TC’s Chaz Green surprised by Kiffin jump to USC

Posted Jan 13, 2010 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 13, 2010 at 05:48 PM

When Chaz Green’s father woke him Tuesday night to tell him the news of Lane Kiffin’s surprise coaching switch from Tennessee to the University of Southern California, Green thought he was dreaming.

But once he shook the cobwebs, Green realized it was no hallucination. Kiffin really was leaving Tennessee, the school that was Green’s slight favorite in the hunt for his services on the offensive line. And to Green’s dismay, Kiffin was heading to another school that was one of his finalists, USC.

Green’s other two candidates are Florida and Ohio State.

“I was surprised because I didn’t think that was a main option for a head coach,” said the 6-foot-5, 295-pound Green. “It did surprise me he would leave after a year.”

In some ways, Green said, Kiffin’s stunning move could be an asset for him. Green says he knows Kiffin better than he does outgoing USC coach Pete Carroll. And now that Kiffin will be at USC, Green will be among familiar faces when he takes his official visit with the Trojans on Jan. 29. Green was quick to say, however, Tennessee is still one of his finalists.

“I have a better feel for coach Kiffin than I did for coach Carroll. “My feelings toward Tennessee have changed a little bit but I still have to wait and see who they’ll have as head coach.”

Meanwhile, Green and TC’s star quarterback, Christian Green, are both headed to the University of Florida this weekend. And even though these two Greens are not related to each other, they both want some answers from the Gators about the longterm future of head coach Urban Meyer.

Earlier this month, Meyer revealed he was having health problems and was stepping down as head coach. Shortly after that announcement, Meyer said he had changed his mind and was taking a brief leave of absence and not retiring.

Florida has always been one of Christian Green’s favorites and Meyer’s situation took him by surprise.

“I was shocked,” Christian Green said of Meyer’s announcement. “Just knowing what kind of coach he is, how hard he works and how much he loves the game, I never expected coach Meyer to do something like that. Hopefully, this weekend, I’ll get to talk with him and some of the other coaches there and find out exactly what’s going on.”

Besides Florida, Christian Green said his finalists are Georgia and Florida State. He’s already taken his visit to UGA and plans a trip to Tallahassee on Jan. 29.

Chaz Green said he has already received a call from Meyer, assuring him he will be back at the helm of the Gators’ football program in August. But he says the Kiffin switch is so new, he has yet to hear from Tennessee or USC coaches.

“This just proves the point that anything can happen in recruiting up to the last minute,” Chaz Green said. “I don’t think you can say too early ‘this is definitely the school I’m going to be at’ because of all these crazy coaching changes.”