Elephant in the Lane Train Room

[GreenTiger 1,002]

11 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

- FAU is FAU

- He was not HC at Alabama but was fired before his tenure was up. 

- Ole Miss is Ole Miss and he’s in year 3.

Looks like you have moved the goal post in this discussion by excluding his time at Bama and left out important facts that nullify your argument.

Recent history is a more accurate way to form judgements of peoples work. 

Lane was a Broyles finalist in 2014.  
Saban relieved Lane of his duties after he accepted the FAU job right before the Natty. Lane wanted to stay. They lost to Clemson with Sark as OC. Would they have won with Lane????  

FAU had their best season in school history and won two different conference titles. 

Your right…. Ole Miss is Ole Miss and is exceeding everyone expectations as they are sitting 8-1 with mostly portal players. If the new CFP were in place this year they would be right in the mix for competing for a championship. 

[AUght2win 6,827]

4 minutes ago, metafour said:

My man, I know you're not an idiot. Stop behaving like one. 

Ole Miss is Ole Miss?

Yes man, Ole Miss routinely fields teams that win 10+ games. Happens all the freaking time. They have an excellent history of easy 10+ win seasons in the SEC West.

You also conveniently forgot that Ole Miss was actually predicted to be "down" this season (go read any of the preseason predictions) after they lost a lot off of last year's team. So really, Kiffin has them on pace to win 10+ games again in what was actually supposed to be a rebuilding year for them.

But I'm sure Kiffin deserves no credit for that either. The games just win themselves at Ole Miss haha. 

What’s idiotic is pretending Lane Kiffin suddenly isn’t Lane Kiffin anymore.

When I say “Ole Miss is Ole Miss” it obviously refers to expectations and job prestige. He can win 8 games a year in Oxford until the end of time and be fine. Not that way at an Auburn or USC. 

But once again you’re being intentionally overly quantitative. That’s what happened the last time we went and found the “third winningest active coach” in Bryan Harsin.

You completely ignore the human element. And in this case, the human element is Lane Kiffin is a man-child who has made a mess at literally every stop except FAU. Give him time in Oxford. He’ll do the same. 

How on EARTH after the interpersonal disaster we just experienced under our last HC is Lane even being discussed? 

[AUght2win 6,827]

4 minutes ago, GreenTiger said:

Looks like you have moved the goal post in this discussion by excluding his time at Bama and left out important facts that nullify your argument.

Recent history is a more accurate way to form judgements of peoples work. 

Lane was a Broyles finalist in 2014.  
Saban relieved Lane of his duties after he accepted the FAU job right before the Natty. Lane wanted to stay. They lost to Clemson with Sark as OC. Would they have won with Lane????  

FAU had their best season in school history and won two different conference titles. 

Your right…. Ole Miss is Ole Miss and is exceeding everyone expectations as they are sitting 8-1 with mostly portal players. If the new CFP were in place this year they would be right in the mix for competing for a championship. 

This is hilarious. Excluding coordinator success in discussing head coaching viability is “moving the goalposts?” What on earth are you talking about?! Do you really need a list of recent successful coordinators who bombed as HCs in order to prove that it’s truly irrelevant when gauging whether someone is fit to lead a program?

And equally hilarious is the second part I highlighted. Yes. They WOULD have won. That’s proves my exact point. Lane was so big of an unprofessional mess Saban had to cut ties with him early, which cost them a national title. That’s not a point you should be raising to support LK.

[AUght2win 6,827]

11 minutes ago, Strychnine said:

 

I have to give him credit, as he recovered from something that likely kills most head coaching careers, and did it in less than 10 years.

Without the Saban rehab program it never happens. It didn’t require a ton of heavy lifting. Just a golden ticket.

[AUght2win 6,827]

25 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

I’m aware. The scholarship reductions catch up in years 3-4. Check Alabama’s record for their most recent probation. Or Terry Bowden in year 3 and 4 at AU. The ability to use the transfer portal change that, but then that’s the way it was. Lane caught the tail end of OMs situation and is on pace for back to back 10 win seasons, something we haven’t done in over 30 years. 

Then why did the team finish 6-2 after they canned him, including a win over #5 Stanford? Yet to open the season they beat Utah State by a field goal and lost to Washington State and ASU. Y’all can spin it as many ways as you want. It doesn’t work.

[AUght2win 6,827]

33 minutes ago, metafour said:

I think it's also incredibly sad that you refuse to believe that a 35 year old HC who failed TEN YEARS AGO could possibly learn how to do the job after fixing and rehabilitating his career. That's your big message and takeaway here? He failed at 35 years old so he's done for eternity? It's impossible for him to learn how to properly be a HC? His time spent under Nick Saban meant nothing? 

This is the best part. I’d LOVE to dig into this more.

Tell me how Lane’s matured. Look at his Twitter and tell me how he’s LESS of a narcissist. Listen to his pressers where he calls out other programs and coaches and tell me how he’s a leader of men. Watch the “get your popcorn ready” clip and tell me how he’s not a clown. Look at his exit from Bama and tell me this is a guy that’s come a long way. 

You don’t believe it yourself. And if you do, what’s it based on?

[GreenTiger 1,002]

Here’s all I want to know from pro Lane people - has thereever, in CFB history, been an example of a guy who imploded at a previous stop but still went on to a consistent, long,successful career at a big job?  

 @AUght2win this is your question and the answer is a proven factual yes. Lane has done it in different coaching roles and in different programs within different conferences for the past 10 years since USC. 

[Gowebb11 9,313]

8 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Then why did the team finish 6-2 after they canned him, including a win over #5 Stanford? Yet to open the season they beat Utah State by a field goal and lost to Washington State and ASU. Y’all can spin it as many ways as you want. It doesn’t work.

You’re right. Lane is an unproven commodity as a HC. His wins and accomplishments should be stricken from the record. He’s lucky to be at OM and he should never leave because no one in their right mind values his coaching resume and would ever want to hire him again.  Thanks for the enlightenment. 

[AUght2win 6,827]

3 minutes ago, GreenTiger said:

Here’s all I want to know from pro Lane people - has thereever, in CFB history, been an example of a guy who imploded at a previous stop but still went on to a consistent, long,successful career at a big job?  

 @AUght2win this is your question and the answer is a proven factual yes. Lane has done it in different coaching roles and in different programs within different conferences for the past 10 years since USC. 

Did you miss the “consistent, long, successful” part? Pretty key there, pal.

[AUght2win 6,827]

3 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

You’re right. Lane is an unproven commodity as a HC. His wins and accomplishments should be stricken from the record. He’s lucky to be at OM and he should never leave because no one in their right mind values his coaching resume and would ever want to hire him again.  Thanks for the enlightenment. 

It’s just amazing to me how Auburn people think sometimes. Maybe it’s why we end up with who we end up with. 

He’s been at OLE MISS for TWO AND A HALF YEARS. If you want an Orgeron or a Chizik, he’s your guy. He may come here and win for 1 or 2 seasons. Then it’ll crash and burn just like everywhere else he’s been for more than a few years. Is that what you want? Yet another nuke to go off on this program?

We should be trying to hire a guy who’s going to make us a consistent contender. Lane Kiffin has never ever proven to be that.

[AcUmen 242]

2 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Lane - Imploded at USC…

Yeah 12 years ago when he was 35.  And he did have a 10 win season at USC despite them being destroyed by sanctions before he got there. Lane is now 47 and I can tell he has matured a lot.  The time with Saban did help him, believe it or not. I think Saban taught him how to keep his players consistent - Saban does that better than anyone I've ever seen. 

That's not to say there aren't concerns with him, though.  He doesn't seem to care about defense.  This isn't the Big-12, sometimes you're going to be in lower scoring games and I am not sure Lane excels in that area.

Still, I would 100% take him and would be very happy.

Edited November 7, 2022 by AcUmen

[Auburn93 518]

1 hour ago, TigerHorn said:

McElroy claimed on ESPN earlier today that AU "made an offer to a coach, and the coach wanted a 9 figure package", ie, like Jimbo. Kiffen is the only guy on our list with that kind of leverage IMO. I hope we told him to fuhgeddaboutit. He's not worth that. 

These guys know nothing.  They are hearing from a friend, from a friend, from a friend. 

[Auburn93 518]

58 minutes ago, metafour said:

Those comparisons make zero sense and are missing a pretty freaking important differentiator that you conveniently omitted:

 

Gene Chizik: Had done absolutely nothing to suggest that he was a good HC before being hired at Auburn (still won a National Championship before imploding lol)

Ed Orgeron: Had done absolutely nothing to suggest that he was a good HC before being hired at LSU (still won a National Championship before imploding lol)

Will Muschamp: Had done absolutely nothing to suggest that he was a good HC before being hired at South Carolina

Jimbo Fisher: Had won a National Championship, but is currently imploding because he refuses to modernize his offense and give up play-calling duties (this will be changed for him if he maintains his job)

 

What's the big difference with Lane Kiffin's case? Well, you conveniently forgot that since "imploding" at USC, he has actually had two BACK TO BACK tenures of extreme success as a HC at two schools that aren't particularly easy to win at at:

FAU: Won two Conference Championships in three seasons (they were winning 3 games a season before he got there)

Ole Miss: On pace to win 10+ games in back to back seasons in just three years on the job (the last time this happened in their program's history was 1959/1960)

The first three guys you named (Chizik, Orgeron, Muschamp) had no success as a HC whatsoever at any point in time before they landed their final and most recent gigs, so what exactly is the comparison supposed to be?

I've explained these actual facts to you before, but of course I know you've dug your heels in and are going to act conveniently ignorant because you've settled on an opinion and don't want to budge from it. 

I've also explained to you that Lane Kiffin was just 35 years old when he "imploded" at USC, and simply wasn't ready to handle a program of that size under freaking NCAA probation. That's also another big differentiator that you forgot: none of those other guys you just listed were the equivalent of NCAA post-graduates.

I think it's also incredibly sad that you refuse to believe that a 35 year old HC who failed TEN YEARS AGO could possibly learn how to do the job after fixing and rehabilitating his career. That's your big message and takeaway here? He failed at 35 years old so he's done for eternity? It's impossible for him to learn how to properly be a HC? His time spent under Nick Saban meant nothing? 

Again, I know I just wasted my time writing all that, but whatever. Maybe someone else will find it insightful lol.

I think Metafour has been on the hiring committee since September. 

[Taker 494]

@AUght2win what is your coaching wish list? 

 

[AUght2win 6,827]

10 minutes ago, AcUmen said:

Yeah 12 years ago when he was 35.  And he did have a 10 win season at USC despite them being destroyed by sanctions before he got there. Lane is now 47 and I can tell he has matured a lot.  The time with Saban did help him, believe it or not. I think Saban taught him how to keep his players consistent - Saban does that better than anyone I've ever seen. 

That's not to say there aren't concerns with him, though.  He doesn't seem to care about defense.  This isn't the Big-12, sometimes you're going to be in lower scoring games and I am not sure Lane excels in that area.

Still, I would 100% take him and would be very happy.

Other than wishful thinking this is just not true. Give me some examples that show his growth.

[alexava 6,973]

I think we have unrealistic expectations for pretty much any coaches that we could get. Lane knows this. He has a golden contract now. I can’t see a scenario where we could interest him at all. 

[AuCivilEng1 10,995]

2 hours ago, TigerHorn said:

McElroy claimed on ESPN earlier today that AU "made an offer to a coach, and the coach wanted a 9 figure package", ie, like Jimbo. Kiffen is the only guy on our list with that kind of leverage IMO. I hope we told him to fuhgeddaboutit. He's not worth that. 

GMac doesn’t have that kind of info. Come on man. 
 

Sounds to me like he heard it from a friend whooooo heard it from a friend who heard it from another. 

Edited November 7, 2022 by AuCivilEng1

[AUght2win 6,827]

2 minutes ago, Taker said:

@AUght2win what is your coaching wish list? 

 

Freeze, Deion, Dell McGee, Aranda, Mark Stoops, Dabo are all guys I’d like for us to take a swipe at. Kiffin wouldn’t be the worst hire but he would definitely be a huge risk. 

[AUght2win 6,827]

Just now, JerryAU said:

I'm curious to know who you think matured, experienced and proven enough to handle the AU HC position?  

Not a high bar, my guy. I just want somebody who hasn’t cratered any other major programs and who isn’t a 47 year old man that constantly starts drama on Twitter.

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

1 hour ago, AUght2win said:

What’s idiotic is pretending Lane Kiffin suddenly isn’t Lane Kiffin anymore.

When I say “Ole Miss is Ole Miss” it obviously refers to expectations and job prestige. He can win 8 games a year in Oxford until the end of time and be fine. Not that way at an Auburn or USC. 

But once again you’re being intentionally overly quantitative. That’s what happened the last time we went and found the “third winningest active coach” in Bryan Harsin.

You completely ignore the human element. And in this case, the human element is Lane Kiffin is a man-child who has made a mess at literally every stop except FAU. Give him time in Oxford. He’ll do the same. 

How on EARTH after the interpersonal disaster we just experienced under our last HC is Lane even being discussed? 

But he's not winning 8 at OM, he's winning 10.  

[JerryAU 1,657]

2 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Freeze, Deion, Dell McGee, Aranda, Mark Stoops, Dabo are all guys I’d like for us to take a swipe at. Kiffin wouldn’t be the worst hire but he would definitely be a huge risk. 

Freeze - dude can't even control himself own his own cellphone and nary a school has ventured to come near him since he's been at Liberty

Deion - should definitely be at the top of the list of candidates

Dell McGee - never been a HC - who knows how long it would take him to build a team OR who he'd bring in for his staff?

Aranda - should be at the top of the list of candidates

Mark Stoops - Will take entirely too long to build anything at Auburn and patience will not be a virtue of our fanbase after the last 5 yrs

Dabo - should be at the very top spot (#1) on the list of candidates 

[JerryAU 1,657]

5 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Not a high bar, my guy. I just want somebody who hasn’t cratered any other major programs and who isn’t a 47 year old man that constantly starts drama on Twitter.

Yet you're ok with Freeze who cratered the Ole Miss program and left a NCAA mess in his wake, has a salacious history with cellphone usage and has been known to track down any negative comments about him on social media and lashes out to random strangers? 

[CoffeeTiger 5,086]

12 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Not a high bar, my guy. I just want somebody who hasn’t cratered any other major programs

Edit: (Jerry posted his similar critique above just as I was writing out this) 

If this is your criteria then why is Freeze one of your top candidates? 

Freeze has only had one major coaching job and he left it with vacated wins and severe sanctions from the NCAA. 

 

 

I'm not a huge Lane Kiffin fan, and would like to see someone else hired, but I'd take Kiffin over Hugh Freeze any day of the week. 

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by CoffeeTiger

[JDUBB4AU 5,110]

All aboard the Lane Train Baby. Freshwater express. I’m in … 

[AUght2win 6,827]

5 minutes ago, CoffeeTiger said:

 

If this is your criteria then why is Freeze one of your top candidates? 

Freeze has only had one major coaching job and he left it with vacated wins and severe sanctions from the NCAA. 

I don’t *love* Freeze either and it’s strictly because of baggage. But he never sank a program on the field. Paying players is legal now so I don’t think that’ll be an issue at Auburn.