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Lane Kiffin is no longer the coach of USC, and is now back on the market as a football coach. With the vacancy at USC and Steve Sarkisian's connection to that school, there are some rumors about him possibly being pursued that direction. But maybe we should be wondering if the interest could be going the other way, with Steve Sarkisian reaching out to Kiffin at the end of the season. They've worked together in the past, were very good when they did, and remain friends.
To say Lane Kiffin is divisive isn't accurate, because to be divisive there have to be people on both sides. Kiffin seems to be universally despised. But what was he before he became a brash and unlikeable head coach? He was just another assistant in the college game, and a pretty successful one. He'll coach again. If the Huskies have an opening on the offensive side of the ball at the end of the 2013 season, should they pursue Kiffin?
There are definitely negatives for bringing Kiffin in. He would bring with him a media circus. Steve Sarkisian and the program would only make whatever spotlight they're under that much bigger. Kiffin hasn't enjoyed a lot of success since he left USC. Players under Kiffin have had their share of troubles getting along of late, with everything from unofficial official team meetings to rumors of outright brawls after tough losses. Lane doesn't seem to have evolved with the college game, as his offense has been ground to a halt at times.
But maybe Kiffin just got too big for his britches, and just isn't a head coach, or isn't ready to be one yet -- remember, he's only 39. When he was just an offensive coordinator or position coach, his teams were wildly successful. His track record with wide receivers is second to none, with a resume highlighted by Mike Williams, Steve Smith, Dwayne Jarrett, Robert Woods, and Marqise Lee. If he did come up to Washington, he wouldn't be coordinating the offense; even if he were given the OC title, that will always be Sark's baby, so the concern of him trying to bring whatever the heck they were doing down at USC wouldn't hold any weight. And Kiffin also has a reputation as one of the better recruiters in the country, and if you add him to UW's group of hotshot recruiters, you've probably got what is hands down the best recruiting staff in the country.
So the question is, if the Huskies could bring Kiffin in, would you want him? And why or why not?