Monte Kiffin to Depart Southern Cal After Bowl Game
Fitzgerald Cecilio
Los Angeles, CA
Monte Kiffin has announced that he will step down as USC's de facto defensive coordinator after the Trojans' December bowl game to pursue job opportunities in the NFL.
The 72-year-old Kiffin joined son Lane when the latter was hired as coach in 2010.
The elder Kiffin said he made his resignation announcement early to help USC's recruiting efforts and to focus on the team's bowl-game preparation.
"I really enjoyed my time at USC and the opportunity I had to work with our players and coaches," Monte Kiffin said in a statement. "The chance to work for my son, Lane, was unique and memorable, but we always treated each other professionally on a coach-to-coach basis."
Monte Kiffin has been blamed for the Trojans' drop from the rankings after being billed No. 1 in the preseason. Despite scoring a combined 87 points, the Trojans lost back-to-back games to Arizona and Oregon.
Lane Kiffin said he will immediately begin the search for his father's replacement. Among those who will be considered for Kiffin's position are USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron and San Diego Chargers linebacker coach Joe Barry.
"I respect my father's decision and his desire to return to the NFL," Lane Kiffin said. "We are very appreciative of the hard work and effort that he put in at USC these past three years. He has a tremendous passion for coaching young men and he is a phenomenal recruiter.
"The timing of this allows us to move forward now in the hiring of a new coach."
Monte Kiffin has been a football coach for 47 years, including 26 in the NFL, where he won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003. He hasn't sat out a season of football without coaching since the mid-1960s.
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