USC players Hayes Pullard, Marqise Lee and Coach Lane Kiffin during Pac-12 media Day at Sony Studios July 26, 2013. (Brad Graverson/Los Angeles News Group)
USC coach Lane Kiffin said Friday he was unaware athletic director Pat Haden made a video where he announced he supported Kiffin, "100 percent."
Haden said, "I anticipate the media will ask me if our football coach is on the hot seat this year. ... he is not."
Later, Haden said, "He's a dynamic playcaller in my estimation. I firmly believe we'll bounce back strong."
Haden's video was a preemptive strike before Friday's Pac-12 media day at the Sony Pictures Studios Lot in Culver City. Haden did not attend media day because he is on vacation.
"I didn't know there was going to be a video," Kiffin said. "Obviously it's a positive, not a negative. I'm not surprised by it because I deal with Pat (and school president Max Nikias) on a daily basis."
Some noted in jest that Haden's announcement that he is 100 percent behind Kiffin is 50 percent less than last November when he said, "Lane is my head coach, 150 percent."
Kiffin to call plays
In a move that was anticipated, Kiffin said he decided to call plays this season. During spring practice, Kiffin said he would consider giving up those duties to pay more attention to the entire team.
But he decided to remain the Trojans' playcaller for the fourth straight season.
"I made a decision that it's in the best interest of our football team for me to continue to call plays," Kiffin said. "We have a unique relationship with the skilled guys, offensive guys, it's important because you're communicating with them so much and I think there's an impact in recruiting."
That means offensive coordinator Clay Helton will not call plays despite his new title. Helton was quarterbacks coach last season.
Two quarterbacks?
Kiffin said he might pick a starter in a week or a month but he also did not rule out playing two quarterbacks to start the season.
"It's not ideal," Kiffin said. "But all decisions are made in the best interest of the football team. Even though I don't like it. I'm not going to say it never happens."
Kiffin said he did not know if he would redshirt freshman Max Browne if Browne does not win the starting job.
Running is priority
One thing Kiffin did in the off season was study tapes of last year's games to determine what made USC finish with a 7-6 record.
"In critical situations, there was an inability to run the ball," Kiffin said. "That impacts the whole game. When you add that to the unbelievable amount of turnovers we had, it really hurts."
USC picked third
The Trojans were picked in the media poll to finish behind UCLA and Arizona State in the South Division. Oregon was picked to win the North Division and win the Pac-12 title game.
"It's a total difference," wide receiver Marqise Lee said of the lower expectations from a year ago, when USC was selected No. 1 in the nation. "We still have to play the games though. Last year Notre Dame started unranked but went to the championship game."
Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/ci_23741668/pac-12-media-day-usc-coach-lane-kiffin?source=rss
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