STrib: Lane Kiffin's year at Tennessee -- and what might have been with Gophers

BleedGopher

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per RandBall:

Kiffin’s father, Monte, was an assistant with the Vikings from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, and Lane grew up playing QB for Bloomington Jefferson. As Lane grew into coaching, his name was bandied about in connection to the Gophers’ vacancy after Glen Mason was fired.

From a search of the Star Tribune archives, there are 151 stories that have appeared in our paper that have “Lane Kiffin” and “Gophers” in them (and 58 were written by our venerable 99-year-old columnist). A Chip Scoggins byline story from 12 years ago notes that Kiffin interviewed for the Gophers job on Jan. 12, 2007.

A few days later, of course, Minnesota hired Tim Brewster. And about a week after that, Kiffin was hired as head coach of the NFL’s Raiders even though he was only 31 at the time. He lasted two years there and one at Tennessee.

His tenure with the Gophers might have been just as brief. But it would have been memorable.

http://www.startribune.com/lane-kif...-what-might-have-been-with-gophers/560704262/

Go Gophers!!
 

The sentence, "His tenure with the Gophers might have been just as brief. But it would have been memorable" is exactly what sport writers would have love to seen. More material to bash the the University, more burned bridges, etc., I'm in the camp that was happy that Kiffin didn't get hired. Brewster was bad enough.
 

The sentence, "His tenure with the Gophers might have been just as brief. But it would have been memorable" is exactly what sport writers would have love to seen. More material to bash the the University, more burned bridges, etc., I'm in the camp that was happy that Kiffin didn't get hired. Brewster was bad enough.

You really think sports writers want more material to bash the U? This fan base is so odd sometimes.


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You really think sports writers want more material to bash the U? This fan base is so odd sometimes.


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Sometimes I think you're a sports writer. Sports writers are always looking for new negative stories. Not sure where you're coming from unless you've been in a hole for a while.
 

Sometimes I think you're a sports writer. Sports writers are always looking for new negative stories. Not sure where you're coming from unless you've been in a hole for a while.

Do you see a lot of negatives being written about the Twins this year?

If you have seen a lot of negative stories about the U in recent years maybe that is because there hasn’t been much success. This need people have for positivity at all times is maddening. Life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. No need to bury ones head in the sand.


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Lane Kiffin has been as disaster as a head coach every where he has been. Raiders, Trojans and Volunteers! The U has done some suspect hiring in the athletic department in the recent past, but passing on Kiffin was a home run.
 

Do you see a lot of negatives being written about the Twins this year?

If you have seen a lot of negative stories about the U in recent years maybe that is because there hasn’t been much success. This need people have for positivity at all times is maddening. Life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. No need to bury ones head in the sand.


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Wow...you're on a roll today AGAIN.
 

I wonder if he had been hired whether he still bolts immediately to coach for the Raiders. Or if perhaps he had withdrawn from consideration because the Raiders had made an offer.

He and Charlie Strong are two of the giant "what ifs?" of the Gopher program. Would they have had success? Would they have stayed? Would the program have gotten the death sentence?

This program was in bad shape when Brew was canned. But there were no NCAA violations, so it easily could have been worse. With the U's history of violations (mostly in basketball) and lack of "helmet" status, I have a feeling they would have gotten hammered.
 

Joey Freshwater will be back coaching in Minneapolis on September 3rd of next year.
 







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