Nebraska football legend, defensive genius Monte Kiffin passes away

On Thursday afternoon, one of the men who helped make Nebraska what it would later become passed away. Monte Kiffin might not have been with the Huskers when Tom Osborne finally won his three national championships, but it's clear he was instrumental in helping to get the program there.

Ole Miss announced the passing of Kiffin, who was 84-years old.

"Monte Kiffin, 84, peacefully passed away today in Oxford surrounded by family and friends. As his grandson Knox said, he’s free of pain and smiling down on us from above," the university announced on social media. "Please keep the Kiffin family in your thoughts and prayers during this time."

Kiffin was born in Lexington, Nebraska and was both a GA and a defensive coordinator for the Huskers. He led the defense from 1969 to 1976 before heading to Arkansas and then North Carolina State where he got his first head coaching job.

While Kiffin was an impressive college coach, he really earned his reputation as a defensive genius when he got to the pros. He was the architect of the Tampa 2 scheme and it's with the Buccanneers where he reached legendary status.

Nebraska football legend, Monte Kiffin passes away

During the later portion of his career and life, Monte Kiffin joined his son in Mississippi. It was the second time the Nebraska legend coached alongside Lane Kiffin and he was officially Ole Miss' Player personnel analyst from 2020-2023.

Earlier this summer, his son posted a social media post showing the elder Kiffin winning an honor from the NFL Hall of Fame. In that picture, a great deal of the Kiffin clan had clearly gathered in order to celebrate the patriarch.

During the course of his career and his life, Monte Kiffin influenced and touched the lives of many beyond the Nebraska football program. He was a giant.