Lane Kiffin, USC catching heat over deflation controversy

Lane Kiffin once again is drawing the ire of many in and around college football.

Kiffin has been accused of purposely deflating footballs before last weekend's game against the high-powered Oregon Ducks. However, Kiffin said it was the doing of an overzealous manager, who acted on his own and has now been fired. Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times isn't so sure about Kiffin's story, saying the following in his latest column:

"Off the field, Kiffin has dragged the team through an array of distractions and ethics dilemmas that have tarnished the athletic department's sterling post-probation image cultivated by Athletic Director Pat Haden."

Pat Forde really went after Kiffin on Yahoo.com, saying that the young coach is somewhat of a shady character.

Many in the area continue to wonder how long Kiffin will be the head coach at USC while the program continues to underachieve in the eyes of many. The Trojans came into 2012 as one of the title contenders with a star-laden team. Now they sit 6-3, with losses against every good team they've played.

If USC loses another game, it will be intriguing to see if Kiffin returns for another year.