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Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin walks into the stadium at the end of the Vol Walk prior to UT's game with UCLA on Sept. 12. On Tuesday night a different crowd of UT fans was on hand chanting obscenities at the coach as he announced he is leaving UT.
An estimated crowd of 1,000 Tennessee fans gathered on campus Tuesday night to protest football coach Lane Kiffin's sudden resignation.
Fans burned Lane Kiffin T-shirts, a mattress and chanted obscenities, blocking Kiffin's path from the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex as he and his father, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, stayed in their offices.
The two, along with recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron, are leaving UT after barely more than 13 months on the job to accept similar positions at Southern California after former Trojan head coach Pete Carroll left USC to become coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Kippy Brown was named UT's interim coach.
Fans began congregating near UT's practice facilities shortly after news of Kiffin's departure broke.
Dozens of students and fans marched into the sports complex chanting obscenities at Kiffin, who at that time was informing his players of his departure during a team meeting in a separate area guarded by UT personnel.
The crowd then moved to an office area where an impromptu press conference was to be held for Kiffin to make his announcement.
At that point, police were called to quell the crowd, which calmed when officers arrived.
Officers were instructed to allow the approximately two dozen fans to remain in the area as long as they remained calm. That didn't last long.
The fans began chanting and officers removed the crowd, which left without incident.
The crowd then moved to Johnny Majors Way, located in between the athletic complex and Gibbs Hall, a dorm which houses football players, and grew exponentially.
Many players, fresh out of an emotional meeting, met with the crowd as they exited the athletic complex.
One player called Kiffin a traitor. Several called the 34-year-old much worse.
"Talk about family?" one unidentified player said, "(Expletive) him. Let's burn this (expletive) down. I don't care."
Later in the evening the crowd became positive, chanting UT fight songs and rallying around the stunned players. Police were present, mostly just to keep fans off the street and on the sidewalks.
Once the players left, however, the crowd turned to Kiffin's pending exit from the sports complex, blocking the one route from the building. That's when the burning started and the Knoxville Fire Department was called to the scene.
Police met with Kiffin to provide him a safe escort from the property. Perhaps he could have used the same officers when he told UT's players of his departure in the Vols' team meeting.
Several players said younger Vols repeatedly interrupted Kiffin as he was trying to explain his decision.
"There was a lot of disrespectful guys," linebacker Herman Lathers said. "Guys that have to grow up. Just let the man talk and see what he has to say.
". . . They kind of settled down at the end."
Most players said they were shocked by the news. Some said they had followed the USC hiring search and began to wonder if Kiffin might become more of a candidate as other candidates turned the Trojans down.
"Call Phil," defensive end Ben Martin yelled amidst the crowd, referring to former coach Phillip Fulmer. "Get him his (expletive) job back."
Kiffin wasn't the only UT coach to talk at the meeting. His father, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, also spoke.
"He talked to the defense as a whole," Lathers said. "He said it's family and you follow family. He had no desire to go back to the NFL (where he spent most of his career). He was just following his family."
Offensive tackle Aaron Douglas, whose father, David Douglas, also played for the Vols, was obviously upset.
"I can tell you I wasn't happy," the former Maryville High School star said. "Everybody had told me different things and in this meeting I heard something else. I was told loyalty and stuff like that, but these coaches obviously didn't stick by it."
Douglas questioned aloud if Kiffin ever truly understood Tennessee football.
"He worked his butt off," Douglas said. "You can see that by what happened. But understood? I don't think so because of what is happening now."
The news on Tuesday marked the second time in less than a 1<0x0192> years that UT's players learned of their coach's departure via the media instead of from UT officials.
"I had to hear about it on ESPN," offensive tackle Cody Pope said. "Were we mad? Yeah, of course. But at the same time it's a business and Tennessee is going to survive.
"We're still going to be playing football in Neyland Stadium."
© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 43
OrangeVeins writes:
Pat Summitt!!!!! Help!!!!!
baldfan writes:
Too bad the police stopped them from getting ahold of kiffen. You would think Monte taught him better.
volatil writes:
Muschamp, and this all goes away.
Cromptons1Cuz writes:
At least 3 and possibly 4 top recruits already headed elsewhere.
Fire Hamilton now!
VOL_n_LA writes:
MH better find a way to get the Saban understudy and fast
Get on the plane tonight
NYvolFan writes:
Let the traitor run...Kiffin clearly has zero integrity and is a total liar. Ironically, "Knox" Kiffin was born 1 year ago TODAY!
Good riddence! What a JERK!
VOLinGA writes:
Stay strong men (players). It's a good life lesson and I'm sure the TN brain trust will find the right person this time...a person with character, integrity, loyalty...and not smoke and mirrors. Karma will get you guys. Kiffen's done...just watch how nature makes things right. You guys keep your heads, display the character of TN football, rallying around whoever the new guy is, and kick some tail on the field next year. It's not about the coach, it's about the heart and character of the players that make the team. The true TN fans have your backs.
GahLee writes:
I really feel for the kids, they were the ones that were lied to...as a fan I'm beyond distraught...what he did is incomprehensible and the players and us the fans are the ones that have to suffer.
In recruiting news...Brandon Willis has de-committed, along with 2011 LB Anthony Johnson.
Expect a lot of this to come, as early as tomorrow...I fully expect to lose the better part of this class...what hurts is that instead of having these great players playing for us, we will be seeing them in SEC play.
Guys like JuJuan James, Markieth Ambles, Corey Miller, Brandon Willis, just to name a few, are all being recruited by rivals and will more than likely stay in the SEC.
Looking at who we hire next...Look for us to go hard after Will Muschamp, Kirby Smart, Gary Patterson, Randy Edsel, Butch Davis...that will probably be the short list, considering our recent woes and couple with the awful timing of this, we may have to fall back and hire someone who is solid but not the guy who is going to get us over the hump...guys like Cut will be available.
Hopefully Mike Hamilton can get either Muschamp or Smart, they are young and eager, both are schematically great on the defensive side of the ball, position oaches will be vital and whoever is named coach would be wise to retain Kippy Brown, very familiar with Knoxville and UT in general and beyond that he is a more than capable position coach.
UT will survive this, most of us thought that we were just 2 years away from being capable of competing for the SEC, seems as though we will have to wait a little longer than that.
All I can hope for now is this...UT makes an excellent hire, they somewhat salvage this class and move forward, that and the NCAA hands down a stiff penalty on USC for the Reggie Bush incident, that would make my day.
Sorry to be so long winded here, just have a lot of emotions running through me right now...with all this said, I'm still all Vol.
We will survive...Go Vols!!!
jarvol writes:
Fire Mike Hamilton!
djohnnyg writes:
Everybody made fun of Al Davis for calling Kiffin a liar. Kiffin is a piece of *$#t, and Al knew it. Now...Vol fans know it.
Somebody said here "how can you blame a guy for taking a better job? You all would do it". No I wouldn't. People with integrity would not do it. Maybe it doesn't matter to people like you.
CUSA_NEWS writes:
Happy Birthday Knox Kiffin!
We at UT wish you all the success in the world Lane Kiffin sir!
hillbully writes:
What a classless no integrity having punk! You did the wrong thing. Karma will get you in the end Lane Kiffin! I hope someone beats his arse before he leaves town.
GahLee writes:
Corey Miller say he is staying...true Vol.
LibertyVolance writes:
It's a business and UT is going to survive. Pope is spot on. When Bama went after Saban, it was business. When Kentucky went after Calipari, it was business. Everyone knows the score.
Turn a temporary negative into something completely positive by finding a brighter diamond among the list of young successful coaches awaiting their turn.
When you start up with phooey like hiring a Tennessee guy inside the family, you return to a road that always leads into a narrow trap and becomes personal. That is the last thing UT needs now. If Kiffin had fallen on his face in 3 or 4 years, he would have quickly been dismissed. It wouldn't have been personal. It would have been business. It's the way it is and how it has to be.
firehamilton writes:
DEFINATELY!!! The past 18 months have been a joke
us43137415#376444 writes:
Al Davis is a genius.
Says a lot for older experience.
He knew it all along.. and we all doubted him.
VolGrad writes:
Tennessee Football is bigger than any one man (and I use the term "man" loosely here). Cody Pope expressed it best when he said, "...Were we mad? Yeah, of course. But at the same time it's a business and Tennessee is going to survive. We're still going to be playing football in Neyland Stadium."
IBleedOrange444 writes:
No, as much as it pains me to say it, Lane's a good coach and Al Davis is still a moron. All you have to do is look at Heyward-Bay and Off-the-Marcus Russell to figure that one out.
TxFatBoy writes:
The fact is that business IS business and that's why Mike Hamilton should be fired asap. When Kiffin's contract was initially negotiated UT was obligated to a HUGE buy out if they terminated him in the 1st 2 or 3 years. Why in the heck did they set HIS buy out at $800,000.00? In THIS day and age that's nothing for a big school such as USC to pay. Had the buyout been 4 or 5 million then I doubt this situation would have occurred.
That said, UT is used to having coaches from within the UT family that are loyal and want to coach at UT the same way Lame Kiffin wants to coach at USC. Majors bailed out on Pitt after winning an NC there because he wanted to come home to UT. Hamilton's job should be to protect the investment that UT makes in their head coach. Had HE performed his job properly then at least we'd have collected enough to pay off Fulmer's buyout.
Finally, Kiffin has proven his lack of integrity not only by his leaving after 1 year, that could be forgiven. But leaving 1 month before national signing day, taking Monte and Orgeron, and then allowing the only person in this entire situation to show he has less class than Kiffin (Orgeron) to tell signees already ENROLLED at UT to NOT attend class so they can transfer to USC is the ultimate slap in the face.
I only hope USC gets BOMBED by the NCAA with hefty probation and loss of scholarships, and that kiffy boy hasn't caused the same situation for us here at UT.
Madkels writes:
Shame on the UT / Knoxville police. They should have let the crowd riot, take Lame to the rock, tie him to it, let students throw eggs at him, and then let them take turns urinating on the traitor.
de3cls writes:
I agree GahLee. We will survive. I want Muschamp.
WeAreVols writes:
Let us not lose perspective here, the name Vols implies that we are not self-serving. 120 years+ of Vol Football history knows that there are ups and downs.
That said, I am as angry as anyone here and look forward to the day that we rebound and show the world what it means to be a Volunteer!!
CadmiumOchre (Inactive) writes:
I and others gave LK unquestioned support even in the face of various levels of criticism he faced. I must admit something akin to a rabid dislike for the man now. You do what he did by leaving like this says he's a man without honor or even self-respect.
Go to USC and may Oregon, Washington, and Stanford and the rest of the PAC 10 teams beat Trojan butt like a drum and then some. Quite frankly, you can't the heck out of state fast enough for me. That goes for the coaching aides too.
LoveThoseVols88 writes:
The Vol Nation will recover from this debacle. Oddly enough, I had a dream last night that Monte Kiffin died. Not saying that I want that to happen to him by any means, but isn't that alittle weird? Anywho, to all the trolls who are saying jokes on us: what did you expect? We are Tennessee fans thru and thru. We didn't have a choice but to hop on the Lane Train. Now, MOVING ON. Let's hire someone who will bleed orange like the rest of us.
adamsmith5529#630125 writes:
GO GET GRUDEN!!! GO GET GRUDEN!!! GO GET GRUDEN!!
maddawg writes:
I feel bad for the Vol nation but you will get past this and will be happy he is gone. As an objective observer (I'm a dawg who used to like the Vols second) I hated what Kiffin was doing to TN. While he may have been doing good things on the recruiting trail (haven't seen any other major achievements) he tarnished that orange T. Maybe now TN can really rebound along with the Dawgs!!!
maddawg writes:
You're kidding right?? Step away from the crack pipe buddy.
vollifer writes:
i knew he was a PUNK / he should take HAMILTON w/him // good riddance // its better now than later this program has gotten like the federal government / fat and lazy. so 2010 w/clean house here and in up coming federal election // THE PROGRAM WILL LIVE // go vols
jobrando#216494 writes:
I just emailed the Governor and my State Rep for Hamilton,'s head for the contract or lack of one he did for this batch of scum bags. A 800k buyout
is pure negligence on his part. Please everybody contact Bredesen and your area State Rep.
DingoVol writes:
Kyle Whittingham. Go get him. Gruden's not leaving MNF for UT. Cowher and Dungy are not coming either. Be real.
GaGATOR writes:
Glad to get that trash out of the SEC, you'll be be off in the long run Vols, that guy was a jerk.
reddevilfever writes:
Run and hide Lame Kiffen. I cant believe you, Daddy, Big O have left the building. NCAA - NO CLASS AT ALL
Wilhelm16 writes:
the headlines should have read FULMER VINDICATED. Wheres all the phil hate now. I called this the day he was hired. At least Coach Fulmer bleeds orange. I hope they call him and I hope he tells them to go to hell. Mike Hamilton made his bed now its time to sleep in it.
jzt writes:
Hamilton extends and raises Fulmer, Hires Kiffin with a ridiculous buyout. Fires the most successful baseball coach in the history of the school and hires someone that has yet to make the SEC tourney. Yes he did find Bruce Pearl, at Ernie Grunfeld's request. Might be time for a change at AD as well.
Ayres_Hall writes:
Lots of silly, silly comments here. Settle down girls. Breathe in breathe out.
tennisvol writes:
Al Davis tried to tell us - he is a liar and a disgrace to the Oakland Raider organization. The Lane Train is headed back to USC with his dad and Coach O. I wonder is there is a seat available for the AD.
dtacker#607308 writes:
Lane you are a total D-Bag.
I supported you in the face of MUCH criticism about hiring you. I told everyone to "chill out" give him "time", etc.
What a crock of phooey. I hope USC gets slapped with a huge amount of NCAA violations.
Good riddance!
Chris4Vols22 writes:
Yeah, I feel that Hamilton hasn't been performing very well as of late. He's really starting to become a slime-ball in my eyes...
TxFatBoy writes:
What worries me MOST right now is that, having been burned by a punk no more mature than the kids he coached, UT will revert back to the "only hire a coach with Big Orange ties" mode. This is a bad situation simply because of the timing, but I hope they don't rush into a decision to try and salvage 1 recruiting class at the expense of the program for the next several years!
Southland writes:
who really thought we were going to be good next year? Really??? It was going to be more of the same.
harvey240 writes:
Way to set an example for the youngsters, Mr. Kitten. I can almost understand the desire to return to USC, and buying out of your contract? It happens all the time. Leaving the program so close to signing day? Your lapdog trying to get people to undercut the system and transfer quick? Mr. Kitten, one can only deduce that you are intentionally slapping everyone in the face and trying to hurt the program. Man, you make Nagan look good. I feel for the Trojans.
In ultimate contrast, would it not be awesome, no, just plain greatness, if Berry decided to go ahead and stay for one more year and lift his team up? Of course, there are other leaders on the team, but considering what he'd be giving up to do so, it would be the ultimate way to spotlight Kittens' lack of character. I don't expect to see it(wouldn't be suprised to see him pop in from time to time), but it's fun to think about. Go get your big payday Berry. At least you earned it.
knoxville_born writes:
HAMILTON MUST GO!!!!!
UTByrd writes:
I know this hurts like the dickens for the players, fans, and school. However, I'm watching the news about Haiti and it makes me realize how trivial the Kiffen saga is.
Let's all pray for the Haitians first and UT second. We will survive this.
Go VOLS!!!!!
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