Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

There is a good chance you’ve heard of Arkansas State’s newest football staff member.

Chris Kiffin has been hired as the Red Wolves’ defensive line coach. Kiffin's addition was reported early Tuesday by radio station 103.9 FM The Game in Jonesboro.

Why would fans know that name?

Because Chris Kiffin’s father, Monte, is the architect of the Tampa 2 defense and now serves as defensive coordinator at Southern Cal. Brother Lane Kiffin is USC’s brash head coach and one of the nation’s best recruiters.

Sounds great, but Chris Kiffin also has some trouble in his past. Here's a 2006 report from Tampa Bay Online:

The son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense coordinator Monte Kiffin was arrested Tuesday on charges he broke into two vans to steal money and compact discs earlier in the week, Indian Shores police said.

Christopher Kiffin, 24, of 16200 Gulf Blvd., Redington Beach, was charged with two counts of burglary to a vehicle. He was released from the Pinellas County Jail on $10,000 bail within hours of his arrest.

According to arrest affidavits, Kiffin admitted to breaking into two vans along Gulf Boulevard in Redington Shores at roughly 4 a.m. Sunday. His plan was to take money and compact discs, but it was unclear from the affidavits whether he did so. Indian Shores Police Investigator Jason Routzahn declined to comment.

The affidavits say Kiffin was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time of the alleged crime.

To be fair, the now 29-year-old Kiffin seems to have cleaned up his act since then. He served last year as a defensive video coordinator for the Trojans and was an intern on Bo Pelini’s Nebraska staff in 2009. While with the Huskers he met his wife, Angela.

Nearly five years have passed since Kiffin ran into trouble. If his issues are truly behind him and any of his father’s coaching ability or brother’s recruiting prowess has rubbed off on him, then Chris Kiffin is worth it for the Red Wolves.

What might cause eyebrows to raise even further, Kiffin might not be the biggest risk that ASU Coach Hugh Freeze has taken since being promoted to the position in December.