Remembering Monte Kiffin: Legendary NFL assistant, father of Lane Kiffin, made impact in college football

Monte Kiffin, a longtime defensive coordinator at both the NFL and college levels, died Thursday at the age of 84. While Kiffin was renowned for his innovation with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he is credited with the proliferation of the “Tampa 2” defense, Kiffin’s origin — and plenty of his impact — can be traced to the collegiate game, where he routinely paired with his son, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. 

The elder Kiffin got his start as an assistant at Nebraska. Before he broke into the coaching game, he was an offensive and defensive lineman with the Huskers from 1959-63, playing under the likes of Bill Jennings and College Football Hall of Famer Bob DeVaney. 

He was even selected in the 15th round of the 1964 NFL Draft, though he was unable to stick around as a player after bouncing around both the Continental Football League and the Canadian Football League. It was after that brief professional foray that he decided to turn his attention towards coaching. 

DeVaney granted Kiffin his first opportunity, propelling him to a lengthy career — almost entirely as an assistant — that took him around the country. Here’s a look back at Kiffin’s collegiate coaching career, from the very start all the way through his return to lend his family a hand.  

Making an impact at his alma mater

Kiffin began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Nebraska in 1966, two years after he made a difference on the gridiron for the Huskers. In 1969, he was promoted to defensive coordinator and served under DeVaney. 

Together, the two won four Big Eight titles and consecutive national championships from 1970-71. When DeVaney stepped down in 1972, he tabbed offensive coordinator Tom Osborne as his successor. Kiffin retained his position as defensive coordinator and worked with Osborne through the 1976 season. 

That span included four consecutive nine-win seasons, a 3-1 record in bowl games — including wins in the Cotton and Sugar Bowls — and another Big Eight crown. Kiffin left for Arkansas in 1977 to serve on coach Lou Holtz’s inaugural staff; in 1979, Kiffin was promoted to assistant head coach. 

First coaching opportunity 

NC State hired Kiffin to replace coach Bo Rein, who left for LSU, in 1980, giving Kiffin the first coaching opportunity of his career. Reign led NC State to two top-20 finishes and an ACC championship during his four years with the program. 

Kiffin was also stepping into a position previously held by Holtz, who went 33-12-3 and won his own ACC title in four years at NC State before leaving for Arkansas. In his three years at NC State, Kiffin led the Wolfpack to a pair of 6-5 seasons sandwiched around a 4-7 campaign. 

His highest conference finish came in his first year, when NC State placed third in the ACC. The Wolfpack had an 8-10 conference record under Kiffin. 

Return to college ranks

Kiffin embarked on a lengthy NFL tenure in 1983 when he was brought on as the linebackers coach with the Green Bay Packers. He served in various roles at that level until 2009, when his son, Lane, was hired as the coach at Tennessee. The elder Kiffin followed Lane to Knoxville to serve as the Vols’ defensive coordinator. Lane then left for USC after just one season at Tennessee and brought Kiffin with him as the assistant head coach. 

Following his stints with Lane, Kiffin made his way back to the NFL in 2013 as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator and remained away from the college game during Lane’s stint as offensive coordinator at Alabama. When Florida Atlantic named Lane its head coach in 2017, Kiffin joined on as a defensive assistant. He was also a player personnel analyst at Ole Miss from 2020-23. 

Kiffin’s other son, Chris, also has an extensive collegiate coaching background and most recently served as the linebackers coach with the Houston Texans.