Lane Kiffin’s Turning Point Was 2011

What I think changed Lane Kiffin was the 2011 season when he went 11-2. He emerged from it arrogant and impossible to deal with at times. Kiffin thought he was infallible after that season and let his worst impulses take over. Instead of becoming secure in his status, he became a dictator who could not be questioned.
And if you talk to people within the athletic dept., they did not like dealing with him around that time.

57 thoughts on “Lane Kiffin’s Turning Point Was 2011

  1. So it turns out you were right and all the rah rahs were wrong about Kiffin. He becomes the first head football coach in USC history to be fired in mid-season. Now we need an inspired hire like the one Haden made for basketball and we will right the ship.

    • rah rahs were WRONG about Kiffin?

      I wanted Kiffin to succeed simply because he was USC’s head coach.

      I don’t recall ANYONE here saying he was a GOOD coach for USC.

      You might have the impression that many of us “rah rah” (translation: guys who back our team) defended Kiffin. It was more of a case that Scott was beating a dead horse and it just became whining when he’d blog on the subject 20x per week.

      In the end, there were 2 groups of SC fans:
      1. Those who thought he should be fired and thought whining about it would actually have an effect on something.
      2. Those who thought he should be fired but decided to cheer on the PLAYERS and supporting the team.

      • The whining did have an effect, so did not attending games or donating money you rah rah sunshine pumping moron. Guys like you are willing to accept mediocrity for the sake of the players. You think the players liked Kiffin ? They want to win, hopefully Haden hires someone who will help them do that.

        • Thanks for your post that pretty much showed your age.

          Can you put any substance in that post? Or is name calling all you’re capable of? If it’s the latter, who’s the “moron”?

          You think whining fired Kiffin? Not the lack of a solid upcoming recruiting class or the decommits of a few months ago?

          Not the 60,000 in attendance?

          Geez…I guess whining had more to do with it than any of those factors about.

          • LOL right? Im sure the USC administration pays close attention to this blog and the comments.

          • They must or else you wouldn’t be on here constantly attacking the main critic of the failed Kiffin Era.

          • I typically just banter with the uclowns on here. I have criticized kiffin plenty but i still support USC and the football team, no matter who the coach is. Every post i can remember you making has been glass half-empty, which must be a depressing way to live. If you think that wolf had any part of kiffin’s firing, you are delusional. Wolf is a joke to everyone in the athletic department, and the players!

        • Define: “Sunshine Pumper” since you seem adamant about this term.

          Is it someone who’s an optimist? I’d rather be that than the latter.

          I’ve got news for you and this will get under your skin: You admire Wolf’s bitterness because it reflects your own outlook on life. People who are miserable get pissed off when they see people happy or successful. Then they wonder why they have no friends.

          Defending Wolf as a reporter is worse than someone saying Kiffin is a good coach (which I don’t remember ANYONE saying on this blog).

      • You have a short memory. All you rah rahs attacked Scott continually for his pointing out that the program was sinking. You simply didn’t want to hear it so you tried to mock and harrass this reporter from the Daily News who just happened to graduate from USC. Luckily our Journalism Department isn’t run by you pollyannas. The dead horse is your 4 years of attacking Scott instead of admitting we made a bad hire.

        • Show me ONE post where one of us said Kiffin is the right coach for USC.

          You happen to love Scott Wolf because he probably shares the same bitterness toward life as you do.

          For the rest of us, it’s not like we thought Kiffin was an awesome coach. We were simply tired of him beating a dead horse.

      • There are many who thought that Kiffin was doing a good job. Read the comments. Like many of you (you included) that thought or still think that USC defense is top notch. Perdergast did not stop anyone of substance with his gimmick defense while at cal.

        • Who thought Kiffin was doing a good job???? Post a link.

          Go to ANY of the other real boards and you’ll find yourself in the minority.

          You get pissed when people cheer on their team though thick and thin? Look up the word FAN — stems from the word FANATIC.

          People are going to cheer their team. Deal with it.

          Even after Kiffin is fired, I’m going to hope the best for the program.

          Not you — the sky is falling. Why don’t you just end it and put a bullet in your head?

    • Basketball hire? Has he coached a game yet? Does anyone at SC care about basketball? 2 more years of scholarship restrictions ahead. It will be interesting to see who wants to sign up for that. Haden wisely trying to get a head start on Texas.

      • Wrong. One more year, this recruiting year, then one more year of 75 roster limit.

        Because Kiffin undersigned for two years in a row, can sign 18 or 19 this year, although I think a few of those have to be early enrollees.

        • That sounds like 2 years if you add 1 and 1 together. Haden has his work cut out for him. No guarantee on who you will hire. There were 2 decades plus of Robinson II, Hackett, Tollner and Smith then you stumbled into Pete Carroll as the 5th choice. Played great but left you with a mess. Someone will come along and get a great paycheck for a reclamation project. SC will get back to being good, the question is how soon? Everyone is now chasing Oregon and Stanford, not the Trojans.

          • And look at what Stanford did to the 2 teams that USC lost against.

            The gap is THAT big. Even after the scholarships are restored, the mess of not developing kids and losing recruits in the process leaves a mess that many are saying will take years to overcome.

          • This is what rock bottom for USC looks like. This team might have 10 losses this season (although they should get a win v Colorado). It’s a total reconstruction.

      • Isn’t it ONE more year of scholie reductions?

        I wonder which destination (UT vs. USC) would be more attractive. USC can pay more, but UT doesn’t have sanctions.

  2. What sealed his fate this year was all the bitching about the scholie restrictions.

    No one in the press pointed out that Kiffin UNDERSIGNED FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW. During schlarship restrictions. That is a least six scholarships that went elsewhere.

    So when Lame comlained that he was down to less than 60 scholarship players, saomeone should have pointed out that he left six on the table.

  3. Managing success is more difficult than managing mediocrity. Lane is destined for the latter and always has been.

    • Truth be told, Kiffin didn’t manage mediocrity. This team this season is probably 10th or so in the conference.

  4. Cowherd was on with Harvey Hyde and Arbogast about 20 minutes ago on KSPN. Hyde bluntly asked him about his (Cowherd’s) defense of Kiffin. Cowherd agreed and then stated he watched the performance in the 2012 Sun Bowl – lack of preparation of the two qb’s since Barkley was out – Kiffin spent his time on ‘defense’ due to his obvious ineptitude by his father. Cowherd, Hyde and Arbogast noted the hemorrhaging of assistant coaches as well as the way they were treated by Kiffin.

    Arbogast was told the number of USC heads arrayed behind Kiffin during the 3rd quarter last night – in particular Tim Tessalone.

    They noted Kiffin was pulled off the bus when they returned to LA at the terminal over on Imperial Highway where he was told then he was out by Haden, McKay and Tessalone.

    Handicapping has Del Rio as the main candidate but owherd and Hyde both liked the idea of Sumlin out of TX A&M.

    • Come on. Del Rio, strictly NFL ,wouldn’t have the necessary patience with Div. 1 football. Sumlin leaving A& M would be folly.

      • Whoever it ends up being, they should hire him ASAP so we can attract recruits for next year.

        UCLA did the right thing in naming Mora before the Fight Hunger Bowl and not waiting until the offseason.

        • Yes, but Mora was not coaching at the time and about as popular a choice going in as Carroll was when he was hired. SC would have to hire someone available now and pass on Sumlin, Petersen or whoever else is still in coaching, Someone mentioned the name Herm Edwards, and he is not currently coaching.

          • Prob you’re right – Haden has to be careful and let the season proceed under Orgeron until 30th Nov (after UCLA game). Anything done now will be in haste i.e. desperation – not a smart way to make a major decision.

            Haden made a smart pick with Enfield but the HC of USC has a legacy of prominence all of its own.

  5. I take it that this is also Wolf’s turning point? Maybe some genuine sports reporting for a huge change?

    Anyone consider the fact that maybe some heads were threatened above Kiffins if something didn’t happen right now? Like the AD and crew are trying to save their own butts? Did some real supporters (meaning money) finally get to the president and his board?

    • Wolf will have to scour his brain for original ideas now. Oh, nevermind….just type in USC v. UCLA and let the discussion start! Much simpler that way and he still gets paid.

    • Is this your turning point when you will stop being a sunshine pumper instead of blindly defending a loser like Kiffin?

  6. NICE to see, the Village Idiot (T-Fail) is back on pace to hit the magic 4,000 mark for dumb posts.

    Fit UN!

  7. Sounds like opinion!
    Wolf you sound like a stalker girlfriend that has a vendetta.
    Its ok, your wish has come true..
    Kiffin is out!

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