News Lane Kiffin Interviewing for OC at Bama (NOW OFFICIAL - Kiffin to be next OC at Bama)

He has been around the program since at least 7th grade, lol. And I might add that Barkley has rarely, if ever, spoken poorly about anyone but he left USC with some unfavorable words regarding Kiffin. Lane derailed Barkley's last year. He never should have stayed.

It was a bit of a surprise to Trojan fans, myself included. I figured it would take awhile after his de-commit. I will say that it makes a difference to a QB to have 4 former QB's on staff in Sark, Helton, Tee, and Tui. From what I am hearing, Tui gets the credit for this flip.

The reason it's big news is exactly because NSD is so close. ALL news is big news especially when you are talking about the #1 and #2 QB recruits in the country for next year. Here's what has played out....Kiffin was a big factor in the Town decommit. They were not close. Kiffin still wanted David Sills, the kid who he offered when Sills was just 13. Town is teammates with TE Bryce Dixon who recently committed to USC. Kiffin and Mama had zero relationship. Mama and Talamaivao, who flipped from Bama to USC are good friends. Mama had his official to Bama last November and since then, there hasn't been a ton of contact. I think you are correct Terry, that Saban knew Town was gone before Saban came to Cali last week. There is no way he would have spoken to Rosen first if Town was still on the radar. But let's be honest here.....Nick did not go to St John Bosco to talk to Mama. He used that excuse to "bump" into Rosen and try to secure him for next year. Seriously, according to your own logic, since Saban felt a trip out here so close to NSD was important enough to talk to Rosen, then it must be big news for him.

 

@uscvball

We're hearing similar things—a little different here and there.

When Ricky committed one of the biggest challenges that the staff felt came against Washington. With Nuss there since 2009 he'd had a good amount of contact with Ricky. Of course, Sark was in that mix as well.

As soon as USC hired Sark those I know started saying "he'll go." After all, it's one of those "childhood dream" scenarios. Then, with Nuss on the way to Michigan? That's the reason I said his move was the last shovel of dirt—Sark in charge pretty well sealed the deal and all Nuss was really doing was trying to keep that casket from being completely buried.

You add Coker coming in and it throws yet another wrench in the mix. Town had it in his head that he'd shirt and be competing for the spot in 2015 as a redshirt frosh, play two or three and he's league bound.

Personal opinion: I don't get caught up in how QB's are ranked, rated, projected, etc. at all. If we were to take a 10 years span, select pro-style QB's who had the coveted 5 star ranking, how many of those actually make an impact at the collegiate level? Just choosing from that talent pool we may have 30% that live up to their billing. (Don't get me wrong. Town looks like he has all the tools necessary to be very successful.)

Then there's this which is the biggest point in my mind. Why this is news is beyond me—he's at least a year away from stepping foot on a campus. Sure, it's a loss. But geez, for some fans to get all caught up in a kid that committed for the 2015 class?!? Hell, we do have some idiots for fans...

For the last three or four years we've seen the number of kids that flip grow each recruiting cycle. I don't expect it to improve for 2015. The "verbal commitment" simply doesn't carry weight anymore. (In a sense, it's following in the same footsteps as transfers in D1 basketball.)

 

@uscvball

Just came across this on twitter...on one of the smaller things I touched on. How many of these guys would you say panned out?

There were eight that I'd say did, some more than others in that eight—roughly 27-28%.

How many five-star QBs panned out over the last 10 years?

 

You sound like many of us did we when didn't go 5/5 on recruits. Any excuse to not feel bad that Bama lost out, am I right?

 

Lol, man Saban could fart in your mouth and you would claim he was freshening your halitosis.

 

I've no doubt he was evaluating Rosen. Like Town, he looks to have all the tools needed for a QB in a pro-style offense.

The notion he was out there only to look at Rosen isn't accurate. There's some question as to whether one of the offensive lineman currently committed will qualify. With Damien, that's not a question.

On the QB evaluation front:

I came across something about a month ago I thought was interesting; a little surprising as well.

In the SEC if the question was posed "which head coach is the best at evaluating and developing quarterbacks" the vast majority would point to Spurrier.

In his time in Columbia he's signed nine quarterbacks. Conner Shaw is the only one that's finished his eligibility. So far, he's got one coming in for the 2014 class.

I don't doubt Dylan Thompson will finish his eligibility in Cola. Right now, I'd say he's the most talented QB for the 2014 season.

If we were able to jump to NSD, 2015, we're likely looking at Spurrier with two of ten. It's a great example of how hard it is to evaluate what a kid is going to do at the collegiate level.

 

Let's see here.

In your situation you were 34 days away from signing day with right at half of those being in the latter end of a dead period.

In Bama's situation, we were 376 days away from signing day.

You tell me how you're right these two stories are comparable.

 

Plenty of people here made tons of excuses as to why we're better off without them and they aren't that good.

Oh look. Just Like You.

 

I've met many people who lacked the ability to read and comprehend what they've just read.