Kiffin steps in today

Vols' new coach may hire his dad

Lane Kiffin will become Tennessee's next head football coach, two days after Phillip Fulmer's 17-season tenure ended with a grand and victorious send-off.

Kiffin, the former Oakland Raiders coach, will be introduced at a news conference today.

Kiffin, 33, replaces Phillip Fulmer, who was forced out after 17 seasons as the Vols' coach. Fulmer won a national championship in 1998 and two Southeastern Conference titles but had two losing seasons in the past five, including a 5-7 record this season.

Kiffin was the youngest coach in the NFL's modern history when hired to lead the Raiders in January 2007 at age 31 after spending two seasons as Southern California's recruiting and offensive coordinator.

The former backup Fresno State quarterback had a rocky relationship with Oakland owner Al Davis, who fired him Sept. 30 for what he said was insubordination.

Kiffin went 5-15 with the Raiders.

Kiffin is charged with making the storied program competitive in the SEC again and returning it to national prominence. Like Fulmer did, he takes over the Vols with no prior college football head coaching experience.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant coach with Southern California, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Colorado State and Fresno State.

Kiffin reportedly spent Sunday working to build his staff and make contact with top recruits.

ESPN reported that Kiffin's father, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, will follow him to Tennessee. Monte Kiffin is believed to make more money in his current job than all of the Tennessee assistant coaches combined.

GAMECOCKS WILL SWITCH QBS: Stephen Garcia will be the starting quarterback for South Carolina in its bowl game.

Garcia is from Lutz, Fla., and coach Steve Spurrier says he's giving the bowl game to Garcia like he gave the Clemson game to Chris Smelley, who threw four interceptions in a 31-14 loss to the Tigers on Saturday.

Smelley was 22-of-47 for 212 yards and a touchdown to go with those four interceptions. Three of the interceptions came in the first half, and each of them led to a Clemson touchdown.

The Gamecocks finished the regular season 7-5. They are in line to play in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., or the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.

ASU GAME SET: Second-seeded Appalachian State's NCAA Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinal game against seventh-seeded Richmond is scheduled for noon in Boone, the NCAA confirmed Sunday.

The game will be shown nationally on television as part of ESPN's GamePlan package, as well as in local syndication. As local networks carrying the game are confirmed throughout the week, Appalachian State will compile a complete list of outlets where the broadcast can be seen and post it online (www.goasu.com). Also, the game will be shown live on ESPN's ESPN360.com online platform.

Tickets, which cost $25 for adults, $15 for children ages 3-12 and $5 for enrolled ASU students, are available at www.goasu.com. Tickets also can be purchased Monday-Friday from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. by phone at 828-262-2079.

The ASU-Richmond quarterfinal is a rematch of last season's national semifinal, which the Mountaineers won 55-35.

(From Appalachian State News Release)