NCAA Football: Lane Kiffin Fired as USC Trojans Head Coach
 

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USC fires Lane Kiffin after loss to Arizona State


Lane Kiffin, who has coached USC’s football team since 2010, has been relieved of his duties, athletic director Pat Haden announced early Sunday.

Kiffin was fired hours after the Trojans lost to Arizona State, 62-41, at Tempe, Ariz. The loss dropped the Trojans’ record to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Pacific 12 Conference.

Kiffin, who succeeded Pete Carroll as coach, had been under fire since the end of last season, when the Trojans fell from being ranked No. 1 to finishing with a 7-6 record. USC has lost seven of its last 11 games dating to last season.

Kiffin compiled a 28-15 record at USC. His best season came in 2011, when the Trojans finished 10-2.

The program was hoping for a major bounce-back effort in 2013, but the Trojans are just 3-2 through five games, including a pair of conference losses. They rank 84th in points scored and 43rd in points allowed.

As the frustrating results continued, the attention quickly shifted to Kiffin. He was clearly on the hot seat in recent weeks and wasn't able to turn things around.

The NCAA hit USC with some of the most severe penalties in college football history months after Kiffin was hired. The penalties were related to former Trojans running back Reggie Bush and included a two-year bowl ban and the loss of 30 scholarships over three years.

Haden recently appealed to the NCAA to restore some of the scholarships. The request was denied.

In a four-paragraph news release announcing the move, USC said Haden would hold a news conference Sunday afternoon.