Our boy no more ... Kiffin disappoints with move to USC

So Lane, just one question? Did USC agree to pay your buyout as well as Bryce Brown's?

The seismic news out of SoCal is that first-year Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin figured it was a lot easier winning in the Pac-10 than it is in the SEC (and there's no Urban Meyer to get in his head) so he is now the USC coach after going 7-5 in his one season in Knoxville. (Good news for Bruce Pearl ... that's right you're the Big Man on Campus again). He's definitely escaping Knoxville like he possesses some of that SEC speed.

Word is Kiffin is also taking his daddy--defensive wiz Monte Kiffin--and the $650,000-a-year assistant head coach Ed Orgeron.

The UT message boards and blogs are going crazy. While some at USC are hailing this hire. With the crap that Pete Carroll left behind and the pending NCAA sanctions, wouldn't have made more sense for the Trojans to hire someone who didn't have weekly run-ins with NCAA brass?

While USC seems to have its man, who does Tennessee target now? Duke's David Cutcliffe, Air Force's Troy Calhoun, Virginia Tech's Bud Foster or East Carolina's Skip Holtz make sense. But sense UT doesn't seem to mind the publicity that comes with ego-first coaches, maybe Mike Leach or Jim Leavitt could step in right away.

Let's not forget, Phil Fulmer is still interested.

Podcast: Episode 53

Episode 53

An Eye and an Eer: College Football Podcast

Tom may be on vacation, but he wouldn't let his buddy Phil down and not show up for this week's show. Hey, there's way too much to discuss.

We start with coaching hires (Brian Kelly, Turner Gill, Butch Jones and Doc Holliday) as well as coaches signing extensions (Jim Harbaugh). We also discuss the pros and cons of the potential growth of the Big 10 to 12 teams (what will we call the conference then?), as well as talk about the first week of the bowl season (really, are any of you going to watch the New Mexico Bowl?).

Phil also tackles some big topics in our weekly Quick Hitters, including if Mark Ingram was a deserving Heisman Trophy winner and the decision of Jake Locker to return to Washington for another year of apprenticeship under Steve Sarkisian. Tom questions why Virginia Tech DC Bud Foster is never considered a top candidate for head coaching jobs and the strength of Big East coaches.

Another week, another show.

Ramblings from the Retired One

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

Here are my latest rants after the weekend action:

* The fans at Notre Dame should have thrown the snowballs at the people who hired SHREK as the head football coach, not the players. Gophers with the title of coach in their previous job should never be hired. Notre Dame's coach never played a down of college football. A person who played at Tinker Toy Tech or Sam Houston Institute of Technology (good ol' SHIT) would do a better job than what is going on at ND today. Maybe Southern Cal will give ND the final reason for letting Shrek quit honorably. The knee injury has hampered his thinking.

* Here is the way the BCS can get the matchup it needs. Florida State upsets Florida. Florida beats Alabama. This way the BCS can have USC, Texas and Oklahoma to choose from. This will stop the SEC dominance for one year.

* How many teams from each conference should receive bowl bids.

1. ACC (7)
2. Big East (5)
3. Big Ten (6)
4. Pac-10 (5)
5. Big 12 (7)
6. SEC (8)
7. BCS Busters (3)
8. Other conferences (as few as possible)
   

* Will Virginia Tech D-Coordinator Bud Foster finally get a job as a head football coach?

* Is Cincinnati's Brian Kelly headed to Tennessee? That would be an interesting mix.

* Who will be the all time winningest college football coach? Who will make the long haul? I am betting on Bobby Bowden. He is six years younger than Grandpa Joe.

* What are the chances Rich-Rod will be able to get out of his Michigan deal so he can go to Clemson? He would fit in better at Clemson. He can get players like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry into Clemson way before he ever will at Michigan.

* West Virginia may be getting the best QB/WR duo East of the Mississippi as their two top recruits this year.

* Iowa put together a nice run at the end of the season.

* I'll let you know my coach of the year and Heisman choice next week.

* Turkey and college football go hand in hand.

ACC Report

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

The ACC is the most balanced conference in the country. Eight out of 12 teams have winning records. Eleven members of the conference still have a chance to become bowl eligible. I think eight will participate in a bowl game.

The biggest disappointment is going to be the conference championship game. The Atlantic division needs Florida State in the game, not Wake Forest. We want excitement not a sleeping pill. North Carolina vs. FSU would be perfect.

The ACC is gaining more respect now than at any other time. They have the best group of coaches in the country.
I have to say I was surprised when Duke's David Cutcliffe said he was not interested in the Tennessee job. I don't think Clemson will keep the interim coach. They will do a national search and find a better fit. Some rumors are they would like to sign Tommy Tuberville from Auburn. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster seems to make a lot of people's short list for coaching vacancies. He always seems to finish second on those lists in the end. There has to be a reason.

Maryland pulled their normal stuff again. Win a big game, get everybody excited then lose one they shouldn't. Boston College had a great win. Any time Notre Dame loses it is great. They haven't had any class since Ara retired. We will find out how real Miami is over the next couple weeks.

Final thought: Isn't it strange that the ACC has two head coaches that never played college football?