Clemson interviews Kiffin

[SouthernJet]

Sources: Clemson interviews former Raiders coach Kiffin

By Chris Low

ESPN.com

Updated: November 13, 2008, 9:06 AM ET

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Former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin interviewed with Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips last week for the Tigers' head coaching job, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

Kiffin is at least the second known candidate to have interviewed for the Tigers position. Several reports had Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables meeting with Phillips last Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson are two other names that have been connected to the Clemson search.

Clemson is looking for a replacement for Tommy Bowden, who resigned under pressure earlier this season after the Tigers opened No. 9 in the polls but lost three of their first six games. Dabo Swinney took over as the interim coach on Oct. 13 and is also a candidate to become the permanent coach.

The 33-year-old Kiffin is in play at a couple different schools. He's also on Tennessee's list of candidates, and the Vols have already had preliminary contact with Kiffin's representatives.

Before being ousted by Raiders owner Al Davis, Kiffin was 5-15 in one-plus seasons in Oakland. He was the youngest head coach in NFL history (31) when he was hired. He rose to notoriety as the passing game coordinator and then the offensive coordinator at Southern California, where his 2005 offense was the first in NCAA history to have a 3,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard rushers and a 1,000-yard receiver.

Kiffin also gained acclaim as dogged recruiter and was able to pull in talent for the Trojans from all over the country. His father, Monte, is one of the foremost defensive minds in football and is currently the defensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.