Looks like Lane Kiffin will be coming back to Tennessee after all.
Just two days after the Trojan coach hired now former Titans running back coach Kennedy Pola to become their offensive coordinator, Kiffin and the Trojans find themselves facing a lawsuit.
On Monday the Tennessee Titans filed suit against both Kiffin and the University of Southern California for "maliciously interfering with the contract of running backs coach Kennedy Pola."
In court documents filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, the Titans claim Pola breached his contract with the team after being induced by Kiffin over the weekend to become the Trojans new offensive coordinator.
Pola was hired by the Titans in January to replace the fired Ernest Byner as running backs coach.
The suit states “as a result of USC and Kiffin’s tortuous conduct, Tennessee (Titans) football has been damaged in an amount proven at trial.’’
On Saturday Jeff Fisher, a former USC player himself, commented concerning Kiffin and his "lack of professionalism" in the hiring of Pola.
“I am very disappointed in Lane Kiffin’s approach to this,’’ Fisher said on Saturday. “Typically speaking when coaches are interested in hiring or discussing potential employment from coaches on respective staffs there is a courtesy call made from the head coach or athletic director indicating there is an interest in talking to the assistant.
“So I am very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on behalf of Lane, to call me and leave me a voice mail after Kennedy had informed me he had taken the job. It is just a lack of professionalism.’’
The suit further alleges that both Kiffin and USC "maliciously intended to – and did – induce Pola to breach his contract with the Titans" and that “USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procedure of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions.’’
Also alleged was that Pola would “not under any circumstance solicit discussions or entertain employment with any other person or entity during the term without given written permission to do so.’’ Pola was not given written consent by the Titans according to court documents.
“Kiffin and USC’s actions through him were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contract, to interfere with an existing contract includes the breach thereof,’’ the lawsuit reads.
There has been no statement released by either Kiffin or USC's new athletic director Pat Haden concerning the suit.
Haden, who was hired to replace Mike Garrett as athletic director just last week, was charged with cleaning up the image of the program after NCAA sanctions were announced last month concerning the Reggie Bush situation.
USC was placed on probation June 10 and received a two-year bowl ban, four years’ probation, loss of scholarships and forfeit of an entire year’s games for improper benefits to Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush dating to the Trojans’ 2004 national championship.
USC was penalized for a lack of institutional control in the ruling by the NCAA following its four-year investigation. The report cited numerous improper benefits for Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo, who spent just one year with the Trojans.
Other penalties included the loss of 30 football scholarships over three years and vacating 14 victories in which Bush played from December 2004 through the 2005 season. USC beat Oklahoma in the BCS title game on Jan. 4, 2005, and won 12 games during Bush’s Heisman-winning 2005 season, which ended with a loss to Texas in the 2006 BCS title game.
USC has removed Bush's Heisman Trophy from their football offices at Heritage Hall and returned it to the Heisman Trust.
This latest incident is another unwanted black eye for a program with a national reputation, and surely will not sit well with either Haden or new USC president C. L. Max Nikias, who along with Haden have made restoring the Trojans image as a major priority.
Titans officials also had no comment on Monday concerning the suit.
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