Lane Kiffin to Houston makes sense ... for Kiffin, but not for Houston
I understand why Lane Kiffin wants to be a head coach again. Like most of his colleagues in this business, he’s an egomaniacal control freak.
That doesn’t mean he isn’t a fantastic offensive mind, of course. What he’s accomplished in three years as a coordinator at Alabama is impressive, especially with three different quarterbacks possessing decidedly different skill sets.
Blake Sims never got anywhere near an NFL roster, certainly not as a QB. Jake Coker had a cup of coffee with the Arizona Cardinals in training camp but was cut during the preseason — he didn’t even get picked up for a practice squad. While Jalen Hurts has light years more upside than those two, he’s only a true freshman.
What I can’t comprehend is why Houston would want Kiffin, unless it’s resigned to being just a pit stop on the coaching carousel.
Since the turn of the 21st century, nobody has manned the Cougars for longer than the five seasons that future Baylor coach Art Briles put in from 2003-07. Eventual Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin took over for Briles and lasted from 2008-11.
Tom Herman is the latest to subscribe to UH’s rent-a-coach philosophy. After moving up the ranks from Texas State to Rice to Iowa State to Ohio State as an offensive coordinator — winning it all with the Buckeyes in 2014 — he arrived in H-Town and had immediate success with the Cougs. Two years later, he took his talent to Texas.
That’s three coaches in the past decade who’ve essentially used Houston as a stepping stone to a bigger and better gig in the Lone Star State.
There’s no reason to believe the experience would be any different with Kiffin, assuming reports are true that he’s about to be named head coach. We’re talking about a guy who’s already run USC, Tennessee and the Oakland Raiders.
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Best-case scenario for Kiffin, he coaches the Cougars for two seasons — luckily, Herman left the program in very good shape — and then bounces to a legitimate national championship contender in a Power 5 conference. UH isn’t getting into the Big 12. From a football perspective, the Cougs might have already hit their ceiling.
Personally, I don’t see why hiring Kiffin would make sense for Houston. There’s no reason to believe Kiffin wouldn’t bail at his first opportunity.
That’s his track record, naturally. Kiffin can never walk comfortably in the Volunteer State, not after jilting the Vols in favor of the Trojans after one measly 7-6 campaign in 2009. He’s Public Enemy No. 1 at Neyland Stadium.
Unquestionably, Kiffin has rehabilitated his image following that failed stint of three-plus years — culminating in his infamous firing on the tarmac at LAX — at Southern Cal. ‘Bama is almost as terrifying on offense in 2016 as its annually dominant defense. He’s one of the top-paid assistants in the nation and worth every penny.
But there’s a reason higher-profile schools with current or recently filled vacancies didn’t give Kiffin more of a look.
He went 5-15 in a year and change with the Raiders before being unceremoniously thrown out of the building. While late Raiders owner Al Davis was anything but patient with coaches as he got older, he never trashed anyone like he did Kiffin.
Nonetheless, he landed quite softly at Tennessee. Not only was his stay in Knoxville “brief” — a one-word quote from former AD Mike Hamilton when asked about Kiffin’s tenure — but it was ripe with controversy. There was a spat with Urban Meyer. There were some unsavory comments made to Alshon Jeffery. He was his own worst enemy.
Students actually rioted and started fires on campus when he bolted for USC. That’s how poorly Kiffin handled his business.
To be fair, the Trojans were dealing with NCAA sanctions left in the wake of the Pete Carroll era when Kiffin assumed control. Still, his time there was a disappointment. Preseason No. 1 in 2012, Southern Cal finished 7-6 and unranked.
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At the college level, Kiffin sports an overall mark of 35-21 and is 0-2 in bowl games. Keep in mind that he assembled his record at two institutions — one public in the Southeast, one private on the West Coast — where football is more important than anything. He didn’t lack for resources at either, that’s for sure.
Now it appears he’s going to Houston? The Cougars are in the AAC, not the SEC or the Pac-12. Most fans have no idea who else is in that league.
Kiffin was 32 when he got the Raiders job, which should’ve been a red flag by itself. He was 34 when he went to Tennessee and 35 when he went to USC. Now 41, he’d still be one of the youngest coaches in America. Presumably, he’s matured.
UH would score points, that’s for certain. Kiffin has shown a remarkable ability to shape his scheme based on the talent — or lack thereof — he has at his disposal. He moved Sims around to make use of his athleticism. He had Coker dial up bombs from the pocket with his big arm. With Hurts, Alabama has morphed into a read-option system.
It’s been reported that a substantial buyout would be part of any contract, but there’s too much money floating around for that to truly matter.
Again, I totally get the interest from Kiffin’s point of view. He wants to be a head coach again. Career coordinator was never his plan. Working for Nick Saban is no picnic, either. It’s like being a dog: Every year feels like seven.
However, I don’t grasp the interest from Houston’s side. If an Oregon, for example, had shown him any love, he would own a closet full of green Nikes already. And if the Ducks — or anybody else with a shorter route to the College Football Playoff — come calling in a year or two, out the door he’ll go again.
As for the Crimson Tide, they’ll be fine. They already have Steve Sarkisian on staff. Saban apparently keeps USC pariahs in a closet somewhere.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
