Lane Kiffin To USC: Coach Heads West To Replace Pete Carroll

After only one season as the head coach at Tennessee, Lane Kiffin is going back to USC, only this time as the head coach.

ESPN reported that Kiffin will come back to Los Angeles where he was an assistant under Carroll before taking the head coaching job with the Oakland Raiders.

In his first and only year at Tennessee, Kiffin built an expensive coaching staff, and led the Volunteers to a 7-6 record, including a near-upset of national champion Alabama.

Carroll is back off to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks, and Jacksonville Jaguars' coach Jack Del Rio was thought to be the leading candidate.

But Del Rio turned down the job along with Oregon State coach Mike Riley.

Kiffin had created many headlines and controversies while he was the head coach at Tennessee, including calling out Florida coach Urban Meyer for supposed recruiting violations which turned out to be false.

The main goal for USC's athletic department was to find a coach soon to keep their recruiting class intact after rumors of decommitments were swirling upon Carroll's sudden departure.

Kiffin will have a stable of talented, though unproven, players on his roster on both sides of the ball and a QB in Matt Barkley who has a full season under his belt.

Reports have it that Kiffin will also bring his father Monte Kiffin and the Tampa 2 defense to Los Angeles as the defensive coordinator, along with recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron.

USC for the first time since 2001 did not win the Pac-10 title in 2009, going 9-4 and finishing fifth in the Pac-10.

Not only is Kiffin at his third head coaching job since leaving USC in 2007, but for the second straight season, Tennessee must find a head coach.

Kiffin brings charisma similar to Carroll, though much more controversial in press conferences than his predecessor.

If he is able to use the talent available at USC as well as Carroll, the Trojans could be Rose Bowl bound very soon and regain their dominance in the Pac-10.

Still, this will be the first year since 2002 that they were not the favorites to win their conference.