in waiting last year..
1manningfan writes:
lmfao
gohawks1 writes:
You're half right - definitely showing my age, but I'm certain that many more on here would remember that song.
givehim6 writes:
Wish my wife could have gone, when I say anything about UT sports to her it's the deer in the headlight look. But I will give her 1 thing, she cooks gator when UT plays UF.
TommyJack writes:
Well I've never been to Spain, but I been to Oklahoma.
MikeInTN writes:
After 60+ years what would he say about a lot of things?!
Slystone writes:
Or was it a Chippendale Review,lol
Slystone writes:
In this case a Kiffindale review,lol.
jcherrie#219531 writes:
Frank - I told you to come out and visit!
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
AMEN!
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