Kiffin's Way or the Highway

Like him or not, Lane Kiffin is the new sheriff in Knoxville. He might be arrogant and say some things that he probably shouldn't but he has laid down the law for his football team and if you don't follow his rules you are not going to wear the orange and white. This is just another breath of fresh air from the new staff that we did not have with the prior regime. Fulmer would give guys 4th and 5th chances but Kiffin does not have the same patience with the players. Sure, he will give guys an opportunity to turn things around after mistakes but he will not tolerate guys who don't get in line with his system.

Brandon Warren was the latest prima donna who learned the hard way that Lane Kiffin does not stand for players who think they are bigger than the program. Here is a local hero who transferred to UT after a freshman All-American season at Florida State, another program that tends to let its athletes run the program. He came back to Knoxville and was allowed to play immediately because his mother was diagnosed with cancer. He arrived with huge expectations as the TE who could be the next Jason Witten. Under the Clawson offense last year he rarely played and many wondered why the coaching staff was not utilizing this prodigy. He finished the year as a disappointment, 10 catches for 85 yards, and the Vol Nation believed that the change in the coaching staff would do wonders for Warren. The first thing the new staff did with Warren was move him to wide receiver to give the offense a big physical receiver that could be a match up problem for defenses. I sat next to some of Brandon's family at the Orange and White game in the spring and they were ecstatic at the coaching change. They told me that the former staff had bad mouthed Brandon in the media and lied about him not being able to pick up the complex Clawson offense. Things appeared to be back on track for this kid.

During the summer there were reports that Brandon was stripped of his #1 jersey. Kiffin said it was an honor to wear #1 and Warren was not doing the things necessary to keep that number. Apparently he did enough to get his number back and he caught his first TD in the first game against W. Kentucky. Things appeared to be back to normal for Warren. Brandon did not play much against Florida or Ohio (he did have a TD reception in the Ohio game) and he finally lost it against Auburn. To be fair, it would be very difficult to be a receiver on this Tennessee team because you know that any balls thrown your way are going to be behind you, too high, too low, or just nowhere near you. Mr. Warren decided to take out his frustration on the wide receivers coach Frank Wilson by having a verbal spat with him on the sideline during the Auburn game. There is speculation that he took a swing at one of the coaches. He also lined up incorrectly in the 4th quarter and caused a delay of game penalty near the goal line. He was seen throwing his helmet in frustration on the sideline during the game. Those are the images that will define the career of Brandon Warren at Tennessee. He had 7 catches for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns through five games this year.

Vol fans were waiting to hear how long Lane Kiffin would suspend Warren after the incidents in the Auburn game. The answer came yesterday afternoon when Lane Kiffin dismissed Brandon Warren from the program. Kiffin is going to feel the heat from the Vol Nation if he continues to ride Jon Crompton to a horrible season. You can criticize Kiffin's playcalling and decision to play Crompton but this guy understands how to run a program. These guys are getting a free education, free room and board, and closets full of free clothes from Adidas. It is an honor to play football at the University of Tennesee. Lane Kiffin requires these kids to do the right thing and he does not tolerate any deviation from the straight and narrow. He suspended starting cornerback Dennis Rogan for the Ohio game for skipping class! Tennessee fans should be elated that we have a guy running our program that requires the best from our players. It might not show in the win-loss column this year, but Lane will turn this thing around if we give him a few years to weed out the problems like Warren and bring in guys that understand what an honor it is to play at Tennessee and who will do what it takes to win! Go Vols and let's beat the Dawgs!