Lane Kiffin Position: Head Coach

First-year USC head football coach Lane Kiffin is regarded as one of the game's brightest young coaches. At 34, he already has been a head coach at football's top levels, both professionally and collegiately. He is known for his high football IQ, as well as for being a vibrant leader and a master recruiter.

The one-time Trojan offensive coordinator who then became the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and the Tennessee Volunteers returned to the USC program on Jan. 13, 2010, when he was named its head football coach.

Kiffin came to back Troy after guiding Tennessee to a 7-6 record in 2009 in his only season there. The Volunteers finished second in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division at 4-4 and played in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Four of Tennessee's losses were by 10 points or less, including a 2-point road loss to eventual national champion Alabama and 10 points at then-No. 1 Florida. His Vols offense jumped at least 34 places in every national statistical category over the 2008 figures, while the defense was in the nation's Top 25 in pass and total defense. He was the youngest active head coach in the NCAA FBS ranks while at Tennessee.

Before that, Kiffin was the head coach of the NFL's Raiders for 2 years (2007-08), where at age 31 he was the youngest head coach in the NFL's modern era. He was 5-15 with the Raiders (4-12 in 2007 and 1-3 in 2008).

Kiffin spent 6 seasons (2001-2006) as an assistant at USC under Pete Carroll. He was the tight ends coach in 2001, then handled the wide receivers the next 5 years. He added the duty of passing game coordinator in 2004, then was promoted to offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator in 2005 and 2006.

He coached a trio of All-American first team wide receivers at USC: Mike Williams (2003), Dwayne Jarrett (2005-06, USC's first 2-time All-American wideout) and Steve Smith (2006). Jarrett set the Pac-10 record for career touchdown catches (39) and the USC career mark for receptions (216).

While the offensive coordinator in 2005, USC's offense was in the national Top 6 in every statistical category, including tops in total offense (579.8) and second in scoring offense (49.1), and set Pac-10 records for total offense yardage, first downs, points scored, touchdowns and PATs. The Trojans scored 50 points a school-record 7 times. USC became the first school to have a 3,000-yard passer, a pair of 1,000-yard runners and a 1,000-yard receiver in a season.

In 2004, Williams set USC career (30) and season (16) touchdown reception records, while fellow wide receiver Keary Colbert set the school career reception record (207). In 2002, Williams and Colbert became USC's first pair of 1,000-yard receivers in a season and wide receiver Kareem Kelly became the Trojan career reception leader (204). Williams, Jarrett, Smith and Colbert all played in the NFL.

Quarterback Matt Leinart won the Heisman Trophy in 2004 while Kiffin was the passing game coordinator and tailback Reggie Bush was the 2005 Heisman winner with Kiffin as the offensive coordinator.

While serving as USC's recruiting coordinator, Troy's recruiting classes in 2005 and 2006 were ranked by some as No. 1 in the nation. He was named one of the nation's Top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com in 2005.

Kiffin was a member of USC staffs that helped the Trojans win a pair of national championships (2003-04), post a 65-12 record and appear in a bowl game each of his 6 seasons: 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game), 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2007 Rose Bowl.

Before coming to USC, Kiffin was the defensive quality control coach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in 2000 (he worked with the secondary).

He began his coaching career at Fresno State, his alma mater, where for 2 seasons (1997-98) he worked with the quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs as a student assistant.

He then was an assistant at Colorado State in 1999, working with the offensive line. The Rams played in the Liberty Bowl that season.

Kiffin was a quarterback at Fresno State for 3 seasons (1994-96). He earned his bachelor's degree in leisure service management from Fresno State in 1998.

He prepped at Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson High, where he played football, basketball and baseball.

He was born May 9, 1975. He and his wife, Layla, have 2 daughters, Landry, 4, and Presley, 3, and a son, Knox, 1.

His brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State (2001-04). His father-in-law, John Reaves, was a former quarterback at Florida and in the NFL.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT LANE KIFFIN

USC athletic director Mike Garrett: "We are really excited to welcome Lane Kiffin back to USC. I was able to watch him closely when he was an assistant with us and what I saw was a bright, creative young coach who I thought would make an excellent head coach here if the opportunity ever arose. I'm confident he and his staff will keep USC football performing at the high level that we expect. Lane brings a lot to the table. He has a coaching background both in the pros and in the best collegiate conferences. He has a great command of the X's and O's. He is familiar with the Trojan landscape and will be a great representative of our university. He keeps the game fun. And, very importantly, he has proven to be one of the finest recruiters anywhere."

Former USC and current Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll: "It's good that USC acted quickly to get a coach connecting with our history. The players will feel comfortable and be able to follow some of the same kinds of lines of what they're accustomed to. They're going to be good. They have the best defensive coach in the history of the world (Monte Kiffin). And Lane will hit it running and take pride in recruiting and the whole deal. Lane's going to do great." Former USC All-American and NFL wide receiver Mike Williams: "God is shining on the Trojan faithful. I couldn't imagine a better pick. I think Kiff is the closest thing you can get to what Coach Carroll brings. It's a no-brainer."

Former USC and NFL wide receiver Keary Colbert: "He's just like Coach Carroll. He's high-spirited and likes to have fun."

Former Tennessee head football coach Johnny Majors: "I was around him since he took the Tennessee job. I watched practice, talked to the squad a couple of times, and spent some time in his office. And I believe he is a very good football coach. He's very aggressive and well organized. He's demanding and he and his staff attacked recruiting very aggressively. I think he is going to be very, very successful in the long run."

Matt Hayes, Sporting News: "USC gets a coach who can sustain a seamless transition. Kiffin helped build the program earlier this decade. He's familiar with the way of Troy, and the swagger and confidence of Carroll won't change much with Kiffin."

Allen Wallace, Scout.com: "Kiffin is one of the best evaluators of talent I've ever come across. He likes to work very hard and will bring a ready-made staff with big-time credentials. It's just a lucky stroke, a last parting gift from Pete Carroll. I can't imagine a better choice for USC."

USC quarterback Matt Barkley: "I think it's really good they got someone who knows Trojan football and the traditions and knows how we rock."

Grant Tunkel, Daily Trojan: "The Kiffin hire is exactly what USC needs to continue the legacy that Pete Carroll built. Hiring Kiffin provides the Trojans with a perfect mix. He is enough of a link to the Carroll era to instill continued confidence in the program from the start, but he's still his own coach with the drive to succeed. He knows the landscape well. He brings with him the mentality necessary to succeed at an elite program. He is young and charismatic, making him the perfect choice to connect with current players and recruit new ones."