[StanFan88]

We gave up Greg Roman for Lane Kiffin?  And this is Tomsula's first hire?  Hoo...boy.  Kiffin supposedly hated and fought the selection of JaMarcus Russell when he was HC for the Raiders.  Anyone want to take bets on how long he and Baalke have until it implodes?

Didn't give up Roman.  Once Harbaugh was fired Roman left.  And once Fangio didn't get the HC job, he was gone too.

[StanFan88]

We gave up Greg Roman for Lane Kiffin?  And this is Tomsula's first hire?  Hoo...boy.  Kiffin supposedly hated and fought the selection of JaMarcus Russell when he was HC for the Raiders.  Anyone want to take bets on how long he and Baalke have until it implodes?

Didn't give up Roman.  Once Harbaugh was fired Roman left.  And once Fangio didn't get the HC job, he was gone too.

[CrazedZooChimp]

I think if the Niners were to hire Kiffin I might have to stop rooting for them.  At least until he's fired.

[CrazedZooChimp]

I think if the Niners were to hire Kiffin I might have to stop rooting for them.  At least until he's fired.

[Mick]

Very amusing to me that Jed wants "Winning With Class" as he pointed out on KNBR, then he hires...Lame Kiffin.  Sweeeeeeeeeet.

[Mick]

Very amusing to me that Jed wants "Winning With Class" as he pointed out on KNBR, then he hires...Lame Kiffin.  Sweeeeeeeeeet.

[OutsiderFan]

I don't understand the problems people have with Kiffin.  He isn't some sort of child molester, axe murderer, Wall Street banker, or Congressman.  He's just a guy who isn't very outgoing in personality who was hired as an NFL coach pre-maturely, and got pilloried for doing the same thing everyone else in his position at Tennessee would have done when his dream job was offered to him.

Maybe he's not head coaching material, but there is no escaping the fact his offenses have generally produced.  Give me a Lane Kiffin offense over a Greg Roman one with the Niners every day and twice on Sunday.

[OutsiderFan]

I don't understand the problems people have with Kiffin.  He isn't some sort of child molester, axe murderer, Wall Street banker, or Congressman.  He's just a guy who isn't very outgoing in personality who was hired as an NFL coach pre-maturely, and got pilloried for doing the same thing everyone else in his position at Tennessee would have done when his dream job was offered to him.

Maybe he's not head coaching material, but there is no escaping the fact his offenses have generally produced.  Give me a Lane Kiffin offense over a Greg Roman one with the Niners every day and twice on Sunday.

[washingtonismoney]

I don't understand the problems people have with Kiffin.  ...

1) People dislike nepotism (for other people). Lane looks like a guy who's benefited richly in that respect.
2) Kiffin's jerk maneuvers are generally: extremely easy to grasp; hilarious; childish; and comically ineffective, a Wile E. Coyote of college football. This makes it easy to mock and be remembered.
3) Kiffin's offenses are probably not as bad as some popular legends, but then again they're not exactly consistently great either, and tend to be very undiversified. (He identifies one great player, and rides him for dear life irrespective of other options. Robert Woods was great one year...until Kiffin disproportionately targeted Marqise Lee and almost exiled Woods.) Cody Kessler looked like a sublimely awful QB under Kiffin and now looks like a good one.
4) Of course, he looks really bad for the *Niners.* Kaepernick isn't exactly Tom Brady, but he's not without talents. An offense that's tailored to him could be pretty successful. Unfortunately, whatever talents Kiffin has, mobile QBs haven't been one of them -- it's not that we know he can't; it's that Kiffin never seems to have tried. That's really weird given the trends of football in general, which seems to feature ever more QBs who are mobile and have some passing aptitude.

[washingtonismoney]

I don't understand the problems people have with Kiffin.  ...

1) People dislike nepotism (for other people). Lane looks like a guy who's benefited richly in that respect.
2) Kiffin's jerk maneuvers are generally: extremely easy to grasp; hilarious; childish; and comically ineffective, a Wile E. Coyote of college football. This makes it easy to mock and be remembered.
3) Kiffin's offenses are probably not as bad as some popular legends, but then again they're not exactly consistently great either, and tend to be very undiversified. (He identifies one great player, and rides him for dear life irrespective of other options. Robert Woods was great one year...until Kiffin disproportionately targeted Marqise Lee and almost exiled Woods.) Cody Kessler looked like a sublimely awful QB under Kiffin and now looks like a good one.
4) Of course, he looks really bad for the *Niners.* Kaepernick isn't exactly Tom Brady, but he's not without talents. An offense that's tailored to him could be pretty successful. Unfortunately, whatever talents Kiffin has, mobile QBs haven't been one of them -- it's not that we know he can't; it's that Kiffin never seems to have tried. That's really weird given the trends of football in general, which seems to feature ever more QBs who are mobile and have some passing aptitude.

[OutsiderFan]

Well I'll trust Nick Saban's opinion, and also point out how much Kiffin is learning from Saban that will make him better.

[OutsiderFan]

Well I'll trust Nick Saban's opinion, and also point out how much Kiffin is learning from Saban that will make him better.

[washingtonismoney]

Well I'll trust Nick Saban's opinion, and also point out how much Kiffin is learning from Saban that will make him better.

I don't doubt that Nick Saban's a good coach, and his opinion of Kiffin does enhance my opinion of Kiffin by extension. But, ultimately, I'm not sure to what degree that matters.

Coaching, like a lot of things in sports, is about context. Some brilliant coaches will succeed no matter where they go or what rosters they inherit; I would guess Urban Meyer would be winning a substantial number of games in Palo Alto, even though the roster's built for a pro-style attack. (The same for brilliant players; I'd guess Marcus Mariota would be just fine in cardinal and white.)

But for the non-brilliant, context is really important. Levine Toilolo might not have been terribly valuable with Oregon; but he was really good in Stanford's system.

Lane Kiffin is probably the same. We know he can produce productive offenses in some contexts. The question is, "Are the Niners one of those?" Given the identity of the QB -- and Kiffin's past predilections -- it doesn't seem like a great fit. Hell, it doesn't even seem like a good one. The Niners should probably be looking for a more spread-oriented coach.

[washingtonismoney]

Well I'll trust Nick Saban's opinion, and also point out how much Kiffin is learning from Saban that will make him better.

I don't doubt that Nick Saban's a good coach, and his opinion of Kiffin does enhance my opinion of Kiffin by extension. But, ultimately, I'm not sure to what degree that matters.

Coaching, like a lot of things in sports, is about context. Some brilliant coaches will succeed no matter where they go or what rosters they inherit; I would guess Urban Meyer would be winning a substantial number of games in Palo Alto, even though the roster's built for a pro-style attack. (The same for brilliant players; I'd guess Marcus Mariota would be just fine in cardinal and white.)

But for the non-brilliant, context is really important. Levine Toilolo might not have been terribly valuable with Oregon; but he was really good in Stanford's system.

Lane Kiffin is probably the same. We know he can produce productive offenses in some contexts. The question is, "Are the Niners one of those?" Given the identity of the QB -- and Kiffin's past predilections -- it doesn't seem like a great fit. Hell, it doesn't even seem like a good one. The Niners should probably be looking for a more spread-oriented coach.

[OutsiderFan]

Do the Niners really believe Kaepernick is their longish-term solution?  Baalke, who is clearly running things, talks about a power running game. Kaepernick is working with Kurt Warner and Trent Dilfer now, suggesting they want a guy who can read the defense and go through progressions. 

Doesn't sound like a spread, post snap-oriented offense to me, though I agree that's what they should be doing in Ninerland with the QB they have.

[OutsiderFan]

Do the Niners really believe Kaepernick is their longish-term solution?  Baalke, who is clearly running things, talks about a power running game. Kaepernick is working with Kurt Warner and Trent Dilfer now, suggesting they want a guy who can read the defense and go through progressions. 

Doesn't sound like a spread, post snap-oriented offense to me, though I agree that's what they should be doing in Ninerland with the QB they have.