The youngest coach ever hired in the NFL’s modern era is Lane Kiffin (USA, b. 9 May 1975) who was 31 years 259 days when he signed on to coach the Oakland Raiders on 23 January 2007, just prior to the 2007 season.
Lane Kiffin, the son of longtime pro and collegiate coach Monte Kiffin, is in his sixth year at USC. He joined the Trojan staff in February of 2001 and spent the 2001 season handling the tight ends. He became the wide receivers coach in 2002. In 2004, he took on the additional duty of passing game coordinator. In 2005, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, in addition to continuing as the wide receivers coach.
In 2005, he was named one of the nation's Top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com. Wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was an All-American first teamer and Biletnikoff Award finalist. Troy's offense was in the national Top 6 in every offensive 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, who scored 50 points a school-record 7 times, won games by an average of 26.2 points. 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, Jarrett was named a Freshman All-American first teamer. The Trojans won their second consecutive national championship.
Wide receiver Mike Williams was a consensus All-American first teamer and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in 2003 (he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting) as he set the USC career (30) and season (16) touchdown reception records, while fellow wide receiver Keary Colbert set the USC career reception record (207) and was a NFL second round pick. Troy won its first national championship since 1978.
In 2002, Williams was a Freshman All-American first teamer and the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year as he and Colbert became USC's first pair of 1,000-yard receivers. Also in 2002, wide receiver Kareem Kelly became the Trojan career reception leader and was a sixth round NFL draft pick.
USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game).
Kiffin, 30, 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.
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. His wife's name is Layla. They have a daughter, Landry, 1.
His father, Monte, is the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The elder Kiffin, a longtime NFL and collegiate assistant coach who served as North Carolina State's head coach in the early 1980s, has a long history with Pete Carroll (Carroll was an assistant on Kiffin's Wolfpack staff from 1980 to 1982, and they served as assistants together with Arkansas in 1977, the Buffalo Bills in 1984, the Minnesota Vikings from 1986 to 1989 and the New York Jets in 1990).
His brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State (2001-04).
KIFFIN SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDAY: May 9, 1975
FAMILY: Wife, Layla; Daughter, Landry, 1
HIGH SCHOOL: Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson
HSEDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, leisure service management, Fresno State, 1988
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson HSFresno State, quarterback, 1994-96 COACHING EXPERIENCE: 9 years
In 2005, he was named one of the nation's Top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com. Wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was an All-American first teamer and Biletnikoff Award finalist. Troy's offense was in the national Top 6 in every offensive 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, who scored 50 points a school-record 7 times, won games by an average of 26.2 points. 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, Jarrett was named a Freshman All-American first teamer. The Trojans won their second consecutive national championship.
Wide receiver Mike Williams was a consensus All-American first teamer and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in 2003 (he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting) as he set the USC career (30) and season (16) touchdown reception records, while fellow wide receiver Keary Colbert set the USC career reception record (207) and was a NFL second round pick. Troy won its first national championship since 1978.
In 2002, Williams was a Freshman All-American first teamer and the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year as he and Colbert became USC's first pair of 1,000-yard receivers. Also in 2002, wide receiver Kareem Kelly became the Trojan career reception leader and was a sixth round NFL draft pick.
USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game).
Kiffin, 30, 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.
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. His wife's name is Layla. They have a daughter, Landry, 1.
His father, Monte, is the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The elder Kiffin, a longtime NFL and collegiate assistant coach who served as North Carolina State's head coach in the early 1980s, has a long history with Pete Carroll (Carroll was an assistant on Kiffin's Wolfpack staff from 1980 to 1982, and they served as assistants together with Arkansas in 1977, the Buffalo Bills in 1984, the Minnesota Vikings from 1986 to 1989 and the New York Jets in 1990).
His brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State (2001-04).
KIFFIN SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDAY: May 9, 1975
FAMILY: Wife, Layla; Daughter, Landry, 1
HIGH SCHOOL: Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson
HSEDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, leisure service management, Fresno State, 1988
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson HSFresno State, quarterback, 1994-96 COACHING EXPERIENCE: 9 years
