Kiffin to appear before NCAA panel as part of Tennessee investigation
USC football Coach Lane Kiffin will appear before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions on Saturday, facing allegations that stem from his short tenure at Tennessee but might lead to penalties that could affect the Trojans.
Kiffin’s appearance in Indianapolis is part of a broader hearing into Tennessee’s athletic department, which was the subject of a 22-month investigation that led to the firing of basketball coach Bruce Pearl and the resignation of athletic director Mike Hamilton.
Athletic Director Pat Haden and David Roberts, USC’s vice president for athletic compliance, will attend the hearing. Haden said this week that, if asked, he would tell the Committee on Infractions that Kiffin has been “nothing but compliant” during his time at USC. Kiffin declined to comment.
The NCAA alleges that Tennessee football staff members made 16 impermissible phone calls to recruits from Jan. 3 to 9, 2010, and that the calls were made after the staff was informed the month before that the calls were impermissible.
Kiffin also is accused of allowing a recruiting intern to make impermissible off-campus contact with high school staff members after Tennessee’s director of football operations told him that the intern was not permitted to enter a high school’s property while accompanying a coach on a recruiting trip.
If Kiffin is penalized, the punishments could include limits on his recruiting at USC and, possibly, suspension from games.
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