The USC Trojans have announced the termination of football coach Lane Kiffin after a disappointing blowout at the hands of Arizona State. The Trojans' release:
Lane Kiffin fired by USC after 62-41 loss to Arizona State
The hottest seat in college football is hot no more. More: 11 potential USC candidates.
[USC AD Pat] Haden informed Kiffin of his termination upon the team charter’s arrival back in Los Angeles early Sunday morning following USC’s 62-41 loss at Arizona State.
Kiffin’s Trojans have lost 7 of their past 11 games. USC is 3-2 this year and has lost both of its Pac-12 games. His overall record in 4 years at USC is 28-15.
Haden will hold a press conference at USC on Sunday afternoon at a time and place to be announced.
That follows multiple dreaded votes of confidence by Haden, a loud “Fire Kiffin” chant during a home loss to Washington State, and even the tailgate tents getting in on the act.
The story of his firing is pretty cold-blooded:
Lane Kiffin got pulled off the team bus at Los Angeles International Airport by Pat Haden when he was fired #USC
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 29, 2013
I'm told Lane Kiffin told the bus to wait but then #USC administrators told it to go back to campus without him
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 29, 2013
Pat Haden, J.K. McKay, Steve Lopes, Mark Jackson (#USC administrators) met with Lane Kiffin at LAX parking lot to dismiss him
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 29, 2013
I heard Lane Kiffin left his bag on team bus because he thought his meeting with Pat Haden would be brief and routine matter #USC
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 29, 2013
There’s no word yet on who will be the team’s interim coach for the remainder of the season. Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron and defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast are widely speculated to be the top two candidates.
Kiffin originally made his name at USC, serving from 2001 to 2006 as he served as a coach for tight ends and then receivers, while working his way up to offensive coordinator. On the strength of his success at USC, Kiffin was hired as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2007, but proved to be unsuccessful at the professional level. He recorded a 5-15 record with the Raiders, and was fired by the middle of the 2008 season.
Shortly after this, Kiffin was hired as head coach at Tennessee, where he spent one 7-6 season before deciding to return to USC to replace a departed Pete Carroll.
The Trojans experienced some success in its first several seasons under Kiffin, going 18-7 in between 2010 and 2011. In fact, USC ended 2011 with a 10-2 record, which would have been good enough for a Pac-12 Championship Game appearance, had it not been for previously-imposed NCAA sanctions.
Armed with 18 returning starters and Heisman candidate Matt Barkley, the Trojans would enter then enter the 2012 season with extremely high expectations, opening at No. 1 in the preseason AP poll. However, the year would prove to be a complete disaster. By season's end, USC was unranked, finishing a disappointing 7-6 campaign with a loss to Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl.
The USC job will undoubtedly be among the most sought-after in the country, no matter which others become available. Stay tuned here on SB Nation’s College Football page for potential candidates and more.
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