Lane Kiffin Is Still Trying To Prove He's Got The Bigger...Uh..Boat

Lane Kiffin has seen his USC Trojans in the news a lot. That would be fine if the news were not always so darn negative lately.

First there was the transfer of linebacker Jordan Campbell—a talented but, likely, dispensable player on USC's defense. Then came the news that Seantrel Henderson wished to try his wares elsewhere—specifically at a school without sanctions.

Next came the karma police who seemed to have no problems transporting defensive end Malik Jackson from the sunny skies of California to the Rocky Tops of Tennessee—the location of Kiffin's former employer.

That last point gave me such a laugh that I found it hard not to give a point to both Derek Dooley and the Vols for being able to exact a little revenge on ol' Kiffy—that was a good one.

Well, not to be outdone, Kiffin decided to let it leak that the Vols were offered the opportunity to play the Trojans in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Kickoff game—they declined the challenge. The hidden message: Tennessee is afraid of USC—end of story—Lane Kiffin wins again, right? Well...not exactly.

Tennessee's 2011 schedule is already top-heavy with quality opponents and if they replaced their current opening opponent, North Texas, with USC they could stand to have one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the nation.

Here is how 2011 would looks with USC added:

vs USC
vs Cincinnati
at Florida
at North Carolina,
vs Georgia
vs LSU

That would be brutal. There would be zero need for the Vols to play the Trojans and I think that Derek Dooley would agree. It's a lose-lose for the Vols.

Sure, it would prove to some that AD Mike Hamilton has faith in the Tennessee football program and, if the Vols won, it would do wonders for the tradition that Kiffin stepped on when he slithered away late last winter. However, other than proving whose band is bigger, the game has absolutely no purpose for Tennessee.

The Vols aren't looking to establish a strong west coast presence in recruiting nor do they have to buoy the strength of the SEC by playing a Pac-10 power. The game would be nice from an ESPN hype standpoint but, in every other facet, it has zero meaning.

Honestly, it wouldn't even be that great a deal if USC's head coach wasn't named Lane Kiffin.

By contrast, Kiffin always feels a need to be in the spotlight and he knows that giving his old team a royal beating, on southern soil, would go a long way towards establishing good public relations for not only his conference but his team.

He could become the new ambassador of the Pac-10—a la Pete Carroll—and could, potentially, set his team up for a slew of big name prospects in 2012.

Even more, it might make the way easier for him when recruiting against the true big boys of the SEC, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban.

Meyer, in particular, gets under Kiffin's skin and he would love nothing better than to keep the Gators from stealing away any more of California's best talent (i.e. Ronald Powell in 2010).  Playing, and beating, Tennessee could open doors on the southern recruiting trail—particularly in Georgia and Florida—where the talent is plentiful.

There's always a motive with Kiffin—always.

In the end, it's just a good story about two programs that suddenly have a very ugly cross-country rivalry. One that, at some point, could find it's end on the football field. For now, the score stands tied—we'll see who casts the next stone.