Lance Thompson downplayed the question when a reporter asked if this was a weird week for him.
“Is what weird for me? Talking to you or playing Alabama,” the Tennessee linebackers coach said with a southern drawl and sly grin. “It ain’t weird. To be honest with you, I feel privileged.
“Hell, it’s a great series. Now I get to play on the other side.”
Hence the line of questioning. Just a season ago, Thompson was wearing crimson, not orange. The two trademark colors collide when Alabama hosts UT on Saturday (TV: WVLT, 3:30).
“I know the Tennessee people want me to hate all them guys,” Thompson said. “I’ll just hate them for that three hours. I’m not that kind of guy.
“I want to win. I want to go compete. I want to kick their ass. I want to do all those things. But at the end of the day we’re going to walk away. We’re going to shake hands. We’re going to be good sports.”
UT coach Lane Kiffin still calls the Thompson hire “huge”. It’s not often a fledgling staff that is trying to rebuild a program hires away a top assistant from one of its chief rivals.
Upon closer inspections, it may have been Kiffin’s most impressive acquisition when one considers the lack of connections.
Kiffin had strong ties to his two “big-name” coaches. His father, Monte Kiffin, was hired as defensive coordinator and he worked closely with recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron at Southern California.
There was no such tie to Thompson. Kiffin had only heard of him during recruiting stops after he took the UT job. Yet Kiffin lured Thompson. Monte was the bait.
“The ability to work for Monte has brought people for years and years,” Lane Kiffin said.
Thompson bit — hook, line and sinker. And is now enjoying his time in the boat.
“He (Monte Kiffin) is 70 years old and he’s busting his butt from one drill to the next,” Thompson said. “He’s just a very passionate, compassionate guy. I love the guy. He’s more than I ever thought.”
Monte Kiffin was so sure of his resume that he encouraged Thompson to call 10 former assistants who coached with him. All said the same thing.
“Everyone of them said ‘If you get the chance to work for Kiff, you’ve got to do it.’ ” Thompson said. “I have zero regrets.”
So don’t consider Thompson just another coach who couldn’t handle the high-pressure environment that comes with coaching under Alabama coach Nick Saban.
“This is my take on that,” Thompson said. “Everybody asks me about coach Saban. Coach Saban is a winner. He’s proven his way works. If it’s because he’s demanding, so be it.
“You know what, I’d rather work for a guy that’s demanding and you win than a guy that’s not demanding and you get your butt kicked. We’re all in this business to win. That’s the only time you get any pleasure as a coach is when you win.
“I didn’t leave Alabama because he was too demanding or hard to work for. Nick was great to me. He was great to my family. It just so happens that he’s coaching at Alabama and I’m coaching at Tennessee now.”
In fact, the change in address hasn’t changed much at all. Thompson still sleeps in his office two or three times a week. He’s still pushed, by himself and his colleagues, to inspire discipline into a once-sagging program.
“It’s amazing the parallels,” Thompson said of rebuilding the two programs.
Which makes UT fans wonder just when they can expect a championship contender. Alabama, after all, won its first 12 games last season in Saban’s second year and played in the SEC championship game.
“Anything is possible when you’re dealing with 18 to 22-year-old guys, but every situation is different,” Thompson said. “But to predict that a group of 18 to 22-year-olds are going to go from whatever we end up this year to 12-0 next year in this league? I don’t think you can find an even money bet on that everywhere.”
It’s a much safer bet that Thompson will continue his success on the recruiting trail. Named the 2008 national recruiter of the year by Rivals.com, Thompson is credited with landing several of Alabama’s best players, including receiver Julio Jones, tailback Trent Richardson, linebacker Nico Johnson and defensive backs Mark Barron and B.J. Scott.
The 45-year-old Thompson, with strong ties in Alabama and Georgia, already has three prospects committed for the 2010 class. As UT’s coaches have said publicly, Atlanta will be a key area.
Kiffin and recruiting Orgeron saw Thompson’s influence last week as they toured his recruiting areas around Atlanta.
“It’s like when I go to Louisiana and I go to California, people know you,” Orgeron said, referring to his old recruiting stomping grounds. “If people know you, they’re going to let you in the door. People know Lance. They let us in the door. They trust him.
“When we go in there with Lance, we’re a step ahead. In some ways, it’s like we’re the home team.”
Thompson will be on the away team this week. Yet he’s not shy about setting — and achieving — some lofty goals at UT.
“We came here to build a championship at Tennessee,” he said. “And that’s what we’re working to do.”
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 56
the10sevol writes:
j james: go get him, lance.
GBO
SmokeyHound writes:
beat alabama...eric berry get an interception because your being cheated by everyone. you have more tackles then ndamakong suh and rolondo mclain yetr they still wont let you in the heisman race.. sad isnt it.. maybe if you will just get an interception
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
last sentence in this article
“We came here to build a championship at Tennessee,” he said. “And that’s what we’re working to do.”
i hoped all these coaches came for several championships, not a championship
crimsonviper writes:
Dude, If you want to come here and flame that is your business.There are things you should notice,your post for example.
trader...A person who conducts trade.
traitor..a person who betrays
Small things look big sometimes.
TommyJack writes:
bwahahahaha. what a bozo.
GahLee writes:
Hilarious...that's the Alabama fan-base in a nutshell.
Expat_Orange writes:
Does he prefer the NASDAQ or Dow Jones?
CHEROKEEVOL writes:
They did,and remember, it all starts with one..
GO VOLS!!!
crimsonviper writes:
I tried not to laugh earlier,but i busted out on that one!
DrJCrown_theMagicMan writes:
"trader"
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahhahahahahahahahahhahaahaah
chattaboogievol writes:
It's not the software dude, it's the voice.
chattaboogievol writes:
It's not the software, dude. It's the voice....
chattaboogievol writes:
Yep. Sorry, couldn't pass up the easy pickins.
Here's to a good game and a Big Orange upset!
Volnauburn writes:
Good things to come for UT football!!!
Fossilfiction writes:
Really? Your voice recognition software uses special characters?
Even if you were using vr software your still special ed. The Alabama public school system failed another one.
UT4ever writes:
Thomp-dog is the Man!!! Bammer destruction is coming!! HOHOHHHOO!!!
pm01 writes:
"i hoped all these coaches came for several championships, not a championship"
I think you're reading too much into this. I'm sure they didn't come here thinking "after one, I'm gone". Only God knows what the future holds. Any coach can be lured away at any time. It's the nature of the beast.
Let's just enjoy the rise to power.
Go Vols!
DenmarkVol writes:
Man, this coach sounds like a great guy and this guy sounds like a great coach. Clearly has things in perspective.
VolFan_stuck_in_FL writes:
I wouldn't call him a traitor for wanting to further his career, and that is what that move was about. A chance to work with a great Def. mind like Monte, and they probably gave him a few more dollars to boot. So a traitor he is not but in a business since he is a smart "trader"
Razzle writes:
Raised in Tennessee were you? Sounds more like your the 'trader' then.
Razzle writes:
Coach L.T. is going to be a big factor in Alabubba's first loss of the season this Saturday.
Razzle writes:
Your're the traitor.
Razzle writes:
Shoot! That durn voice recog software.
kabulvol writes:
I guess when you cannot read and write you have to use voice recognition software. You must be a former Bama football player.
paul5170 writes:
Jawan James is headed to UCLA.Atlanta reporting he's spent 3 to 4 weekends in LA.
al2476 writes:
In response to Fittobetide:
If you were to get whatever hard thing you have in your mouth, the program you are using would spell it correctly.
TommyJack writes:
fittobe:
1. Are you eleven?
2. What happened to that collegial disposition you once sported?
jakethevolguy writes:
That's what the Gator fans were saying before they played the Vols. Afterwards, they were giving the Whine Flu excuse. LMAO GBO!!!!
AFVol423 writes:
Obviously didn't get his share of the free books from the UA bookstore
Fossilfiction writes:
You sir are lying.
Daddies- not a word
Daddy's- correct form of possession.
Special Characters do not auto inject in sentences without user specification.
You cannot spell enough words right to make us believe you. Go on little boy. Go lay down with your picture of "The Bear" while you cry about the days before Utah stole your thunder.
By the way to see how much you are lying about.... Please tell us what city are from? What schools did you go to? Your such a little liar. Tisk tisk.
Volsrbest writes:
Dude, I'm glad you're proud of your team. It certainly has taken a long time for you to earn back some of that respect you've lost over the last decade or so. Trust me though, it won't take that long for the Vols to earn it back.
Some things for you to keep in mind though. When you compare team talent, Bama has the clear advantage. Not many people in the other 49 states expect us to win. You just jumped to #1 in a couple polls. You have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Prime stage for an upset!
Fact: We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Vols win 21-17! Shock the world!
Go Vols!
Volsrbest writes:
Sorry TJ, this was for fittobetide.
pventimi#592480 writes:
He's a 'trader,' eh? What's he trade? Stocks? Currencies?
You are a 'traitor' to the English language, and put the 'tard' in Crimson Tards.
VOL03_NC writes:
Its a J.O.B.
He his trying to better his family. How long will he be at UT? Then where? Check your emotions, its only football. Life is much more than football...
rockytop#413695 writes:
And what was the mighty Satan's record his first year at Cheater U? Was it 6-7. I'll bet Kiffin does better than that this year. I'm sure Lance didn't leave Satan to coach with a head coach he didn't have confidence in! Come back after 3 years and tell us that then. Until then shut up!
No one in the country is giving Tennessee a chance against Cheater U, except our coaches and players, and of course all real UT fans. That's why the game will be played. UT 31 CU 17.
secsecsec writes:
Hi fittobetide, Thompson is a traitor regarding leaving one program and going to another program- but all coaches do it. Saban is a traitor to the folks of LSU- even though he went to the Dolphins first. Spurrier isn't considered a traitor to Florida because Florida doesn't feel threatened by him. LSU is definitely feeling insecure with Miles and they do feel threatened by Saban and Alabama.
Thompson evidently is an outstanding recruiter- and a huge gain for Tennessee. But it must be said that after Thompson's famous "putting a wall around Memphis speech" that Saban received a commitment from the top recruit in Memphis the following day. I don't think that Thompson's loss is as great to Alabama as it is a gain for UT. He can definitely recruit.
On a side note- the attacks on you from this forum for your mistake of using "trader" instead of "traitor" are tiresome, ridiculous, and sophomoric. Your post was your opinion to the article. Their posts are attacks on you. The posting of your opinions (whether "right" or "wrong") is what the comments are for- and not for the 10 or so responses back that attack your error. My guess is that if your post had been a comment in favor of UT that your faux pas would have been ignored.
VOL03_NC writes:
Monte took a paycut to come to Tenessee. He wanted to mentor the kids and be in the exciting college atmosphere. Monte is truly an exceptional person.
dadofisaac writes:
Fitobetide:
I'd rather be a hillbilly than a hick. There's little difference, other than the altitude at which one is raised.
There's my one "insult". You've earned it since you were trolling for it.
dadofisaac writes:
Monty said he also wanted to work with his son. There's nothing wrong about that either.
pventimi#592480 writes:
Just don't pronounce it as 'fox pass.'
dirty_don writes:
The Bear is a nerd
VolFan_stuck_in_FL writes:
oh i totally agree with you. i was talking about Coach Thompson wanting to further his career by working with Monte, and that Coach T probably got a few more dollars.
VolFan_stuck_in_FL writes:
went to a message board and an English class broke out....
SECFB writes:
And who truly believes LK would have been hired if not for his ability to bring MK on board at UT?
AFVol423 writes:
Boy, this degraded. Liked the story. Coaches are professionals, they do their best for the team they are with. They can't afford to get caught up in the emotions. On a side note, Bama fans, check your spelling. You guys are getting ripped.
mattucket#231689 writes:
I wish Bama would have let us wear orange for this game. It would be great for both schools to wear their home jersey's in their opponents stadium. I guess the folks in alabama have too many black and white tv's and would have a hard time telling the two teams apart. What a shame....
ctownvol writes:
...and he's dead. Just don't tell the Bammers. They think he's still alive and drinking. I mean kicking.
GR82BaTennesseeVOL writes:
Damn right Tennessee is the Hillbilly State! Sure beats being from Alabama: The Inbred State.
JohnnyVol writes:
Definitely. That was really obvious in this interview...really. No kidding...
GR82BaTennesseeVOL writes:
What's the difference between an Alabama woman and a catfish?
One has really long whiskers, and the other one lives at the bottom of a lake. =)
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