Lane Kiffin addresses Tennessee fans, return to Neyland Stadium

HOOVER, Ala. — 12 years after making a controversial SEC Media Days debut for Tennessee, Lane Kiffin returned as the head coach for Ole Miss. “A lot’s happened

HOOVER, Ala. — 12 years after making a controversial SEC Media Days debut for Tennessee, Lane Kiffin returned as the head coach for Ole Miss.

“A lot’s happened since then,” Kiffin said simply on Tuesday.

From a head gig at FAU to a stint under Nick Saban at Alabama and now to Oxford, Kiffin has certainly made his mark across college football since 2009.

And he’s also become quite popular on Twitter.

But before all that, he left Knoxville in what remains one of the most chaotic exits in SEC history.

(Video credit: Knoxville News Sentinel)

That departure is one that still leaves a sour taste for some Tennessee fans, while others have grown to appreciate Kiffin.

We asked Kiffin about his relationship with the Vols’ fan base, both on- and off-line, as well as what he expects when he makes his return to Neyland Stadium as a head coach this season.

“Not welcoming, but a little bit better than the last time as an assistant coach,” he said. “It’s a passionate fan base… special university, special tradition.”

Check out his full answer in the video above.