USC's Kiffin recruits middle-schooler

Former University of Tennessee head football-turned USC pigskin coach Lane Kiffin is planning for the future -- five years ahead, a Wilmington, Del., newspaper reports.

According to the Wilmington News Journal, Bear, Del., seventh-grade quarterback David Sills committed Thursday night to accept a football scholarship from USC.

The 13-year-old, who attends Red Lion Christian Academy, told delawareonline.com, "my heart was beating so fast" when he talked to Kiffin.

Red Lion high school varsity coach Eric Day confirmed confirmed that Kiffin recently offered the teen a scholarship, and that Sills committed, according to the Wilmington paper.

Kiffin has been know to raise eyebrows with his actions.

After only one year at the helm of the Volunteer football program, he bailed for USC, where he'd been an assistant coach under Pete Carroll, whom he replaced.

He began his first head coaching job as the NFL's youngest coach, leading the Oakland Raiders at age 31. But after only 20 games, and a record of 5-15, Kiffin was fired.

When Tennessee hired him, he hired away one of the Raiders' assistant coaches with two games left in the season.

At Tennessee, Kiffin publicly accused University of Florida coach Urban Meyer of violating NCAA recruiting rules, according to ESPN.com.

And in the same Feb. 5, 2009, speech said he ordered a high school recruit to fax an intent letter from outside the school because "somebody at the school was going to screw it up," the (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Sun Sentinel reported.