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Mom Fears For Lane Kiffin’s Safety As Return To Tennessee Looms

By Phil Watson

Sep 13, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin relays a play call to quarterback Jake Coker (14) against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 52-12. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin relays a play call to quarterback Jake Coker (14) against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 52-12. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will be back in Knoxville for the first time since he quit as Tennessee’s coach in 2010 and his mother fears for his safety.

You may not have heard this, but former Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin will be back in Knoxville, Tenn., for the first time Saturday as Alabama visits the Volunteers.

Kiffin, now Alabama’s offensive coordinator, left Tennessee after just 14 months on the job to take the vacant head coaching position at USC.

He was fired after five games last season and joined Nick Saban’s staff with the Crimson Tide in January.

Tennessee fans responded badly to Kiffin’s departure and social media and mainstream media both have been abuzz in advance of his return to Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

How reviled is Kiffin in Tennessee? A political candidate used his image in an attack ad against his opponent.

But to Robin Kiffin, mother of the 39-year-old coach, it’s not a laughing matter. And it’s not as if Robin Kiffin is a stranger to the zealous nature of football fandom—she’s been married to lifelong coach Monte Kiffin for 41 years.

But she told CBSSports.com that Saturday is different and she is afraid for her son’s life.

"“I’m scared to death for his safety,” she said. “Some people were visiting us last weekend from Tennessee and they said they better not let him on the sideline (where Kiffin coaches at Alabama), they should put him in the press box. I want him to be in the press box.”"

His mother also commented on a skit that went viral last week that has actors portraying Lane Kiffin and his wife fielding vulgar and insulting phone calls from Alabama fans.

"“Lane sent it to me on a family group text,” Robin Kiffin said. “It was awful. That language is horrible. … They never leave him alone."

“I don’t see them picking on anybody else like that. That guy at Texas Tech (Mike Leach), he locked a quarterback in a shed and he gets another job. Are they still talking about that? No. The Arkansas guy (Bobby Petrino) gets caught on a motorcycle wreck with another woman and he gets another job. Are they talking about him? No.”

In fairness to Leach, it was a wide receiver he allegedly locked in a shed. A pass-happy coach such as Leach would never lock up a quarterback.

But seriously, the hate being thrown at Kiffin—and make no mistake, he hasn’t handled his business well at times—is part of the ugly underbelly of college football, the zealots who can’t stay on the right side of the line between fandom and fanaticism.

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