Kiffin Hires New Strength Coach

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin didn’t have to think long when he went looking for strength and conditioning coach to replace Mark Smith. “I knew that was the direction I wanted to go,” Kiffin said of hiring Aaron Ausmus. “It was very easy for me.” And likely very easy for Ausmus to accept the job, considering he threw the shot put for UT’s track and field team before building his resume as a strength and conditioning coach. Kiffin, however, didn’t hire Ausmus because of his connection to UT. There were other, more important ties. Kiffin worked with Ausmus at Southern California. Assistant head coach Ed Orgeron worked with Ausmus at Ole Miss. – Knoxville News Sentinel

Stoops to Make $5 million by 2011

Bob Stoops will make nearly $5 million as Oklahoma football coach in 2011, should he remain that long, according to his revised contract approved Wednesday by the OU Board of Regents at their regularly scheduled meeting in Ardmore. – Tulsa World