USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will resign from his position later this year following the Trojans' bowl game in December.
Kiffin made the announcement on Thursday and said that he would look to pursue opportunities in the NFL.
"I really enjoyed my time at USC and the opportunity I had to work with our players and coaches," Monte Kiffin said in the statement, released Thursday night on the school's official site, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com. "The chance to work for my son, Lane, was unique and memorable, but we always treated each other professionally on a coach-to-coach basis."
Kiffin made the decision now so that the Trojans and his son, head coach Lane Kiffin, could focus on preparing for a bowl game and on next season's recruiting.
"I wanted to make this announcement now so that our players who are preparing for the bowl game and our recruits who will be visiting campus are aware," Monte Kiffin said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times. ". "I really enjoyed my time at USC and the opportunity I had to work with our players and coaches."
The defense has been one of the biggest issues for USC this season. The Trojans are ranked 46th in the nation in points against, giving up 24 per game, and have given up 60 points in the past two weeks in losses to UCLA and Notre Dame.
The 72-year-old Kiffin joined USC in 2010 when his son was hired as the head coach. He is considered to be one of the best defensive coaches in all of football, in college or the NFL.
"I respect my father's decision and his desire to return to the NFL," Lane Kiffin said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times. "We are very appreciative of the hard work and effort that he put in at USC these past three years. He has a tremendous passion for coaching young men and he is a phenomenal recruiter. The timing of this allows us to move forward now in the hiring of a new coach."
Kiffin spent over 20 years in the NFL and was the defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won in 2002. He followed his son to the Tennessee Volunteers when he was hired as head coach in the 2009 season and then left to coach with him at USC.
"Although things didn't always go as well as we would have liked this year from a defensive and win-loss standpoint, I will leave USC with the utmost respect for the university, the Trojan family and, most importantly, the players I had the good fortune to coach," Monte Kiffin said. "I see great things ahead for the USC football program."
The USC defense struggled in 2010 in Kiffin's first season, but the team worked to make adjustments.
According to the Los Angeles Times, "In 2011, the Trojans gave up a combined 84 points in consecutive games against Arizona State and Arizona, spurring calls for Monte's ouster from Trojans fans. USC, however, rebounded to finish 10-2, capping the season by winning at Oregon and shutting out UCLA, 50-0."
The Trojans entered the season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25, but have been a huge disappointment, going only 7-5, including 5-4 in the Pac-12. The team was expected to contend for a national championship and quarterback Matt Barkley was expected to compete for the Heisman, but now neither will happen.
Barkley was hurt against UCLA and did not play against Notre Dame, while USC will play in one of the non-BCS bowls in December after losing four of the last five games of the season.
The Trojans defeated Arizona State 38-17 on Nov. 10, but dropped the previous two games against Arizona and Oregon.
Against the Ducks on Nov. 3, the Trojans had one of their worst defensive performances, giving up 62 points and over 700 yards to Oregon, both school-records. The Trojans had trouble stopping everything, especially the rushing attack. The team gave up 321 rushing yards to Kenjon Barner, including five touchdowns.
Games against Oregon are the reason why Kiffin is resigning.
The team was playing well through October with a 6-1 record, but suffered a big stumble in a 39-36 loss against Arizona on Oct. 27. The Trojans gave up nearly 600 yards and allowed Arizona quarterback Matt Scott to amass 469 rushing and passing yards on his own.
This season the Trojans have done a good job causing turnovers, ranking 12th in the nation with 29, but has given up nearly 400 yards per game, which is ranked in the bottom half of the FBS division.
"Anyone who played for him would have respect for him because he's been through it all," Senior safety T.J. McDonald said to the LA Times. "All the tasks we were asked to do, we did the best we could. The results weren't always what we wanted them to be, but at the end of the day I have nothing but respect for the coaches and Coach Monte."
Kiffin will have opportunities in the NFL if that's what he would like to do. During Kiffin's NFL career, his defenses have finished in the top 10 in scoring and total yards allowed 10 different times, which is an NFL record.
The Trojans will play in a bowl game for the first time in two years following NCAA probation for issues related to Reggie Bush.
