Lane Kiffin Violations: Could This Affect USC's Recruiting Class?

Lane Kiffin made noise when he was named head coach at Tennessee, calling out Florida, accusing Urban Meyer of recruiting violations and committing his own violations. Then, after one year, he left back for USC.

Now comes a report about the possible conclusion of the NCAA's investigation of the alleged recruiting violations Kiffin and his staff committed on Rocky Top.

Could Kiffin's past come back and haunt USC's future?

What Happened?

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ATLANTA - DECEMBER 31: Coach Lane Kiffin of the Tennessee Volunteers watches pre-game warmups before the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Hokies beat the Volunteers 37-14

Well, USA today and Fanhouse are reporting that Kiffin, along with assistant Dave Reaves, committed recruiting violations at Tennessee.

The pair were instrumental in the starting of the "Orange Pride" program, which consisted of female "hostesses" illegally contacting recruits and attending their high school games.

The report states that "Kiffin will be cited for failure to monitor", by the NCAA. Head coaches are the leaders of all facets of a college football team and even though it was Reaves who mainly led the infamous Orange Pride program, it was under Kiffin's watch.

What Could Happen?

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: New head coach of the USC Trojans Lane Kiffin is introduced during a press conference at Heritage Hall January 13, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Kiffin has already been found guilty of secondary recruiting violations during his tenure in Knoxville, which occurred just months after he was named head coach.

The NCAA could come down stiffer on him this time as this is the second time he's been prooven to have committed wrongdoing by the NCAA. Plus Kiffin is not well liked by the national media nor many in the football community, especially east of the Mississippi River.

The NCAA could ban Kiffin from off campus recruiting for a year, ban him from even contacting recruits, or simply reprimand him again. In any way, this does not look good for the USC head man.

Kiffin had no comment on the story at his Signing Day press conference yesterday in Heritage Hall at USC.

What Does USC's Current Recruiting Class Look Like?

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 27: The USC Trojans come through the tunnel to the field before the game with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Image

Total Commits: 29

Five Stars:  One

Headliners: George Farmer, Lamar Dawson, Aundrey Walker and Marqise Lee

While Kiffin and the Trojans were unable to talk 5-star ATH DeAnthony Thomas out of bolting north for Oregon, this is still a stellar class by Kiffin, sanctions or no sanctions. George Farmer is the best receiver in the country, they got two QBs in Cody Kessler and Max Wittek, Dawson could start at SAM linebacker as a freshman and Walker at OG.

They closed with Lee a stud safety/receiver, and also got Christian Heyward a DT, Junior Pomee a TE/WR, and Javorius Allen a RB/ATH on NSD. There's a slew of names I'm leaving out in this class, but just let me make this clear: The Trojans got even more talented with this class.

How Does This Effect USC's Current Recruiting Class?

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LOS ANGELES - SEPTEMBER 11: Head coach Lane Kiffin watches the USC Trojans warm up for their game with the Virginia Cavaliers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 11, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

I hate to say it, but this report does not bode well for USC's hopes in winning their appeal to NCAA for the sanctions that were placed on the athletic program last spring.

Even so, the NCAA could connect the sanctions and Kiffin's past Tennessee violations. Maybe even so by reducing even more scholarships USC will be able to give in the next coming years or even imposing a similar period of releasing these recruits from their LOIs and making them free to go elsewhere without penalty.

The NCAA did this last year with allowing Juniors and Seniors on USC's squad to transfer without having to redshirt.

If they do any of this, then this current incoming class may not all be Trojans come the fall and all the hard work of Kiffin, Orgeron, Garza and the rest of the staff did in recruiting could be out the window.

All due to Kiffin's past coming back and biting him.