coaching

Twelve years ago, coach Lane Kiffin was humiliated, fired by USC athletic director Pat Haden on an airport tarmac at 3 a.m. moments after the Trojans had flown in from Phoenix after getting crushed by Arizona State, 62-41.

OK, so maybe it wasn’t the tarmac, maybe that’s just Trojan lore, maybe the abrupt firing took place in a small room next to the runway.

Either way, the memory has been burned in Kiffin’s heart and mind, helping motivate him to increased success on the field and seemingly heartfelt balance in his personal life.

Now the tables have turned. Kiffin, 50, has led Ole Miss to a No. 5 national ranking and 10-1 record, the fourth year in the last five the Rebels have won at least 10 games. He seemingly shed the reputation for aloofness and me-first attitude that dogged him as a failed NFL head coach at age 32 and as an Alabama assistant let go by Nick Saban days before a national title game for focusing too much on his next job.

Yet, here we are again, Kiffin apparently contemplating the unthinkable. Would he really abandon Ole Miss on the eve of the College Football Playoff for Florida or Louisiana State, fellow SEC schools and established national powers hunting for head coaches?

A young fan shows his support for Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin during the second half of a game against Florida in Oxford, Miss., on Nov. 15, 2025.

(Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press)

Kiffin’s ex-wife Layla — they are on friendly terms — and 17-year-old son Knox recently were flown on private jets to Gainesville, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La., presumably to check out the livability and vibes of the potential next entry on Kiffin’s resume.

Ole Miss is well aware of Kiffin’s impending decision and clearly want to know the answer ahead of the Rebels’ regular-season finale Nov. 28 against Mississippi State. Kiffin, however, denied rumors that Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter had given him an ultimatum to decide before then.

“Yeah, that’s absolutely not true,” Kiffin told “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN on Tuesday. “There has been no ultimatum, anything like that at all. And so I don’t know where that came from, like a lot of stuff that comes out there. Like I said, man, we’re having a blast. I love it here.”

In fairness to Kiffin, the urgency to decide now rather than at season’s end is a function of today’s college football recruiting calendar and transfer portal. The high school signing period begins Dec. 3 and the transfer portal opens Jan. 2.

The first round of the CFP will be Dec. 19 and 20. The quarterfinals are on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Florida and LSU can’t wait that long to hire a coach.

What should he do? Most seasoned pundits believe he should not budge.

“Kiffin should stay and see the season out; attempt to win, try to reach the Final Four or beyond, make the memories, and forge the deep bonds that coaching is supposed to be about,” longtime columnist Dan Wetzel wrote for ESPN.

Reasons to jump to LSU or Florida are that both schools are in talent-rich states with massive fan bases and deep tradition. The ceiling is higher and the stands fuller than in Oxford, Miss. Also, coaches at those established SEC powers tend to dig in for years. Who knows when a similar opportunity will present itself?

Kiffin’s quandary is understandable. Old Miss administrators, however, vividly recall 2022 when Kiffin was courted by Auburn and allowed the issue to linger and sabotage a potentially great season. The Rebels were 8-1 when the rumors began and then lost four in a row.

Nobody at Ole Miss wants another collapse because Kiffin — again — had a wandering eye. His decision is difficult, and won’t wait.

Every college football team with a coaching vacancy wants the next Curt Cignetti. Maybe UCLA can land him.

He’s from the same school that Cignetti took to unprecedented heights before making Indiana a national power, and he’s doing similarly special things.

His name is Bob Chesney, and he was publicly identified by former Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel over the weekend as someone whom UCLA is targeting in a search that appears to be picking up considerable momentum.

If that’s true — and there’s no reason to believe it isn’t, based on Neuheisel’s connections and similar things heard by The Times from others close to the coaching search — then the Bruins might be among the Chesney suitors on the cusp of the coup of the coaching carousel.

Chesney has a profile similar to Cignetti’s. He won big at the Division III, Division II and Football Championship Series levels before taking over at James Madison prior to last season. All he’s done with the Dukes is guide them to a 9-4 record and Boca Raton Bowl victory in Year 1 before putting them on the fringes of College Football Playoff contention with a 9-1 start in Year 2.

He’s relatively young at 48 and has a dynamic presence. Go watch his introductory news conference at James Madison. Some descriptors that come to mind are driven, compassionate, gracious, humorous and principled.

“Transparency and communication are two very important things that every program needs to have,” Chesney said that day, providing a mantra that all organizations should embrace.

Chesney has the kind of personality that could land recruits, galvanize a fan base and drive donations at UCLA, even as someone who has spent his entire life on the East Coast.

Anyone who thinks that is an automatic disqualifier for the UCLA job doesn’t know history. Ever heard the name Red Sanders?

He was a North Carolina native who came to UCLA from Vanderbilt, going on to such massive success in Westwood that the Bruins still give out the Red Sanders Award to their most valuable player each year.

Chesney has to want to come to UCLA, of course, while also being pursued by others as his profile continues to rise, seemingly by the day. All it takes is one phone call from somebody else for even the best plans to get derailed. The surplus of coaching vacancies at Power Four schools and associated moves will make any pursuit a game of dominoes.

UCLA hasn’t hired a sitting head coach since Pepper Rodgers took the job before the 1971 season, leaving Kansas.

The last three times the Bruins made that move, it paid off handsomely. Rodgers went 19-12-1 over three seasons before departing for Georgia Tech, his alma mater. Tommy Prothro (previously at Oregon State) went 41-18-3 over six seasons before landing a job with the Rams. After leaving Vanderbilt, Sanders went 66-19-1 at UCLA, winning a share of the Bruins’ only national championship in 1954, before dying of a heart attack before the 1958 season.

If UCLA intends to go that route, other candidates that the search committee would be smart to consider include San Diego State’s Sean Lewis, Tulane’s Jon Sumrall and South Florida’s Alex Golesh. Washington’s Jedd Fisch would be another attractive candidate if there was mutual interest, though Fisch’s reported $10-million buyout that doesn’t drop to $6 million until January — long after the Bruins want to have their coach in place — may be prohibitive.

Luke Duncan throws a pass against Ohio State in the second half.

(Jay LaPrete / Associated Press)

With UCLA missing its starting quarterback against the nation’s top-ranked team, a 48-10 loss to Ohio State was entirely predictable.

Quarterbacks: B. Given the circumstances, Luke Duncan filled in admirably for Nico Iamaleava, showing plenty of potential once he was able to sling the ball in the second half.

Running backs: C-. It could have been worse considering the Buckeyes knew the Bruins would rely heavily on the run. Jaivian Thomas, Jalen Berger, Anthony Woods and Anthony Frias II combined for 55 yards and averaged 2.75 yards per carry.

Wide receivers/tight ends: B. Rico Flores II and Kwazi Gilmer each made a big catch, but Gilmer was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at a time his team was losing 27-0.

Offensive line: B+. These guys didn’t give up a sack even with veteran guard Garrett DiGiorgio sidelined by a back injury and right tackle Reuben Unije leaving the game because of another injury.

Defensive line: C+. There’s little shame in getting outclassed by one of the nation’s top offensive lines.

Linebackers: B. Jalen Woods recorded the team’s first sack since the Michigan State game more than a month ago.

Defensive backs: C. Didn’t make much of an impression outside of Cole Martin getting hurdled on a touchdown run.

Special teams: D. Mateen Bhaghani did his thing, making another field goal, but giving up a 100-yard kickoff return was unacceptable.

Coaching: C. Somewhat understandably, Tim Skipper & Co. unveiled a game plan so conservative that it might appear on the GOP ticket for midterm elections in 2026.

Olympic sport the week: Men’s water polo

Frederico Jucá Carsalade looks to pass against USC.

(UCLA)

They got it done.

In a rematch they badly wanted to win, the UCLA Bruins edged rival USC on Saturday to win the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men’s water polo title.

With two goals in the final two minutes, including a go-ahead goal from Ryder Dodd with 1:09 left, the visiting Bruins rallied for an epic 14-13 victory over the Trojans, avenging a loss to their rivals from earlier in the season.

From left, Trey Doten, Max Matthews, Marcell Szécsi, Nick Tovani, and Wade Sherlock cheer against USC.

(UCLA)

Dodd finished with four goals for UCLA (22-1), which earned the top seeding in the MPSF tournament at Stanford’s Avery Aquatics Center. The Bruins will face either eighth-seeded Penn State Behrend or ninth-seeded Connecticut College on Friday afternoon in their opening game.

Opinion time

Which possible football coaching candidate excites you most?

James Madison’s Bob Chesney

San Diego State’s Sean Lewis

Tulane’s Jon Sumrall

South Florida’s Alex Golesh

Washington’s Jedd Fisch

Click here to vote in our survey.

Poll results

We asked, “If UCLA plays its football games at SoFi Stadium in 2026, will you go?”

After 768 votes, the results:

No, it’s a big mistake, 60.9%
Yes, sounds like fun, 39.1%

In case you missed it

Gabriela Jaquez and No. 3 UCLA dominate in victory over South Florida

With Nico Iamaleava out, UCLA is trounced by top-ranked Ohio State

Kenny Easley, one of the most dominant defenders in UCLA and NFL history, dies at 66

Nico Iamaleava will not play for UCLA vs. Ohio State because of a concussion

No. 15 UCLA can’t stop Jaden Bradley late, falling to No. 5 Arizona for first loss

‘Oh my gosh, you’re a baby.’ Meet Meila Brewer, UCLA’s 16-year-old soccer star

UCLA baseball signs pitcher Fabio Bundi from Zurich, Switzerland

Judge denies Rose Bowl temporary restraining order blocking UCLA from SoFi Stadium deal

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

SEATTLE — Lenny Wilkens, a three-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame who was enshrined as both a player and a coach, has died, his family said Sunday. He was 88.

The family said Wilkens was surrounded by loved ones when he died and did not immediately release a cause of death.

Wilkens was one of the finest point guards of his era who later brought his calm and savvy style to the sideline, first as a player-coach and then evolving into one of the game’s great coaches.

He coached 2,487 games in the NBA, which is still a record. He became a Hall of Famer as a player, as a coach and again as part of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team — on which he was an assistant. Wilkens coached the Americans to gold at the Atlanta Games as well in 1996.

“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA — as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Sunday. “So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.”

Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star as a player, was the first person to reach 1,000 wins as an NBA coach and was the second person inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach. He coached the Seattle SuperSonics to the NBA title in 1979 and remained iconic in that city for the rest of his life, often being considered a godfather of sorts for basketball in Seattle — which lost the Sonics to Oklahoma City in 2008 and has been trying to get a team back since.

And he did it all with grace, something he was proud of.

“Leaders don’t yell and scream,” Wilkens told Seattle’s KOMO News earlier this year.

Wilkens, the 1994 NBA coach of the year with Atlanta, retired with 1,332 coaching wins — a league record that was later passed by Don Nelson (who retired with 1,335) and then Gregg Popovich (who retired with 1,390).

Wilkens played 15 seasons with the St. Louis Hawks, SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. He was an All-Star five times with St. Louis, three times in Seattle and once with Cleveland in 1973 at age 35. A statue depicting his time with the SuperSonics was installed outside Climate Pledge Arena in June.

“Even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship, was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle where a statue stands in his honor,” Silver said. “He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.”

Wilkens twice led the league in assists but was also a prominent scorer. He averaged in double-figure scoring in every season of his career, except his final one in 1974-75 with the Trail Blazers. His best season as a scorer came in his first season with the SuperSonics in 1968-69 when he averaged 22.4 points, 8.2 assists and 6.2 rebounds.

Leonard Wilkens was born Oct. 28, 1937, in New York. His basketball schooling came on Brooklyn’s playgrounds and at a city powerhouse, then Boys High School, where one of his teammates was major league baseball star Tommy Davis. He would go on to star at Providence College and was drafted by the Hawks as the sixth overall pick in 1960.

His resume as a player would have been enough to put Wilkens in consideration for the Hall of Fame. What he accomplished as a coach — both through success and longevity — cemented his legacy.

Countless other honors also came his way, including being elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the College Basketball Hall of Fame, the Providence Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Wall of Honor.

His coaching stops included two stints in Seattle totaling 11 seasons, two seasons in Portland — during one of which he still played and averaged 18 minutes per game — seven seasons in both Cleveland and Atlanta, three seasons in Toronto and parts of two years with the Knicks.

Wilkens also has the most losses in NBA coaching history with 1,155. But his successes outweighed the setbacks. He guided the SuperSonics to their lone championship with a victory over the then Washington Bullets, a year after losing to them in the Finals.

Wilkens moved into first place on the wins list on Jan. 6, 1995, while coaching the Hawks. His 939th victory surpassed Red Auerbach’s record. From there, he became the first coach to reach 1,000 career wins, a mark since matched by nine others.

The possibility of playing and coaching at the same time was raised before the 1969 season when Wilkens was at the home of SuperSonics general manager Dick Vertlieb and playing a leisurely game of pool.

“I thought he was crazy,” Wilkens recalled. “I kept putting him off, but he was persistent. Finally, we were getting so close to training camp, so I said, ‘What the heck, I’ll try it.’”

From there, he became increasingly enamored with coaching.

Seattle trailed the Cincinnati Royals by four points with a few seconds remaining when Wilkens set up a play that resulted in a dunk. Then, he ordered his players to press since the Royals were out of timeouts. The Sonics stole the inbounds pass, scored again to tie it and won in overtime.

“I was like, ‘Wow!”’ Wilkens said. “I had just done something as a coach that helped us win, not as a player.”

After his coaching career ended in 2005, Wilkens returned to the Seattle area where he lived every offseason. Wilkens ran his foundation for decades, with its primary benefactor being the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle’s Central District.

He also restored a role with the SuperSonics in 2006 as the team’s vice chairman, but he left the post a year later after it became clear new owner Clay Bennett wanted to move the club out of Seattle.

Wilkens is survived by his wife, Marilyn; their children, Leesha, Randy and Jamee; and seven grandchildren.

Booth and Destin write for the Associated Press.

Get ready for Troy High to again be a girls’ basketball team to watch.

Kevin Kiernan, the winningest girls’ coach in state history with 900 career wins, according to CalHiSports, has come out of retirement for a second stint at Troy, where he coached for 11 years before heading over to Mater Dei for an 18-year run as girls’ coach and later athletic director. He’s also coached at Westminster La Quinta as well as boys’ basketball and was women’s coach at Cypress College.

Kiernan served as athletic director at Mater Dei last season. Two issues that he dealt with — an injured hip and throat surgery to help his voice — have been taken care of.

“Voice is great,” said Kiernan, whose daughter, Kaidyn, is a junior on the team.

That’s bad news for opponents, players and maybe some officials.

His experience alone should be beneficial to Troy, which is scheduled to be in eight tournaments and showcases. There’s only one returning player, Allyson Tan, but plenty of freshmen and sophomores, which is challenging but invigorating for Kiernan, known as a great teacher of the game.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].