When Lane Kiffin left Tennessee after a little more than one year as the Volunteers head coach to take his “dream job” at Southern California, he obviously had no idea that the dream was about to become a nightmare.
On Thursday, the NCAA Committee on Infractions hammered the Trojans with a vengeance, penalizing the football program with a two-year postseason ban, cutting 30 football scholarships over the next three years and ordering USC to vacate all wins from December 2004 – the BCS national championship included – through the entirety of the 2005 season.
The Trojans barely avoided further punishment that would have prevented USC from appearing on television. The committee discussed a TV ban, but decided the penalties handed down “adequately respond to the nature of violations and the level of institutional responsibility.”
According to Pat Forde of ESPN.com, an expert on NCAA infraction cases told him that hiring Kiffin didn’t help USC’s cause.
“You’d never get anyone [on the Committee on Infractions] to admit it, but it certainly wouldn’t help them [hiring Kiffin],” said an expert on NCAA infractions cases. “He has such a reputation, it couldn’t have helped.”
Also coming into question where Kiffin’s alleged misleading statements to recruits that eventually signed letters of intent with USC earlier this year.
According to media reports, Kiffin misled at least one recruit – Seantrel Henderson – regarded as the nation’s top rated prospect by Scout.com.
The New York Times reported that Kiffin told Henderson and his family not to worry about potential NCAA sanctions.
According to the report, “The Henderson’s asked Kiffin to be clear about what impact the NCAA might have on the Trojans’ football program, Sean Henderson said. Just before Seantrel chose USC, Kiffin reiterated not to listen to others who said the Trojans might face sanctions.”
As Forde points out, “Kiffin had no way of knowing whether the school was in the clear at that point. To present any different message to recruits was dishonest.”
Responding to the NCAAs decision at a press conference, Kiffin spoke of the “powerful” USC program, asserting that the Trojans would Fight On.
But the only thing that’s powerful with Southern California right now is the stench that emits from the football program resulting from their major rule violations.
Perhaps the most humorous response to the NCAAs decision was former coach Pete Carroll, who conveniently left USC to take the Seattle Seahawks job.
Carroll reiterated the position he’s taken all along – “we knew nothing”. Fact is, Carroll didn’t want to know what was going on.
Watch the video of Lane Kiffin’s press conference addressing the NCAAs decision. Below that is the video of Pete Carroll’s response.
Pete Carroll responds to the NCAAs decision to penalize USC.
Carroll is lying! During the video pay attention at 3 second mark, Carrol moves his eyes to the left, he knows more than what he is telling.
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