Link: UT Strength Coach Quits

[Bama323]

Well, looks like Kiffin is already running off coaches. Evidently the S&C coach at UT had a run in with Kiffin and either he quit, or Kiffin fired him. Either way, this does not look good for UT. Evidently the Coach is very well respected. Coached under Spurrier for quite a few years in college and the NFL, among other places.

Also, word out of South Carolina is he refused to do some off-season activities that might be against NCAA rules

Strength coach weakened; Smith is placed under strict review by Kiffin : Football : GoVolsXtra.com

Even TennDud says it's not good...

Scout.com: Looks like Mark Smith is gone

 

[BocaLance]

Did I read correctly?
Did Tennstud say players' PARENTS were calling him about the situation?

 

[VolFan1]

Did I read correctly?
Did Tennstud say players' PARENTS were calling him about the situation?

That was the way I read it.

 

[BocaLance]

But, but ..... what business would players' parents have with a long-disassociated booster?

I'm so confused. I really really really want to sorta respect Tennessee .... but I just CAN'T.

 

[Bama323]

What makes this bad for UT is that it sounds like the coach has a good relationship with Spurrier. If Kiffin was trying to skirt the rules, you better believe the Old Ball Coach will slip a nice jab in about it to the media at some point. It's just a matter of time.

What also makes this interesting is the rumors of Kiffin asking the coach to potentially break NCAA rules with regards to off season workouts. Not alot of people know this, but Kiffin was reprimanded by the NFL when he was with the Raiders for breaking NFL rules. He was having the players suit up in full pads and go at it during times when it was not allowed by the NFL. As punishment, the NFL made the Raiders cut their off season training short. Kiffin claimed he was having tough practices and said his team would be the more prepared than any other team they played. He must have been preparing them the wrong way because they only won like 5 games while he was there.

 

[bamabryan]

No disrespect to our Tennessee friends that visit us here on Tide Fans, but I just have a feeling their football coaching staff is a train wreck waiting to happen.

I don't know if it was Mike Hamilton's call or not, but I felt like he blew it when he did not hire Brian Kelley. I think Kelley is an outstanding coach. Of course as an Alabama fan I did not want to see Kelley at UcheaT.

I've got a feeling the end to the Kiffin chapter at UcheaT is going to be ugly.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

BTW, Adams has never been disassociated by UT...

 

[Bama323]

No disrespect to our Tennessee friends that visit us here on Tide Fans, but I just have a feeling their football coaching staff is a train wreck waiting to happen.

I don't know if it was Mike Hamilton's call or not, but I felt like he blew it when he did not hire Brian Kelley. I think Kelley is an outstanding coach. Of course as an Alabama fan I did not want to see Kelley at UcheaT.

I've got a feeling the end to the Kiffin chapter at UcheaT is going to be ugly.

I agree. I thought all along that Brian Kelley would get the UT job. I was very suprised when they hired Lame. Kelley is a very good football coach.

Back to the Strength Coach leaving; isn't the S&C coach the only one that can actually work with the players in the Summer per NCAA rules?

 

[Bama Reb]

No disrespect to our Tennessee friends that visit us here on Tide Fans, but I just have a feeling their football coaching staff is a train wreck waiting to happen.

I don't know if it was Mike Hamilton's call or not, but I felt like he blew it when he did not hire Brian Kelley. I think Kelley is an outstanding coach. Of course as an Alabama fan I did not want to see Kelley at UcheaT.

I've got a feeling the end to the Kiffin chapter at UcheaT is going to be ugly.

Yeah. He has the potential of having a very short career span. If his team proves to be as embarrassing on the field as he is off the field, he could be "one season and done" at UT. :rofl:

 

[Bama323]

I just hope he hangs in there long enough for Gruden to find another job, but still early enough that they end up having to pay 2 buyouts (Fulmer and Kiffin) at the same time, plus try to hire a new coach.

 

[Denisevi4]

Kiffen and his wildboys gang is so irritating that it's almost annoying. The world would be so unfair if these kind of people with their unbelievable arrogance succeed in life. Not to mention, that they are on the dark side at Tennessee.

I pray to god that they fail miserably and lose every game next season and that every team that has a chance to run up the score wouldn't hesitate doing it. Funny part that their fans believe that everybody is talking about them is because now they are back and everybody is so scared .

 

[VolFan1]

Funny part that their fans believe that everybody is talking about them is because now they are back and everybody is so scared .

Not many have said that. Although it has been said

IMO, most are wanting to see if this staff can coach and get Ws before making a true decision on them.

 

[VolFan1]

but I felt like he blew it when he did not hire Brian Kelley.

Per local radio just after Kiffin was hired. They said that Hamilton interviewed Kelly (sp?) and that he wanted Hamilton to move faster than he was wanting to move in the hiring process. True or not, I don't know.

Seemed as if there was interest from both sides.

 

[GrayTide]

No disrespect to our Tennessee friends that visit us here on Tide Fans, but I just have a feeling their football coaching staff is a train wreck waiting to happen.

I don't know if it was Mike Hamilton's call or not, but I felt like he blew it when he did not hire Brian Kelley. I think Kelley is an outstanding coach. Of course as an Alabama fan I did not want to see Kelley at UcheaT.

I've got a feeling the end to the Kiffin chapter at UcheaT is going to be ugly.

I agree Brian, it was Hamilton's call and quite frankly, Hamilton is not an SEC caliber AD. His future is linked to the Kiffin hire. As for Brian Kelley, I also agree he would have been an extremely good hire but I recall reading something about some baggage from his stint at Central Michigan before he bolted to Cincinnati.

 

[chuxlee]

I for one was scared that UT was going to hire Kelley, he would have made ut very strong, UT may have a good season one year, sort of like Shula had, but Kiffin is a train wreck who will end up bringing the hammer down on UT, and it could not happen to a more deserving program.

 

[bamanut_aj]

Smith's "consultant" called in to local radio this morning and gave his version of what's happening. To hear him tell it, the riff is basically a clash of egos. Smith runs workouts in the style of "x", whereas Kiffin wants them run in the style of "y", which is basically the way they ran them at southern cal. Kiffin is the boss, Smith is his employee, Smith doesn't want to do it Kiffin's way, so it looks like Smith will be out the door.

There is also some speculation that Smith wants full control of the gym, i.e. no former players, etc. Kiffin supposedly is trying to welcome the former players who seem to want to hang on and be a part of the program.

 

[Rueben]

Smith's "consultant" called in to local radio this morning and gave his version of what's happening. To hear him tell it, the riff is basically a clash of egos. Smith runs workouts in the style of "x", whereas Kiffin wants them run in the style of "y", which is basically the way they ran them at southern cal. Kiffin is the boss, Smith is his employee, Smith doesn't want to do it Kiffin's way, so it looks like Smith will be out the door.

There is also some speculation that Smith wants full control of the gym, i.e. no former players, etc. Kiffin supposedly is trying to welcome the former players who seem to want to hang on and be a part of the program.

Say it ain't so!!! Not a clash of egos on th UT coaching staff? Who could have seen that coming????

 

[bamanut_aj]

Say it ain't so!!! Not a clash of egos on th UT coaching staff? Who could have seen that coming????

I couldn't believe it either. Who'da thunkit? :conf2:

 

[BamaBoots]

Sweet.:BigA::BigA:

 

[BamaBeta]

Not the defection I was expecting, but nonetheless I am not surprised by such a move.