Lane Kiffin Recruiting Violation: Time Is Now for Kiffin to Take Control

Lane Kiffin can't seem to escape controversy. The issues mentioned here are just another in a long line of issues that have followed Kiffin since he joined the NCAA's head coaching ranks.

Ironically, the only issues that he's really suffered for are the ones that USC is suffering though right now. The Trojans are in the second year of a two-year postseason ban for violations that Kiffin had nothing to do with. 

But Kiffin's one year at Tennessee was filled with controversy. No, none of the incidents were especially egregious, but there were far too many of them.

That's really the concerning factor here. Any one violation could be a relatively innocent misunderstanding. But when you add all of them together, it's a bit troubling.

But again, most of these incidents came in his one and only season as Tennessee's head coach. While he had been a college assistant before then, that was his first experience as an NCAA head coach. So, you can cut a little bit of slack for a guy who may not have been completely aware of all of the odds and ends of the NCAA rulebook.

But looking back on the past isn't going to do us any good here. What we can do is look forward at a few possible scenarios. Kiffin needs to follow either one of these.

1) Return to the NFL

Plenty of coaches that had bad records with the Raiders have gone on to fine NFL careers. Kiffin could easily follow in their footsteps.

At 36, Kiffin is certainly young enough to return to the NFL. He might need to do so by being a coordinator for a few years, but that's certainly possible.

This actually isn't the scenario that I am hoping for. But if Kiffin can't demonstrate a better sense of organizational control and knowledge of all rules, this is his best bet.

2) Stay at USC and Bring Them Out of Scandal

This is the one that I am hoping for.

The punishment that the Trojans are currently feeling has nothing to do with Kiffin, or any of the current players. 

Kiffin can’t do anything about that, but what he can do is take extra steps to be sure that these don’t happen again under his watch.

The responsibility is on Kiffin to run a tight ship in Los Angeles. Don’t let anything else happen again. Even if it’s a fairly minor thing, both Kiffin and USC are under a microscope.

If Kiffin can find a way to keep that program clean, he will go a long way in removing some of the stigma that follows him.