Kiffin Leaves Brother-In-Law Behind

Reaves remains in Kiffin's wake
Former Gamecocks' assistant was left behind after his brother-in-law's departure

Written by JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com

Posted on 01.31.10

Like the rest of the college football world, David Reaves was as surprised as anyone when Lane Kiffin bolted from Tennessee after one year to go to Southern Cal.

The only difference: Reaves is Kiffin's brother-in-law and had an office down the hall from Kiffin in Tennessee's football building.

But Reaves will not be joining his brother-in-law in Los Angeles. While Kiffin finishes assembling his Southern Cal staff, Reaves is stuck in coaching limbo in Knoxville after new Vols coach Derek Dooley chose not to retain the former South Carolina assistant.

Three weeks after Kiffin left Tennessee after one turbulent year, Reaves admits being stunned - both by Kiffin's abrupt departure and the fact that Kiffin never told his brother-in-law of his intentions.

"The disappointment was more of me not knowing about the situation. You would think that I would have some kind of heads-up on the situation. But that's how it works out sometimes," Reaves said during a recent phone interview.

"They had to keep that close to the vest, and I understand that professionally. Sometimes you've got to get left out of the loop, and it just so happened to be me this time. But something will work out. We'll just go from there and learn from it."

The 31-year-old Reaves spent five seasons as a USC assistant under Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier before leaving after the 2008 regular season to join a high-profile and well-compensated Vols' staff that included defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and former Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron.

Kiffin took his father, Orgeron and a couple of other UT assistants with him to Southern Cal. Reaves, whose sister Layla is married to Kiffin, was left behind.

"A lot of people have said that back and forth. But I think the situation with him out at Southern Cal, I think he wanted to go in the direction of a guy who is from out west, who has coached in that (Pac-10) conference before," Reaves said. "But I've pretty much stayed in the Southeastern Conference, and the South, my whole life and career. So I think that was mainly the main reason."

Reaves spoke with Kiffin last weekend for the first time since Kiffin accepted the Southern Cal job, leaving a trail of NCAA secondary recruiting violations and angry fans in his wake.

The conversation apparently did not include a job offer.

Through a Southern Cal spokesman, Kiffin declined to comment about Reaves.

Reaves said Kiffin's exit came at "probably the worst timing there could possibly be" for finding a job when many of the coaching positions already have been filled. Reaves, who was the Vols' quarterbacks coach, said he has interviews scheduled with a couple of schools and is keeping an eye on any potential NFL vacancies.

Tennessee owes Reaves $150,000 for the final year of his contract, so the former Spring Valley and Appalachian State quarterback would be OK financially if he does not find a job. But Reaves hopes to catch on somewhere soon.

"You want to stay in it, especially me being young," he said. "You want to find something where you can keep coaching, keep recruiting ... and hopefully not have to sit out a year."

Reaves should not expect much sympathy from USC fans, many of whom criticized Reaves after he left for going after prospects who committed to the Gamecocks while he was USC's recruiting coordinator. Reaves has said previously he was looking for players who could help Tennessee.

Reaves said he recently talked to Spurrier, whom Reaves called a great coach and mentor.

"He's always been there for me," Reaves said. "He was great to work for."

John Reaves, David's father, worked for Spurrier for four years at Florida in the 1990s and later was a USC assistant under Brad Scott.

Reaves has coaching in his blood, and is not ready to give it up. So he plans to keep looking for a job while trying to sell his three-bedroom home in Knoxville.

"This whole thing," Reaves said, "kind of took me by surprise."