Kiffin officially named Tennessee coach

Dec 1, 2008 - 2:19 AM KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Tennessee officially has named Lane Kiffin as its new head football coach.

The former coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders, Kiffin will be formally introduced as Phillip Fulmer's successor during a news conference scheduled for 2 p.m. EST Monday afternoon.

Kiffin will inherit a Tennessee team reeling from its second losing campaign in four years under the embattled Fulmer, who coached the Volunteers to a 5-7 record this season.

The Volunteers will unveil Kiffin less than two days after posting a 28-10 victory over Kentucky in Fulmer's final game as Tennessee's coach.

Despite his limited head coaching experience, the 33-year-old Kiffin evidently has impressed Tennessee.

"Over the past few weeks, we have been on the road meeting with prospective coaches and talking to some of football's most influential and knowledgeable players and coaches about the future of the Tennessee football program," athletic director Mike Hamilton said in a statement released Sunday.

"We have had unbelievable interest from great coaches. When it was all said and done, we felt like Lane Kiffin was a perfect fit for Tennessee. He's energetic, charismatic, consumed with recruiting and has had a lifelong love affair with football."

Kiffin, 33, was fired by the Raiders this past September 30 after posting a 5-15 record in his one-plus seasons in Oakland.

Prior to taking the Oakland job, Kiffin served as Southern California's offensive coordinator in 2005-06, following four seasons as an assistant for the Trojans.

According to multiple reports, Kiffin's father, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Monte Kiffin, could possibly follow his son to Tennessee.

However, the elder Kiffin downplayed any talk of leaving his longtime post with the Buccaneers.

"It's all just speculation," Monte Kiffin said after Tampa Bay's 23-20 victory over New Orleans. "That's all it is. I can honestly tell you it's just speculation, just like it came up with the Raiders two years ago."

Saturday's victory over Kentucky marked the end of Fulmer's 17-year reign in Knoxville. The dean of SEC coaches, Fulmer went 152-52 with the Volunteers, who won the 1998 national title and reached 15 bowl games during his tenure.

With the win, Tennessee remained the only team in major college football history to never endure an eight-loss season.

Still, Kiffin will face the challenge of resurrecting a Tennessee program that has not reached a BCS bowl game since 1999.

The Volunteers also have lagged in recruiting behind current SEC powerhouses Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana State.

Considered an offensive guru, Kiffin will be charged with improving a Tennessee team that averaged 268.8 yards per game and scored just 17.3 points per game this season.

The Volunteers ranked 11th in the SEC in total offense and 10th in scoring offense.