Former Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin looks on during a 2009 game against Western Kentucky in Knoxville, Tenn.On Feb. 4, 2009, Lane Kiffin stepped to the podium and addressed what would be his only signing class as University of Tennessee football coach.
“Understand that this class is far below the standards that we have here and what we’ll need here in the future,” Kiffin said.
Who knew then just how precise he would be?
Kiffin and his staff of relentless recruiters had two months to scramble and assemble a class, and they were praised for compiling a crop that was strengthened with the late additions of safety Janzen Jackson, all-purpose back David Oku and tailback Bryce Brown, the nation’s No. 1 prospect. Rivals.com ranked Tennessee’s 23 signees 10th in the country, but only eight from that class are still with the program following a string of arrests and academic shortcomings.
Last summer, Rivals.com ranked Tennessee’s ’09 class as the most disappointing nationally in the past decade.