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BOCA RATON – Defensive coordinator Chris Kiffin is leaving FAU to join the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff, OwlAccess.com has confirmed.
In his lone year in charge of the Owls’ defense, Kiffin engineered an impressive turnaround, helping lead a team that recorded three consecutive 3-9 seasons into an 11-3 powerhouse, a Conference USA champion and a Boca Raton Bowl victor.
The 22.7 points per game allowed by FAU in 2017 ranked No. 34 nationally, while the 389.6 yards they surrendered per game landed them at No. 63 nationally.
The brother of head coach Lane Kiffin, Chris came to the Owls after serving as the defensive line coach Mississippi. As part of the sanctions the imposed late last year on Ole Miss for various violations, the NCAA slapped a Show Cause order on any program wishing to hire Kiffin.
With Kiffin departing, the Owls will be without their two coordinators from last season. Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles jumped to Houston following the season. FAU hired Charlie Weis, 24, to replace Briles. Weis spent the previous season on the Atlanta Falcons’ staff.
The Owls also lost defensive backs coach Cory Batoon, who became the defensive coordinator at Hawaii.
The relative late departure of Kiffin, who also coached the linebackers, doesn’t leave much time for FAU coach Lane Kiffin, Chris’ brother, to find a replacement prior to the March 20 start of spring practice.
An internal option would be promoting defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Eric Mathies. Lane Kiffin has previously stated a belief that Mathies will one day be a head coach, but Mathies has never served as a defensive coordinator at the collegiate level.
Lane can also rely on Monte Kiffin, his father and founder of the fame Tampa Two defense, for help in either the search or preparing the Owls for spring practice. Monte served as a defensive analyst for the Owls’ last season.
Monte, however, will not be the next Owls’ defensive coordinator.
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