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Lane Kiffin Remains Mum On Father Monte's Future

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, 68, is rumored to be heading to Knoxville to coach with his son Lane at Tennessee after this season.

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2008

TAMPA - Lane Kiffin won't say publicly whether he's bringing his father to the University of Tennessee.

Lane Kiffin was introduced Monday as the Volunteers head coach, but made no official announcement about his staff. However, no one at One Buc Place has disputed speculation that Monte Kiffin will end his 13-year run as the Buccaneers defensive coordinator after this season to join his son.

Lane Kiffin has already told John Chavis that he will not be retained as the Vols defensive coordinator, but it could be a few more days, weeks or months before he names Chavis' successor.

"In terms of the staff, be patient with us, Tennessee,'' Lane Kiffin said. "I know you want to see this done today. That's not how it's going to be. It's going to take time.

"When it's all said and done you'll be happy with what we do here. In the end we have to make sure we do it right. But I'm not going to mention any names out of respect for the contracts they're under.''

Gaither High School star Jarvis Giles said in a text message to The Tampa Tribune that Lane Kiffin told him during a Sunday morning telephone conversation he was bringing his father with him to UT.

Monte Kiffin, 68, is under contract to the Bucs, having signed a new extension just last year. He makes $2 million a year, the most of any coordinator in the NFL.

Bucs general manager Bruce Allen knows how the Kiffin saga will end, but isn't willing to share.

Allen spoke this afternoon, primarily to address the Bucs' selection as one of the teams that will play a regular-season game in London next year, but also was asked about the Kiffin situation.

He said he has spoken with Monte Kiffin on the topic of coaching with his son, Lane, many times in the past and knows how this will end. He said, however, that he would leave it to the senior Kiffin to tell the rest of the world.

Kiffin's potential departure would leave the Bucs on the lookout for a replacement for one of the most successful coordinators in NFL history.

The designer of the vaunted Tampa 2 scheme, Kiffin is largely responsible for the Bucs being the only team in NFL history to have ranked in the top 10 in the league in fewest points and fewest yards allowed 10 times in 11 seasons.

Kiffin and the Bucs are currently on pace to stretch that streak to 11 times in 12 season, and Kiffin will stick around long enough to see that happen.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden said Monday that Monte Kiffin will stay with the Bucs through the end of the season, at a minimum, and that there was little he could do to quell the speculation.

"It's going to persist," Gruden. "I don't have any update. Not really. A lot of our coaches are sought after every year. Monte is sought after every year. He should be."

Gruden did say he was happy for the Kiffin family and Lane Kiffin's new opportunity at Tennessee, and added that he expects Monte Kiffin to finish off the season with Tampa Bay.

Monte Kiffin came to the Bucs as part of Tony Dungy's team of assistants in 1996.

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