There will also be murmurs of NCAA displeasure with the Trojans hiring a coach who has gotten himself in hot water in Knoxville in a few instances, especially now that USC is under scrutiny for Bush and Joe McKnight. But most of the tricks Kiffin pulled at Tennessee were ticky tack, Neuheiselly bending-of-the-rules stuff, like referring to a recruit as a “great player” on a radio show, a secondary NCAA misdeed.

Garrett was under pressure to pull off a doozy of a hire. He came as close as possible.

He also did it in 2001, when he brought Carroll aboard. But those were completely difference circumstances. USC was sagging from the debacle that was the Paul Hackett era, and it needed a lift, not necessarily back to prominence, but just up a little, to respectability.

Carroll not only did that, he went way beyond. He brought the Trojans into national championship contention, rarified air they had not experienced since the first John Robinson era of the 1970s, and before that the John McKay days of the ‘60s.

So this time, Garrett didn’t need help in raising the program. He needed to keep it from sliding down off its perch.

The way to do that is by bringing in someone young and energetic, who won’t back down on the field or in recruiting, who wants the job so badly that he’ll leave another splendid situation in the hotbed SEC after only a year.

There was no one out there who was The Next Pete Carroll. Those days are over, and everyone around USC sort of got that. But Kiffin is probably the best candidate to fill the void, in his own way, with his own style and his own assistants.

At 34, Kiffin might plant roots and stay at USC for years. Or he might leave in a year to go back to the NFL. Coaches are vagabonds by nature, some more than others.

In this case, the Trojans snagged the one they needed.

More news

AP

Slain UConn CB's family wants $5M

CFT: Stabbed to death following an altercation at a school-sponsored dance in October 2009, Jasper Howard‘s parents are seeking significant financial compensation for the parties they believe are at least partly responsible.

CFT: SEC's Slive no fan of plus-one playoff model

Headlines

• Label

Ex-QB Brian Johnson still directing Utes offense

CFT: Miami says it's 'committed to the ACC'

CFT: Clemson would listen to other conferences

CFT: Tennessee TE booted following felony arrest

CFT: Potential Cal starter kicked off team

Friends, fans mourn loss of Stewart

CFT: Ohio St. 'not facing any major ... violations'

CFT: Pitt FB suffers stroke, career likely over