Bang for Your Buck: Is Lane Kiffin's Worth Inflated?

A report came out today on ESPN's College Football Live that reportedly gave the amount that USC will pay head coach Lane Kiffin: $4 million.

College Football Live also reported that Kiffin's father, Monte Kiffin, who's also the defensive coordinator for the Trojans, will make $2 million.

However, to counter the report, ESPN The Magazine's Bruce Feldman stated that a source close to the situation said that the numbers were inflated.

But USC doesn't make coaching contracts public.

So this means one of two things happened:

1. Someone from within the Trojans organization, or even the source himself, had a severe lapse of judgment and broadcasted the Kiffins' salary and now this source has to try to correct this mistake by saying the salary figures are inflated. Or maybe USC isn't quite ready to reveal the actual salary of a guy who hasn't done anything as a head coach. 

2. Maybe it's just as simple as it sounds: The numbers are inflated and the source is trying to set the record straight.

Ok, let's just pretend this source didn't tell Feldman that the numbers were inflated and that USC is indeed spending $6 million on two coaches alone.

What does this mean?

Nothing, really, except that USC is spending way too much money on a product that may or not deliver and hasn't delivered in the past. 

Up until now, it's probably coming across that I despise Kiffin and have a voodoo doll of him in my room and each night, poke it with little needles, or hold it over an open flame while laughing maniacally.

No, I do not despise Kiffin and I most certainly do not have a doll of his likeness.

In fact, I'm elated that Kiffin bolted from Neyland Stadium and is soaking up the sun in southern California, and I have full faith that he will bring the Trojans back to greatness.

However, if what ESPN's report says is true, than I think USC is making a huge error in judgment.

Is $4 million too much to pay a head coach?

Nick Saban, Les Miles, Mack Brown, Urban Meyer, and Bob Stoops don't think so.

But they've actually accomplished things as head coaches. They've won national championships, Heisman Trophies, conference championships, etc.

Kiffin hasn't done much of anything as a head coach.

Before hightailing it out of Knoxville, Kiffin led the Volunteers to a decent record of 7-6 in 2009. Considering it was his first season at the helm, that's not too shabby.

But his time with the Oakland Raiders was downright abysmal.

Kiffin was fired by Raiders owner Al Davis in 2008 for a disgusting 5-15 record in one and half seasons.

Now, I'm not sure where the blame falls for the Raiders mishap. I mean, it's the Raiders; it's Al Davis. Catch my drift?

However, as the head coach, all the blame falls squarely on Kiffin's young shoulders.

If Kiffin is indeed making $4 million at USC, he's making only $400,000 less than his well-established, highly successful predecessor Pete Carroll.

But then again, Carroll actually accomplished things during his tenure at USC: two national championships, three Heisman Trophy winners, and seven consecutive Pac-10 titles.

And it's not like USC had to twist Kiffin's arm to get him in the head coaching slot, luring him away from his $2 million head coaching gig at Tennessee with stacks of cash.

Even if USC told Kiffin they could only pay him with Trident Layers gum he still would have taken the job.

Kiffin wanted the job and was itching to leave the Vols.

It seems much more logical to start Kiffin off at a smaller salary, either matching or giving a slight increase to Tennessee's pay, then raise his salary when he starts producing results.

As if being a first-year head coach at one of the nation's most storied programs wasn't enough, add a $4 million (or so) salary into the equation, and the weight on Kiffin's shoulders just increased by 10.

Good luck, Lane.

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