DRAFT Magazine

Thanks in part to Pete Carroll’s immense success, the University of Southern California football coaching job is arguably the premier spot in the country. The man who takes it commands the attention of the second-largest city in the United States. He faces no NFL competition for publicity. Outside his office door is sunshine, the beach, outstanding recruits, incredible tradition — who could ask for more?

Carroll obviously did, hoping to improve his NFL legacy by bringing Seattle its first Super Bowl win. Hoping not to lose his recruits and miss out on others, USC quickly filled the spot with 34-year-old Lane Kiffin.

The choice has been controversial. In Tennessee, where he coached for all of one year, Kiffin is just about being burned in effigy. Hatred for him for abandoning the Volunteer program is rampant.

His reception at USC is not exactly warm, though he served as offensive coordinator there under Carroll. Had he never left, all would be fine. But he became head coach of the Oakland Raiders and was fired after one dismal season. He was accused of secondary violations in his only SEC season. The best thing that can be said is he brings two incredibly strong coordinators, his father Monte and Ed Oregoren, to the position.

At the USC campus pub, Traditions, Kiffin would probably be carded since he looks so young. Whether the Trojan faithful will be toasting him during the 2010 season is questionable at best.