Monte Kiffin to leave Bucs for D-coordinator job at Tennessee

Dec 15, 2008 - 7:57 PM TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Monte Kiffin, the longtime defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will follow his son to Tennessee.

Two weeks after Lane Kiffin accepted the head coaching position at the University of Tennessee, the elder Kiffin opted to join his son's staff with the Volunteers.

Tennessee athletic officials did not confirm the hiring when contacted by PA SportsTicker.

But Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden confirmed Kiffin's departure during a news conference Monday.

"I think we all respect his situation, we have tremendous respect for him," Gruden said. "We had a pretty good indication that he was going to join his son. It is a great reunion for the Kiffin family, and we are happy for them."

Monte Kiffin, 68, has spent the last 13 seasons with Tampa Bay and has overseen one of the NFL's top defenses over that span.

Kiffin's trademark Cover-2 defense helped the Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII following the 2002 season, the only title in Tampa Bay franchise history.

The Buccaneers (9-5), in contention for a playoff spot in the NFC this year, have lost their last two games. But Gruden does not believe Kiffin's pending departure, which had been widely speculated in recent weeks, has distracted the Buccaneers.

"I don't believe it was a distraction," Gruden said. "Obviously, we are going to miss Monte Kiffin, not only as a football coach, but as a friend. He has done a lot of great things here. I don't believe it has been a distraction for us."

Lane Kiffin, 33, was introduced December 1 as the successor to Phillip Fulmer, the second-winningest coach in Tennessee history who was forced to resign last month.