KNOXVILLE — University of Tennessee football is rich in tradition and Vols Wire will explore the program by examining each head coach’s tenure.
This installment will look back on Lane Kiffin’s brief one-year tenure as head coach in Big Orange Country. His stay lasted through the 2009 season. Although the Vols went 7-6 and made a bowl game, his hiring and subsequent unexpected departure began one of the darkest eras in UT football history.
Kiffin came to Knoxville to replace legendary coach Phillip Fulmer, who was dismissed during the 2008 campaign. His dismal was in the midst of one of the program’s two losing seasons since Fulmer replaced Johnny Majors, an icon in football history on Rocky Top. The Tennessee legend was fired before homecoming, but was permitted to finish the season. Fulmer won his final two games and the Volunteers went 5-7.
Kiffin came to Knoxville after a stint as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California, making him the first outsider to coach UT since Bill Battle.
Upon his arrival, Kiffin’s brash attitude was a breath of fresh air for fans and he later opened spring to fans. He made it clear that there was a new sheriff in town and that nobody was going to push Tennessee around anymore.
He had a signature Southeastern Conference win over Georgia.
Kiffin left to return to USC. He replaced Pete Carroll as head coach, where he was subsequently fired. Before coming to UT, he had an unsuccessful tenure in the NFL as head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
After leaving USC, the Fresno State graduate was offensive coordinator at Alabama and head coach at Florida Atlantic.
He is currently the head coach at Ole Miss.