Commentary: Kiffin embarrasses himself, his school

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Commentary: Kiffin embarrasses himself, his school

By Phillip Marshall, Senior Writer

Posted Feb 6, 2009

Copyright © 2009 AuburnUndercover.com

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin has a lot to learn/ESPN Photo

A quote from former Auburn coach Pat Dye seems appropriate today. It was one of his favorites. “The less you say,” he liked to say, “the less you have to take back.”

Youthful Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin would be wise to pay heed to those words. Ed Orgeron, his recruiting coordinator, should pay attention as well, but we know from his days at Ole Miss that isn’t going to happen.

Kiffin is in a different world now – different than the NFL and, yes, different than USC. There is a reason SEC football coaches are usually careful about what they say.

Kiffin totally embarrassed himself and his school the day after signing day, publicly accusing Florida coach Urban Meyer of cheating in the recruitment of Nu’Keese Richardson, a Florida commitment who former Auburn assistant Eddie Gran convinced to sign with Tennessee.

"I'm going to turn Florida in right now in front of you,'' Kiffin said Thursday morning. "Nu'Keese was here on campus and his phone kept ringing. One of our coaches said, 'Nu'Keese, who's that?' He said, 'Urban Meyer.' ''

That was bad enough. What came next was worse.

"Just so you know, when a recruit's on another campus, you can't call a recruit on another campus," Kiffin said. "I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him."

Are you kidding me?

In short order, Florida athletics director Jeremy Foley issued a scathing statement demanding an apology and Kiffin was reprimanded by the SEC. He is surely the first SEC coach to be reprimanded in his first two months on the job.

At 33, Kiffin has a lot to learn about the ways of the world. And why do you want to tick off a coach who has won two of the last three national championships, has a lot more players than you do, and you have to play his team on the road next season?

Kiffin later apologized, sort of.

"I've been made aware by the Southeastern Conference that my comments this morning at a breakfast with our donors violated a conference policy," he said in a statement.

"In my enthusiasm for our recruiting class, I made some statements that were meant solely to excite those at the breakfast."I apologize to Commissioner Mike Slive and the SEC, including Florida AD Jeremy Foley and coach Urban Meyer. My comments were not intended to offend anyone at the University of Florida."

Well, that’s just a lie. No other way to put it.0

Of course his comments were meant to offend Urban Meyer. Otherwise, Kiffin would have to believe that Meyer would not be offended by being called a cheater.

But even putting his foot firmly in his mouth didn’t slow down Kiffin’s bragging.

"The message is to the whole country that it doesn't matter where they are, it doesn't matter who they like or where we are on their list, we are going to get them,” Kiffin said.

Big talk for a guy who was a dismal failure with the Oakland Raiders in his only previous head coaching stop and who has yet to win a single game as a college head coach.

Dye’s quote bears repeating.

“The less you say, the less you have to take back.”

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

He is already screwing up and making some of the Vol Nation wondering if they didn't make a huge mistake hiring him.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I think the guy at Cincinnati would have been a better fit for them then LK.

[guerra aguila 0]

I saw that article and I couldn't believe what came out of his mouth. I am speechless.

I would keep my mouth shut heading into next season. Especially since UT was actually at times worse than we were last year, and we even beat them.

florida popped them 30-6 and returns the whole team, in a personal agenda to crush them in the swamp next year lol.

[Builder 86]

UT reported secondary violations in recruiting by using a fog machine and holding fake news conference for prospects..Not too smart...Come on Oku to RunningBack U..