Ex-USC QB explains how 'disinterested' Lane Kiffin was as Trojans coach

Kiffin last head coaching gig ended with USC in 2013

When FAU coach Lane Kiffin was in his first year at USC in 2010, his focus was reportedly with the offense and less so in the extra work that comes with being a head coach. 

That observation came courtesy of a recent feature in the Sun-Sentinel featuring comments from Kiffin’s former quarterbacks at USC and Tennessee. Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton rallied for Kiffin and his play-calling prowess. He even dramatically recalled Kiffin’s perfectly set-up touchdown play early in a game against South Carolina in 2009, his only year with the Vols. 

Mitch Mustain, who started his career at Arkansas but finished at USC with Kiffin in 2010, gave a less glowing review.

“There was nothing unique about what he did,” Mustain told the Sun-Sentinel. “It just seemed to us, there was no effort for it. It was almost as if he was wholly disinterested in being the head coach. You can tell he enjoys the play-calling. He enjoys working with the offense and making that run. He was very good at it. As for the whole thing, it seemed that maybe it just wasn’t really where he wanted to be.”

The Trojans finished 8-5 in 2010, the first of two years with the NCAA’s postseason ban. Kiffin was fired in the middle of the 2013 season with a 28-15 record and now is back in a head coaching role for the first time since. 

Mustain did go on to offer support for Kiffin and compliment him as an intelligent and capable football coach who he wished well. 

After three seasons as an assistant with Alabama, Kiffin’s return as a head coach is one of the stories of the 2017 season. Kiffin said he could bring some of “the process” from Tuscaloosa, and we’ll see if he can deliver when the Owls take the field this fall. 

“Go Owls.”