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Kiffin To Tennessee: "It's Just Speculation" |
 Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will reportedly folow his son Lane to Tennessee (Reinhold Matay) |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin dodged questions addressing the rumors that he will depart the organization to go coach with his son Lane Kiffin at Tennessee. Kiffin has been with the Bucs since 1996, and made the Bucs defense famous. Kiffin's effective scheme is known as the ‘Tampa 2.'
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.
Comments
christopher
The title seems to suggest that the Kiffin deal is done.
10:21pm, November 30, 2008
tpeluso
Agreed. Anything other than a firm "It's not true" by Monte indicates to me that he's going to leave.
I've feared it happening for a while now, and while I'm sure someone like Raheem Morris could step into the defensive coordinator role and do an admirable job next year, I just don't know if him or anyone else out there could match the level of work Monte's done for us.
Still, if Monte does leave, I wish him nothing but the best, and in the meantime, let's focus on the rest of the season and getting to the Super Bowl in our damn house.
12:12am, December 1, 2008
bucfan47
I totally agree. He's gone. But leaving is Knoxville could get a whole lot better for me. I get to see him roam the sidelines for a few more seasons...Sweet..
8:25am, December 1, 2008
magicbuc
Lane Kiffin is making 2 million a year at Tenn...I am sure Tennessee is not going to pay Monte more then the head coach...suggesting Monte would have to take a cut. And leave the beach for Knokville. I just don't see it.
3:14pm, December 1, 2008
sanders9759
Word out of Tennessee is it was a package deal. no Monte , No Lane. If Monte leaves I see vets retireiring and kiss the defense goodbye. There is NO replacement for him that has the brains to do what he does to make the adjustments that need to be made during a game. If he leaves it will be a very sad day in Tampa but we must wish him well.
5:30pm, December 1, 2008
sumosam
One thing that we all should have learned by now after watching so much football is that Hall of Fame type guys like Monte cannot be replaced. There are many things that cannot be passed along to another coach like personality, expectations, mannerisms, respect, honesty, etc. Hopefully a competent replacement can come in here and do a good job for us but we can never expect to have another coach like Monte. What a great career he has had. In fact, if the Hall of Fame allows assistant coaches to go in, he'll be there.
No doubt, if he decides to leave, we will miss him. One thing about Monte is that he cannot handle the cold too well. We've seen him with jackets on in september here. Maybe he'll have 2nd thoughts and come to his senses and stay where he can be warm.
6:43pm, December 1, 2008
bucfever40
I feared this scenario many times, and the only thing I can do is consider who would even come close to replacing him. I immediately think Rod Marinelli would be the best fit should he be released by the Lions, he may not have coordinator experience, but he knows dfense AND has the respect of ALL his players. Raheem Morris, my only concern here is that he certainly wont be as well versed as Monty AND he's younger than some players we have now, I would think he might have a hill to climb to earn some respect in the ball park of Monty or Rod. I brifely thought of bringing back Wayne Fontes, but it's just been too long since he's roamed the sidelines. I will say the ONLY reason Monte would even consider this deal is strickly to have the chance to help his son, otherwise this would be several steps down the coaching ladder of success, you just don't go from being the highest paid coordinator to coach the same position in the college ranks, that is unless you were only going to coach a couple more years (70yrs old) and it was to help your son create his own legacy, otherwise living a great life on the warm waters of the Gulf and coaching an upper tier team in the NFL (with TOTAL control) might be an impossible gig to beat. Great for Lane and the Tennesse organization, but a major bummer for us fans of Tampa Bay.
6:51pm, December 1, 2008
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