Kiffin defends 2nd-chance mentality at FAU: 'Most of us have had them'
Lane Kiffin plans to continue awarding second chances, even as the number of potentially high-risk players on his Florida Atlantic roster increases.
"We've always believed in second chances," the first-year Owls coach told CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd.
"I think most of us have had them in life, especially at a young age. These guys are held to a really high standard."
Kiffin has only been at Florida Atlantic for eight months, yet he's already dolled out scholarships to a laundry list of players who were once coveted for their talent before running into controversy elsewhere.
The latest marquee addition came Tuesday, as wide receiver/quarterback John Franklin III announced he's transferring from Auburn, making the Owls his fourth team in five years.
FAU's notable "high-risk" additions under Kiffin:
| Player | First school | Reason for exit |
|---|---|---|
| De'Andre Johnson (QB) | Florida State | Dismissed |
| Tim Bonner (DE) | Louisville | Transferred amid off-field issues |
| Jeremiah Teleni (DT) | Pitt | Dismissed |
| DeAndre McNeal (WR) | Texas | Dismissed |
| Chris Robison (QB) | Oklahoma | Dismissed |
| Kevin Daub (LB) | Florida State | Transferred amid off-field issues |
Many of Kiffin's new Owls landed in Boca Raton via East Mississippi Community College, the school profiled in the popular Netflix series "Last Chance U."
However, the 42-year-old believes his second-chance mentality will ultimately benefit both the players he's acquiring and the football program he's trying to build.
"It was kind of like turn over every rock - major college graduates, junior colleges," he said of his approach to constructing the Owls' roster.
"We've got to put all our energy in that. Not just increase the talent but create competition. It's how USC was built. Pete Carroll just kept bringing guys in. Brian Cushing had to rush against LenDale White. Troy Polamalu is trying to intercept from Carson Palmer."
Kiffin is set to make his Owls coaching debut Sept. 1 versus Navy. Florida Atlantic has gone 3-9 in each of the last three seasons.