Is Lane Kiffin the Right Choice for USC?

After getting turned down by Mike Riley, Jeff Fisher, Jack Del Rio, Steve Sarkesian, and others, USC has hired Lane Kiffin away from the University of Tennessee to replace Pete Carroll. Needless to say, Kiffin was not Southern Cal's first choice.

Why should he be? He was fired by the Raiders and then he had a very mediocre year with the Volunteers. During that mediocre year, Kiffin received a lot of bad press, as it was one scandal after another.

That really has to make you wonder if Kiffin is the right choice for USC. Considering that the basketball team has just been placed on probation for the actions of O.J. Mayo, the football team doesn't need any bad press.

There were the allegations revolving Reggie Bush's parents a few years ago and most recently there is the Joe McKnight incident in which his use of a new Land Rover is in question.

This is a university that could, and likely will, undergo an investigation. It makes you wonder why they would hire a guy who just can't get away from scandals.

It really makes you wonder if coaches don't know something. The timing of Carroll's departure is suspicious no matter what he says.

USC has been regarded as a dream job around the country for the last few years, yet there have been several who have turned it down. Why would they turn it down if they didn't suspect that something is going to happen?

This will undoubtedly have a negative effect on recruiting. But hopefully everything gets resolved for USC and all goes well.

Looking at it from a Notre Dame perspective, their last two coaches were not their first, second, or even third choices. Needless to say, things didn't work out. This time, Brian Kelly was absolutely the first choice. From that standpoint, it could be bad for USC.

Hopefully, it does work out for USC because it would be nice for Notre Dame and USC to play when both are two of the best teams in the country.

One positive about the hiring of Kiffin is that his father Monte, a proven defensive coordinator, will be joining him.

At the end of the day though, this hiring really makes you scratch your head and provides more questions than answers. You would think that a school that may be in trouble would stay away from a guy who is no stranger to scandals and has a mediocre record as a head coach.

The reality is either Kiffin has outstanding interviewing skills or USC didn't have much of a choice.

This article is also posted on http://fightingirishgameday.com/ .