Morning USC Links: Trojans in the NFL, Should USC Part Ways with Kiffin? and Other Links

Kiffin’s decisions are failing USC(Ted Miller | ESPN Pac-12 Blog)

"At a place like USC, “reach its potential,” means winning and winning big. And that is — critically — where USC coach Lane Kiffin, who also coached under Carroll, has fallen short. He has made decisions and they have turned out to be the wrong ones. Those wrong decisions now have him riding an 8-7 record since his team started the 2012 season ranked No. 1. When judging Kiffin, that is what matters: The concrete decisions he makes and the real-world results of those decisions. It’s not about folks who have never talked to him one-on-one judging his personality or character. It’s not about the perception that he’s smug or hasn’t paid his coaching dues. Forget perception and personality. It’s about results."

Lane Kiffin’s only detail is Cody Kessler is starter(Gary Klein | Los Angeles Times)

"During a teleconference Sunday night, Kiffin told reporters he would announce the starting quarterback Monday and would provide information about “everything around the decision and about the decision and the reason for the decision, but I’m not going to get into any of that until we meet with our players.” But in his video, Kiffin offered no reasons, falling back once again on “for protection of the guys.”"

Coaching Replacements: Should USC Part Ways with Lane Kiffin?(Kyle Kensing | Bleacher Report )

"Athletic director Pat Haden gave his vote of confidence to Kiffin in the offseason, and the head coach’s team has ample time to right the ship. However, Haden must be ready with a contingency plan if the season falls short enough of expectations to warrant a change in leadership."

“Fire Lane” movement brings out fans’ worst(Nick Selbe | Daily Trojan)

"With all the vitriol being launched Kiffin’s way, though, I’m starting to wonder if “Fight On” is actually our credo or just something we say or put on a T-shirt. For better or worse, Lane Kiffin is our head coach. He is a Trojan. Even if he were the worst playcaller in the history of college football, nobody deserves that kind of treatment, and certainly not from his own team’s fans."

USC to NFL: Reggie Bush, Jordan Cameron Lead Former Trojans in Week 1(ShotgunSpratling | Conquest Chronicles)

"Reggie Bush and Jordan Cameron had breakout performances on Sunday, leading a big day for several former Trojans. See how all the USC alums did in the opening NFL weekend."

Kiffin should have stayed at Tennessee(Joshua Davis | All Coug’d Up)

"For the embattled season that will be his 2013 (and maybe his last as a big-time head coach if things don’t drastically change), it started with the unpopular firing of Kennedy Polamalu. The fallout then was pretty drastic among players and even a few recruits had issue with it. It seemed from the outside, even then, that it was a terribly timed and calculated move by Kiffin to make for one of the most beloved people in the USC program.."

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