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Tennessee football: Five reasons to never forgive Lane Kiffin for wrecking Vols

By Caleb Calhoun

In a Jan. 12, 2010 photograph, Lane Kiffin waits to announce his resignation as coach of the University of Tennessee football team. Kiffin took the coaching job at Southern California after just one season at Tennessee.
In a Jan. 12, 2010 photograph, Lane Kiffin waits to announce his resignation as coach of the University of Tennessee football team. Kiffin took the coaching job at Southern California after just one season at Tennessee. /
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Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd (10) celebrates with wide receiver Sammy Watkins (2) after scoring a TD against Georgia during the 2nd quarter Saturday, August 31, 2013 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. BART BOATWRIGHT/StaffFootball 2013 Clemson
Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd (10) celebrates with wide receiver Sammy Watkins (2) after scoring a TD against Georgia during the 2nd quarter Saturday, August 31, 2013 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. BART BOATWRIGHT/StaffFootball 2013 Clemson /

3. Pushing away quarterbacks

We named B.J. Coleman as just one of the elite players Lane Kiffin pushed away with Tennessee football. However, he also pushed away quite a few more high-profile quarterbacks during his one season with the Vols, limiting what Derek Dooley could do his first year on that front as well.

To be fair, the two quarterbacks Kiffin got, Matt Simms and Tyler Bray, were good quarterbacks and gave Dooley something to work with. However, he pushed away game-changers who could have helped the Vols overcome their lack of talent, and that was the issue.

Tajh Boyd was committed to Phillip Fulmer. Kiffin arrived and pushed him to go elsewhere, saying he didn’t fit the system. All he did was join Dabo Swinney and begin the process of turning the Clemson Tigers into a powerhouse. Bryce Petty was also committed. He then went to the Baylor Bears and succeeded Robert Griffin III, maintaining the powerhouse program Art Briles built.

Then there was Cam Newton. To be fair, the Vols may have had to put up a bit of money for Newton, but either way, the Vols had his ear. Then Kiffin came along and pushed him away. Newton or Boyd easily could have overcome how limited the program was talent-wise in 2010 and 2011, but thanks to Kiffin, Dooley couldn’t use them.

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