Jury in Session: Coaching Changes in the SEC: Tennessee

By Terry Pellman (TerryP)

It seems like the spring of 2008 reincarnated.

The coaching changes around the SEC last year seemed unprecedented in volume alone. While it hasn't been uncommon to see a change in the staffs at different SEC schools each and every year, seeing complete makeovers like SEC football fans saw in the spring of last year wasn't common, at all.

Arkansas and Ole Miss replaced their entire coaching staff. Only four of the twelve SEC teams had the same coordinators returning for the 2008 season. It was enough shake-up within the ranks of the SEC that anyone looking at their schedule and trying to determine how their team would fair could only do so with question marks over some games.

Today, we see much of the same around the SEC. Except, the turnover going into spring camp in 2009 eclipses that of 2008 with total staff changes. Now we see Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State breaking in entirely new coaching staffs but not as much change across the board with position coaches.

Deliberating Tennessee's Choices

Tennessee wasn't the only school that released a coach who had been in the SEC for a long time. While the firing (resignation to be politically correct) came as a shock to some, when the entire picture was looked upon it was clear why UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton made the choice.

It was a decision clearly based on the Volunteers record this century over top 25 teams and against the upper-echelon teams of the SEC.

At any school, much less one with the tradition found in Knoxville, having a winning percentage in games like those (less than .500) isn't going to keep anyone employed no matter what contributions they had made to the program.

If you were to have asked any UT fans what they wanted out of their new head coach, almost to a man they would have said, "We need to make a big splash with the new hire."

Enter Hamilton announcing the hire of Lane Kiffin.

There was a splash with this announcement. There were eyebrows raised when people heard that Kiffin would take over the reigns of the Volunteer program.

But, those raised eyebrows weren't in amazement of UT hiring a well-known coach, they were in shock that UT had hired a coach that the University of Minnesota had passed over for the same position.

There wasn't a splash made in the vast pool of coaches Tennessee could have pulled from. Instead, it was a splash made in a mud hole. A hole Kiffin had just left on the West Coast; a large part of it left on his face with the dismal job he did as head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

SEC fans eyebrows didn't recede with the hire; neither did Tennessee fans.

Now, the Volunteer faithful were still left wanting. But their judgments weren't submitted. They were all left to hold on to one hope; "let's see who he hires as assistant coaches before we judge just how good, or bad, this staff is going to be."

With the announcement Lane Kiffin was bringing his father, Monte Kiffin, to Knoxville the Vol fans' hope grew.

The elder Kiffin, known for his defensive scheme, was an addition of experience and a hire that any FBS school could be proud of.

While the Vol fans were moving towards a state of comfort, rival fans still held onto their judgments; it's still a staff that didn't create a re-birth of the Volunteer program. After all, the hiring of a guy who is known as one of the coaches to develop the "Tampa 2" defense, that scheme is as new to college football as the Pro-set offense is today.

The big splash? Still, unseen.

I'm reminded of a kid, one who hasn't had his way and makes the choice to pitch a temper-tantrum. A fit jumping up and down until someone takes notice of what he wants; attention.

The younger Kiffin, still in his mud-hole, certainly seems to be having just that fit.

If you have ever been in a situation where, by virtue of someone being careless, had your pant legs splashed and muddied you know the feeling of frustration.

Now, with Kiffin jumping up and down in his mud-hole, he has carelessly slung mud around the SEC. He's done so with a purpose in mind.

It started with pulling David Reaves from Spurrier's staff at South Carolina. Considering Reaves is Kiffin's brother-in-law, the move made sense. But when weighed against the animosity felt by the Vol nation towards Spurrier and the subsequent verbal jabs the two coaches have thrown at each other there is more here than meets the eye.

Mississippi State recruiting coordinator, one of Alabama's best recruiters and a long time member of Auburn's staff, has since joined the coaching staff at Tennessee as well.

It's one thing for a coach to surround himself with good assistants. To that point, Kiffin has done a good job in his first month in Knoxville.

It's one thing to make a splash in the coaching pool based on what the head coach has done in his career. It's quite the opposite to make that splash by jumping up and down screaming, "look at what I've done:" bragging openly.

"To be able to take South Carolina's recruiting coordinator, Mississippi State's recruiting coordinator, Alabama's best recruiter and Auburn's best recruiter over the past 10 years was a great accomplishment for us. Once again, I would like to thank Mike Hamilton, the athletic department and our donors for making this possible."

Now, looking at this develop in Knoxville, I'm reminded to two different stories that mirror what Kiffin is attempting to do.

A few years ago, at the end of former Mississippi State head coach Jackie Sherrill's tenure, he brought in a lot of quality assistants in an effort to boost his program.

When Alabama hired Mike Shula, the fans had the same stance as the Tennessee faithful have had, "let's wait and see who he hires on his staff."

We've seen how both situations resolved themselves.

Having a staff full of great recruiters is a great way to bring talent into a football program. However, talent isn't something that the Volunteer program has lacked in recent years, and they've had mediocre results with that talent.

Now, it certainly appears Kiffin is going to continue to put an emphasis on bringing in as much talent as possible. But, there is still a huge question left unanswered.

Ed Orgeron is considered a phenomenal recruiter. Lance Thompson is as well. But, when both are considered in the light of "how well they coach" you don't see the "splash" some assistant coaches bring to the picture. It's a ripple, at best.

When it comes to Kiffin, not only is there doubt when it comes to his coaching ability, it's doubt supported by a resume that's less than impressive.

Kiffin, and Tennessee, have succeeded in getting the attention they desired. They've done so in a manner that's based on "look what we took" versus "look what we can accomplish."

While I view the hiring of Kiffin as very suspect, I view the hiring of his staff as a move in a good direction. Despite that positive attribute, being able to surround yourself with good recruiters doesn't translate to winning results on the playing field.