The tie to this one and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is not just that the newest head coach in the National Football League is the son of Monte Kiffin, forever the defensive coordinator of the Bucs who is admired and so copied, but that when he could he’d ease into quarterback meetings of Bucs coach Jon Gruden.

No, it was no secret. Lane Kiffin was welcome, as are those who copy the Tampa-2 defense that the coordinators seem to love.

Al Davis, the go-for-it owner of the Oakland Raiders. surprised the world again by hiring Lane Kiffin, 31, to head coach his hard-times football team. And with the NFL requiring that teams give careful consideration to minority candidates, for the record: Kiffin is white and the coach he fired, Art Shell, is black. Shell’s team was 2-14, had no offense, has some high-public-image players, and an owner who really doesn’t give a flip what anyone thinks of his moves.

Davis originated the phrase, ‘’Just Win, Baby,’’ and for the longest time, the Raiders did. But not lately, not in four seasons of losing. He’s 77. He’s been miserable and he has shown it. He’s always been a friend to Tampa, notably in the NFL franchise pursuit years, the Super Bowl efforts. When he brought a team to Tampa for a Super Bowl, he didn’t like his hotel assigned. It was changed on the spot - 1984.

In the hiring of young Lane Kiffin, youth is surely served. Kiffin is the youngest-ever head coach in the NFL, for the moment anyway.

And, Kiffin is the second son of the main Buc man on defense and as fine a man as there is in the NFL. He’s a good coach, daddy, citizen, fan of all on center stage.  He’s wonderful at what he does, defense. The Bucs in his times have been tops, just dandy, and once Super Bowl champs with Gruden just in from jumping for the job in Tampa when it opened with the decision to let Tony Dungy go. Dungy wound up where he has wound up, in the Super Bowl just ahead against the Chicago Bears and Lovie Smith, who - like Dungy - is another Buc alumnus.

No, said Monte Kiffin, my son, Lane, a fine and smart man, did not go to school in Tampa. He went to Fresno State in California. Was a quarterback with early coaching tendencies. Most will conclude his experience is limited because, well, it is. He worked a year at Jacksonville coaching, then returned west to Southern California to become the offensive coordinator. There Davis, always in quest of youth, found him. He put young coaches, like John Madden, Mike Shanahan and Gruden on the spot as the head guys and they produced, all.

‘’I figured it would come to this,’’ said his dad. ‘’He started early watching me work. He got into the films early. I could see it coming. I’m proud Al Davis puts this faith in him. Age, I don’t think, will hurt him. Hasn’t hurt me,’’ laughing, and it hasn’t. His son is headed now for Mobile, site of the Senior Bowl this weekend. Gruden and Kiffin are there - Gruden is a head coach and Monte Kiffin a defensive coordinator. You can figure the son will be a student of all of this as he has been a student of all in the past.

Now, of the coaches involved recently, all of whom worked with Monte Kiffin here, I asked the coach for a short comment on each:

Tony Dungy, Colts: ‘’Whatever you see you get, as promised.’’

Mike Tomlin, Steelers now: ‘’When he was 29, in his first year with the Bucs, I remember telling Coach Gruden, ‘He’s a good one. Won’t be here long. He’ll do well.’ ‘’

Lovie Smith, Bears now: ‘’A players’ coach.’’

Herm Edwards, Kansas City now: ‘’Tremendous people person.’’

Lane Kiffin: ‘’Got a great job. Has a great wife in Layla Reaves (daughter of quarterback John). Is 31 going on 42. Has a great future.’’

And the No. pick in the April draft ahead.