The media spoke with Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin about the possibility of him leaving Tampa Bay after the end of the 2008 season to go to Tennessee with his son, Lane, who was recently hired as the Volunteers' new head coach. Today, ESPN has reported that Monte will join Lane in Tennessee.

When asked about that report, Monte Kiffin said, "It's all just speculation. That's all it is. I'm just telling you, I can honestly tell you that is just speculation just like when it came up with the Raiders. It came up last year, okay? So, all I want to talk about, stay focused on, is Monday Night Football, Carolina Panthers, and the game we just played."

Kiffin could have ended the speculation by refuting the story and chose not to. Lane Kiffin was fired as the Oakland Raiders head coach earlier this season. He was the youngest head coach in NFL history. Based on the disclosure by Raiders owner Al Davis that Lane Kiffin was Chris Mortensen's source when Kiffin was Oakland's head coach, and the fact that Mortensen has reported the fact that Monte will be going to the Vols, it would not be surprising to see Kiffin leave Tampa Bay. Neither Kiffin, nor Bucs head coach Jon Gruden did enough to convey that Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator won't become a Volunteer. 



"It's not fair to our players," said Kiffin of the rumors. "Tonight is not about Monte Kiffin, okay? It's about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, our defensive football team, Jon Gruden, our offense, our special teams in a great, great win and we are 9-3. So why would we want to talk about that?"

Defensive backs coach Raheem Morris, whose contract is up at the end of the season, is certainly a candidate for the defensive coordinator position should Kiffin leave at the end of the season. Another possibility is assistant head coach Larry Coyer replacing Kiffin. Coyer was a defensive coordinator in Denver (2003-06) and has the trust of head coach Jon Gruden. Morris, 32, has coached with Kiffin for six years and served as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006. 



Kiffin was asked if he'll address the speculation later on or at the end of the season, "We'll see. It's all speculation, it really is. It's all I can tell you. It's speculation."

Other potential candidates to fill the Bucs' possible defensive coorinator vacancy include Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, should he be fired by Detroit, and Bucs linebackers coach Gus Bradley, whose contract is up at the end of the year. Marinelli coached the Bucs defensive line in Tampa Bay from 1996-2005, but does not have any defensive coordinator experience. Bradley has been a defensive coordinator at North Dakota State (2000-02, 2005), and has three years of coaching experience at the NFL level with the Buccaneers.

From 1966 through 1982 Kiffin coached in the college ranks. Kiffin was the defensive coordinator at Nebraska and Arkansas. He also was the head coach of North Carolina State from 1980-1982.

During Kiffin's tenure in Tampa Bay, he has 10 seasons where he has coached the Bucs to a top-10 ranking. The Bucs had the number one overall unit in 2002 and 2005. The 2002 unit led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl championship. Last year's defense was ranked second in the NFL in total yards allowed.

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