College Football: Lane Kiffin vs. Rick Neuheisel and 5 Other Coaching Rivalries

Normally, coaches get along...even when they coach for a rival.

They understand each other. They know the hard work that goes into recruiting and managing 18-23-year-olds.

There is an unspoken respect because they remember what it was like to be a graduate assistant and making next to nothing for a salary.

But there are a few coaches around the nation who don't like each and they don't hide their disdain for each other.

Somehow when there's a controversy or just a little hate it always comes back to USC's Lane Kiffin.

In case you haven't noticed, Kiffin and UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel don't really like each other.

So here's a look at the best coaching rivalries going today.

Potential for Future Rivalries

1. Jimbo Fisher (Florida State) vs. Al Golden (Miami)

2. Jimbo Fisher (Florida State) vs. Will Muschamp (Florida)

3. Mark Richt (Georgia) vs. Will Muschamp (Florida)

4. Butch Jones (Cincinnati) vs. Dana Holgorsen (West Virginia)

5. Brian Kelly (Notre Dame) vs. Lane Kiffin (USC)

6. Paul Pasqualone (Connecticut) vs. Doug Marrone (Syracuse)

7. Brady Hoke (Michigan) vs. Mark Dantonio (Michigan State)

8. Les Miles (LSU) vs. Derek Dooley (Tennessee)

9. Kevin Wilson (Indiana) vs. Danny Hope (Purdue)

10. SEC Coaches vs. Bobby Petrino (Arkansas)

6. Bo Pelini vs. Kirk Ferentz

Nebraska and Iowa haven't even played yet as Big Ten opponents, but both sets of fans are already talking all kinds of preseason trash to each other.

So Bo Pelini and Kirk Ferentz may not have a choice but to talk about each other to their loyal fans as they generate excitement.

Both are great coaches and will find a way to share their feelings in the classiest way possible.

Sure they will.

5. Steve Spurrier vs. Dabo Swinney

Steve Spurrier has always loved giving a rival a good verbal ripping.

Remember this one: "You know what FSU stands for, don’t you? Free Shoes University," he said to the Polk County Gator Club in 1994.

Spurrier likes taking his jabs at other coaches, especially those who he knows he has an advantage over in coaching IQ.

So it's like Spurrier has a Ph.D. and Swinney is still finger-painting.

4. Brady Hoke vs. Luke Fickell

It's Michigan versus Ohio State, and the Wolverines have needed a coach who understands this rivalry.

Rich Rodriguez never embraced it. Michigan's new coach Brady Hoke will.

Luke Fickell, the probable one-year replacement for Jim Tressel, is well aware of what this game means.

So these two have no choice but to talk trash about each other to the fans and to recruits.

Let the hate-fest begin.

3. Gene Chizik vs. Nick Saban

Gene Chizik and Nick Saban probably respect each other a great deal.

But you can't coach at Alabama and Auburn and not develop a distaste for the other program.

You can appreciate the accomplishments, but you can't publicly admire it.

It just wouldn't be proper SEC hospitality.

2. Todd Graham vs. Dana Holgorsen

The hatred between Todd Graham and Dana Holgorsen goes back to their days coaching against each other in Conference USA.

Now Graham is about to coach his first season at Pittsburgh and Holgorsen at West Virginia.

The two programs already hate each other and play in the Backyard Brawl each season.

When Holgorsen was the offensive coordinator at Houston, he accused Graham's players at Tulsa of faking injuries to help keep Case Keenum and the Cougars' offense off-balance.

Holgorsen gave his opinion about the situation on KGOW-AM radio:

"Yeah, they were cheating," he said. "We’ve got some inside information on how they did it. They’ve got a signal for it. We know they’ve got a signal for it. We see it on film that they’re actually doing the signal, and then all of a sudden, one of their guys just comes down with a bunch of cramps. He falls down and then the other 10 players kind of jog over to the sideline, and they use it as a timeout."

College football fans in the east are looking forward to the Backyard Brawl this year.

1. Lane Kiffin vs. Rick Neuheisel

Lane Kiffin and his beautiful wife, Layla, had barely landed at LAX when UCLA's Rick Neuheisel was already throwing out the first salvo.

"We respect what USC has done the last few years," Neuheisel said. "But there's change now. Until the new regime proves itself, we believe we have every right to claim this city."

Kiffin actually stayed quiet and exacted his revenge on the field as USC defeated the Bruins 28-14 last season.

These two recruit so many of the same players, so they almost have no choice but to bad-mouth each other year round.

So much for love in L.A.