The Kiffin hire: a retrospective

#1
wounded mullet

wounded mullet

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Jan 19, 2009
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#1
I got to thinking tonight of where our football team has been the past two years, alot of you are foaming at the mouth after Kiff's loss against the Ducks tonight. I know this has been a very fractured fanbase since our jolly clap happy pumpkin finally rolled out in 2008 leaving us a shell of a program left to pick up the pieces of a once proud program.

This isnt a pro Kiffin thread, God knows all this board needs is another coaching death match battle between former and current coaches, this is more of a look at what could have been if Hamilton didn't choose Kiffin and went in a different direction. For the record i don't really hold much against Kiffin, only for the simple fact he left our program at such a inopportune time, if anything i hate Carroll more for bailing like a weasel in the night knowing what was waiting his once proud program. A dream job is just that, not where i want to go with this though. Looking back at the supposed candidates for the scorned Fulmer job.

1.Butch Davis- A proven winner in the college ranks who had just recently taken over a program that resided in mediocrity known as anything in the Carolinas .Obviously he was just biding his time waiting for a big program to take him back to where he wanted to be. How did we not bite? Yet since the Kiffin hire Davis has been mired in falling below expectations and ineligible players in a conference which seems that no one wants that auto BCS bid from year to year. Davis hasnt shown anything since his departure from The U that would have made this marriage attractive.

2.Brian Kelly- The sexy pick, Bearcats are preforming better than the professional team. BCS bids, making more out of less, how could you pass up on him? Now looking at Kelly at a major program and he looks out of his element. Judging a coach not even a full year into his tenure might not be fair, but his putrid gameplan on the field and horrible decisions off the field (during practices) have to make you question if he is not better with a lower tier program with nothing to lose.


3.Fantasy picks.. Gruden.. Cowher. I still didnt understand the constant drum beat for these two. Gruden would have been a horrible hire. Would have felt awkward and like a carnival from the start. Gruden is a NFL coach, he treats his players like pieces in a Risk game. He dosent factor in emotion because these are grown men who are paid to do their jobs. College kids are a different beast. Would have been a huge disaster from the word go. Cowher? why? the fact he was mentioned was hilarious.

Obviously there were alot of other names in the running but these stood out. What am i getting to? Why all the Kiffin animosity VN? Would we really be in a better position today if we went away from the original hire? This program was destined to go in a downward spiral after our depth issues originated with Fulmer's bumbling of classes in the mid to late 00's. If anything this gives me hope that not all is lost. Dooley is best for what we have now,he has a blank canvas to prove himself and if he dosent we find the right man. Im excited for next year because im not sure what this coaching staff can offer with depth and talent. Much better than sulking over a loaded team pissing away the season and knowing you were stuck with this regime for a while.
I will stay positive for next year and look forward to what this staff can show me and have the hope just maybe this divided fanbase can find a beacon to rally around...

My one homer thread of the year and GBO..
 
#2
#2
wounded mullet said:
I got to thinking tonight of where our football team has been the past two years, alot of you are foaming at the mouth after Kiff's loss against the Ducks tonight. I know this has been a very fractured fanbase since our jolly clap happy pumpkin finally rolled out in 2008 leaving us a shell of a program left to pick up the pieces of a once proud program.

This isnt a pro Kiffin thread, God knows all this board needs is another coaching death match battle between former and current coaches, this is more of a look at what could have been if Hamilton didn't choose Kiffin and went in a different direction. For the record i don't really hold much against Kiffin, only for the simple fact he left our program at such a inopportune time, if anything i hate Carroll more for bailing like a weasel in the night knowing what was waiting his once proud program. A dream job is just that, not where i want to go with this though. Looking back at the supposed candidates for the scorned Fulmer job.

1.Butch Davis- A proven winner in the college ranks who had just recently taken over a program that resided in mediocrity known as anything in the Carolinas .Obviously he was just biding his time waiting for a big program to take him back to where he wanted to be. How did we not bite? Yet since the Kiffin hire Davis has been mired in falling below expectations and ineligible players in a conference which seems that no one wants that auto BCS bid from year to year. Davis hasnt shown anything since his departure from The U that would have made this marriage attractive.

2.Brian Kelly- The sexy pick, Bearcats are preforming better than the professional team. BCS bids, making more out of less, how could you pass up on him? Now looking at Kelly at a major program and he looks out of his element. Judging a coach not even a full year into his tenure might not be fair, but his putrid gameplan on the field and horrible decisions off the field (during practices) have to make you question if he is not better with a lower tier program with nothing to lose.


3.Fantasy picks.. Gruden.. Cowher. I still didnt understand the constant drum beat for these two. Gruden would have been a horrible hire. Would have felt awkward and like a carnival from the start. Gruden is a NFL coach, he treats his players like pieces in a Risk game. He dosent factor in emotion because these are grown men who are paid to do their jobs. College kids are a different beast. Would have been a huge disaster from the word go. Cowher? why? the fact he was mentioned was hilarious.

Obviously there were alot of other names in the running but these stood out. What am i getting to? Why all the Kiffin animosity VN? Would we really be in a better position today if we went away from the original hire? This program was destined to go in a downward spiral after our depth issues originated with Fulmer's bumbling of classes in the mid to late 00's. If anything this gives me hope that not all is lost. Dooley is best for what we have now,he has a blank canvas to prove himself and if he dosent we find the right man. Im excited for next year because im not sure what this coaching staff can offer with depth and talent. Much better than sulking over a loaded team pissing away the season and knowing you were stuck with this regime for a while.
I will stay positive for next year and look forward to what this staff can show me and have the hope just maybe this divided fanbase can find a beacon to rally around...

My one homer thread of the year and GBO..
Click to expand...

What u talking about? Gruden would be an awesome hire but he would never leave Tampa Bay! I back my man Dooley no reason not too. we lost to 5 top five teams now we beat 4 and go bowling..:dance2::rock::eek:k::):p:hi:
 
#3
#3
wounded mullet said:
I got to thinking tonight of where our football team has been the past two years, alot of you are foaming at the mouth after Kiff's loss against the Ducks tonight. I know this has been a very fractured fanbase since our jolly clap happy pumpkin finally rolled out in 2008 leaving us a shell of a program left to pick up the pieces of a once proud program.

This isnt a pro Kiffin thread, God knows all this board needs is another coaching death match battle between former and current coaches, this is more of a look at what could have been if Hamilton didn't choose Kiffin and went in a different direction. For the record i don't really hold much against Kiffin, only for the simple fact he left our program at such a inopportune time, if anything i hate Carroll more for bailing like a weasel in the night knowing what was waiting his once proud program. A dream job is just that, not where i want to go with this though. Looking back at the supposed candidates for the scorned Fulmer job.

1.Butch Davis- A proven winner in the college ranks who had just recently taken over a program that resided in mediocrity known as anything in the Carolinas .Obviously he was just biding his time waiting for a big program to take him back to where he wanted to be. How did we not bite? Yet since the Kiffin hire Davis has been mired in falling below expectations and ineligible players in a conference which seems that no one wants that auto BCS bid from year to year. Davis hasnt shown anything since his departure from The U that would have made this marriage attractive.

2.Brian Kelly- The sexy pick, Bearcats are preforming better than the professional team. BCS bids, making more out of less, how could you pass up on him? Now looking at Kelly at a major program and he looks out of his element. Judging a coach not even a full year into his tenure might not be fair, but his putrid gameplan on the field and horrible decisions off the field (during practices) have to make you question if he is not better with a lower tier program with nothing to lose.


3.Fantasy picks.. Gruden.. Cowher. I still didnt understand the constant drum beat for these two. Gruden would have been a horrible hire. Would have felt awkward and like a carnival from the start. Gruden is a NFL coach, he treats his players like pieces in a Risk game. He dosent factor in emotion because these are grown men who are paid to do their jobs. College kids are a different beast. Would have been a huge disaster from the word go. Cowher? why? the fact he was mentioned was hilarious.

Obviously there were alot of other names in the running but these stood out. What am i getting to? Why all the Kiffin animosity VN? Would we really be in a better position today if we went away from the original hire? This program was destined to go in a downward spiral after our depth issues originated with Fulmer's bumbling of classes in the mid to late 00's. If anything this gives me hope that not all is lost. Dooley is best for what we have now,he has a blank canvas to prove himself and if he dosent we find the right man. Im excited for next year because im not sure what this coaching staff can offer with depth and talent. Much better than sulking over a loaded team pissing away the season and knowing you were stuck with this regime for a while.
I will stay positive for next year and look forward to what this staff can show me and have the hope just maybe this divided fanbase can find a beacon to rally around...

My one homer thread of the year and GBO..
Click to expand...

Kiffin really hurt this program when it came to the fans and for the recruiting for this year. We will end up with a top 15 class IMO, but it just hurts going into a kid's home and convincing him there is stability. The fan's were very bitter over the last few year's of Fulmer.... we definitely didn't need them getting better and causing a very big split when it comes to every single topic.
 
#4
#4
wounded mullet said:
I got to thinking tonight of where our football team has been the past two years, alot of you are foaming at the mouth after Kiff's loss against the Ducks tonight. I know this has been a very fractured fanbase since our jolly clap happy pumpkin finally rolled out in 2008 leaving us a shell of a program left to pick up the pieces of a once proud program.

This isnt a pro Kiffin thread, God knows all this board needs is another coaching death match battle between former and current coaches, this is more of a look at what could have been if Hamilton didn't choose Kiffin and went in a different direction. For the record i don't really hold much against Kiffin, only for the simple fact he left our program at such a inopportune time, if anything i hate Carroll more for bailing like a weasel in the night knowing what was waiting his once proud program. A dream job is just that, not where i want to go with this though. Looking back at the supposed candidates for the scorned Fulmer job.

1.Butch Davis- A proven winner in the college ranks who had just recently taken over a program that resided in mediocrity known as anything in the Carolinas .Obviously he was just biding his time waiting for a big program to take him back to where he wanted to be. How did we not bite? Yet since the Kiffin hire Davis has been mired in falling below expectations and ineligible players in a conference which seems that no one wants that auto BCS bid from year to year. Davis hasnt shown anything since his departure from The U that would have made this marriage attractive.

2.Brian Kelly- The sexy pick, Bearcats are preforming better than the professional team. BCS bids, making more out of less, how could you pass up on him? Now looking at Kelly at a major program and he looks out of his element. Judging a coach not even a full year into his tenure might not be fair, but his putrid gameplan on the field and horrible decisions off the field (during practices) have to make you question if he is not better with a lower tier program with nothing to lose.


3.Fantasy picks.. Gruden.. Cowher. I still didnt understand the constant drum beat for these two. Gruden would have been a horrible hire. Would have felt awkward and like a carnival from the start. Gruden is a NFL coach, he treats his players like pieces in a Risk game. He dosent factor in emotion because these are grown men who are paid to do their jobs. College kids are a different beast. Would have been a huge disaster from the word go. Cowher? why? the fact he was mentioned was hilarious.

Obviously there were alot of other names in the running but these stood out. What am i getting to? Why all the Kiffin animosity VN? Would we really be in a better position today if we went away from the original hire? This program was destined to go in a downward spiral after our depth issues originated with Fulmer's bumbling of classes in the mid to late 00's. If anything this gives me hope that not all is lost. Dooley is best for what we have now,he has a blank canvas to prove himself and if he dosent we find the right man. Im excited for next year because im not sure what this coaching staff can offer with depth and talent. Much better than sulking over a loaded team pissing away the season and knowing you were stuck with this regime for a while.
I will stay positive for next year and look forward to what this staff can show me and have the hope just maybe this divided fanbase can find a beacon to rally around...

My one homer thread of the year and GBO..
Click to expand...

He may have a blank canvas but he has a really crappy paintbrush and only a few colors to paint with right now....
 
#5
#5
tvols75 said:
Kiffin really hurt this program when it came to the fans and for the recruiting for this year. We will end up with a top 15 class IMO, but it just hurts going into a kid's home and convincing him there is stability. The fan's were very bitter over the last few year's of Fulmer.... we definitely didn't need them getting better and causing a very big split when it comes to every single topic.
Click to expand...

Good points but as i said before i think this just became more of a reality check that maybe just maybe we aren't the end all program for destination jobs in the current college football landscape. Its not the days of hiring a good ole boy from inside the program and riding him till the wheels fall off. To me, 09 was simply a perfect storm of hiring a west coast guy who fell into the only other job he would have left for. Looking at the other candidates who none had strong UT ties, if the same situation came up, do you think they would have stayed as well? Im really not trying to troll the anti Kif crowd here. Im just giving a reality check, We are pretty much in the same position we would have been in when it comes to depth and talent. Granted our fanbase is in shambles because of the last two years but this team wasnt getting any better.
 
#6
#6
At the same time Auburn was also looking for a coach. Their AD hired his guy despite the wishes of the fan base. Chizik was booed upon his arrival. Hamilton hires a "Splash" guy. A guy who has no business coaching a pee wee team much less Tennessee. But the fans wanted him and they loved him. He was the anti-Fulmer. Now two years later, look at where Auburn is and where UT is. Blame Hamilton.
 
#7
#7
gators21vols19 said:
At the same time Auburn was also looking for a coach. Their AD hired his guy despite the wishes of the fan base. Chizik was booed upon his arrival. Hamilton hires a "Splash" guy. A guy who has no business coaching a pee wee team much less Tennessee. But the fans wanted him and they loved him. He was the anti-Fulmer. Now two years later, look at where Auburn is and where UT is. Blame Hamilton.
Click to expand...

Good point with Hammy wanting to make a splash and all, but I have a little problem with the Auburn comparison, and I have thought about this ALOT:
1) Auburn was not half as depleted talent and numbers wise as UT
2) Auburn is 7-6 or at most 8-5 without Cam "The Man" Newton. How smart does Auburn look then???
 
#8
#8
Kevinyaheard said:
Good point with Hammy wanting to make a splash and all, but I have a little problem with the Auburn comparison, and I have thought about this ALOT:
1) Auburn was not half as depleted talent and numbers wise as UT
2) Auburn is 7-6 or at most 8-5 without Cam "The Man" Newton. How smart does Auburn look then???
Click to expand...

I agree - don't know the Auburn depth chart - but next year or the year after when Cam is gone and we are a little deeper let's do the same comparison and see how the two teams stack up. A lot of Kiffin's first class are gone and he took people like Aaron Douglas away from us as well but the talent that he recruited and then tried to steal away that are in this years freshmen class are outstanding and if he had stayed we would in all likelihood have become the SC of the East. I don't think Monte can coach that well but that staff could flat out recruit and everyone including Florida and Alabama were scared of them for that reason. I hate Kiffin and also heard that he has already changed his son's name but unless they implode he will likely be successful at SC. They will give him a pass for several years because of the sanctions.
 
#9
#9
gators21vols19 said:
At the same time Auburn was also looking for a coach. Their AD hired his guy despite the wishes of the fan base. Chizik was booed upon his arrival. Hamilton hires a "Splash" guy. A guy who has no business coaching a pee wee team much less Tennessee. But the fans wanted him and they loved him. He was the anti-Fulmer. Now two years later, look at where Auburn is and where UT is. Blame Hamilton.
Click to expand...

Exactly!!
 
#10
#10
I think down the road we will see that the Kiffin Hire, though painful in the short term , probably served a purpose,,,,, a re-boot from the Fulmer regime.
 
#11
#11
Look how ISU has fallen off after the departure.

Bad hire for us. Kiff is a young douche. Move on.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#12
#12
People keep steering right around the idiot that made the hire in the first place and lay blame at the coaches feet. Man some people just don't get it and never will apparently.

It's quite simple folks, Fulmer was left in place way too long. Who's fault is that? Hamilton's and which ever good ole boy kept telling him to wait on firing him.

Kiffin hire, high risk, high reward if it worked out, it didn't. Who's fault is that? AD's fault.

Some say a athletics directors main job is raise money. I say BS to that.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR is his title not fund raiser. He was hired to oversee athletics, he sucks at it, the end.
 
#13
#13
gators21vols19 said:
At the same time Auburn was also looking for a coach. Their AD hired his guy despite the wishes of the fan base. Chizik was booed upon his arrival. Hamilton hires a "Splash" guy. A guy who has no business coaching a pee wee team much less Tennessee. But the fans wanted him and they loved him. He was the anti-Fulmer. Now two years later, look at where Auburn is and where UT is. Blame Hamilton.
Click to expand...

Amen. Hamilton wanting to hire his guy so he could have all the credit if things went well. Now he should take all the blame. Hamilton needs to be fired today.
 
#14
#14
It's been said once before on this thread, but without Cam Newton, I don't think Auburn is anywhere near the #1 team it is now. Somehow if Newton came to UT this year instead of AU, would we have beaten FL? SC? LSU? I don't think AU beats Oregon this year with CM. I'll be patient. OP is right. If you let someone go, you should have a better alternative to hire. I don't have the answer, but I know more depth and better talent will help. Please let us get to a bowl (any bowl). We sure do need the extra practice time.
 
#16
#16
wounded mullet said:
My one homer thread of the year and GBO..
Click to expand...

Mullet -- you forgot to add Cutcliff to your list -- there was a vocal group who were calling for hiring that recruiting guru. After running Mississippi's program into the mud he is on pace to go 2 - 10 at Duke this year after squeaking out a win against the mighty Midshipmen of Navy. --
 
Last edited:
#17
#17
Kevinyaheard said:
Good point with Hammy wanting to make a splash and all, but I have a little problem with the Auburn comparison, and I have thought about this ALOT:
1) Auburn was not half as depleted talent and numbers wise as UT
2) Auburn is 7-6 or at most 8-5 without Cam "The Man" Newton. How smart does Auburn look then???
Click to expand...

1) Numbers wise, yes it was. Hell before last year they weren't that talented either

2) Auburn has Dyer, McCalebb, and Darvin Adams. Newton is just the final piece to the puzzle. Overkill, but still.
 
#18
#18
Fullfillmer said:
Mullet -- you forgot to add Cutcliff to your list -- there was a vocal group who were calling for hiring that recruiting guru. After running Mississippi's program into the mud he is on pace to go 2 - 10 at Duke this year after squeaking out a win against the mighty Midshipmen of Navy. --
Click to expand...
David Cutcliffe is the Norv Turner of college football. Great assistant , not so great head coach. Some guys have a bloated since of self worth. Cutcliffe landed at the right place though. Duke is used to sucking , they'll probably let him stay as long as he wants. After all he coached the Manning boys, his claim to fame.
 
#19
#19
That game made me re-think my thoughts concerning the Kiffin hire. I found myself pulling for USC. I have no ill-will towards the guy. He could have just snubbed UT all together and not come here. At least he didn't do that and he gave 110% while employed here.
 
#20
#20
Everytime I log on here, there's another thread about coach Kiffin. It's way past time to let go. Its like this fan base is obsessing over the little girl who broke their heart in the seventh grade. Move on guys, move on.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#21
#21
If we had hired Gruden we would have been in a very similar situation. Not that Gruden would have jumped ship, he had zero cfb HC experience and no coordinator experience. While his NFL HC record is better and has a SB ring, his overall record is nothing great.

Hiring a new HC is crapshoot and even worse if you fire a coach. Sometimes you get it right (Meyers, Petersen, Chizik), sometimes you get it wrong (any ND coach, Shula, Croom). You never know what you have until the season is over then its too late.
 
#22
#22
Dooley has my full support. I pray that he helps our program turn the corner because he's what we've got.

I was never very excited about Butch Davis, primarily because of his age. I'd rather have someone young and hungry. I agree with the OP about Gruden, not sure his style would work at the college level.

I was very excited during Kiffin's brief tenure, the on-field discipline he brought was a very wecome relief after the last several years of the Fulmer regime. However, the timing of Kiffin's departure is unforgivable. He burned a bridge with me that will never be rebuild.
 
#23
#23
utfantilidie said:
That game made me re-think my thoughts concerning the Kiffin hire. I found myself pulling for USC. I have no ill-will towards the guy. He could have just snubbed UT all together and not come here. At least he didn't do that and he gave 110% while employed here.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree that he gave 110% while here. I don't even hold it against him for leaving to his dream job. What I do hold against him is his total lack of respect for Tennessee tradition. Putting up USC highlights in the sports complex ? We are not USC, we are Tennessee. I, for one, am glad he is gone.
 
#24
#24
well we owe Kiffin a few things. We wouldnt have Bray if it wasnt for him..
 
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