'My hero': Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin shares photos remembering his father, Monte Kiffin

OXFORD — The football world lost one of its brightest defensive minds on Thursday. Monte Kiffin, a longtime pro and college coach and the brain behind the famed "Tampa 2" defense, died at the age of 84.

Kiffin is the father of Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin.

On Thursday morning, Lane took to social media to share some memories.

Under the caption, "My Hero," Lane posted a pair of photos. One depicts father and son on horseback during Monte's time at NC State, where he was a head coach from 1980 to 1982. Another shows a young Lane kneeling beside his father in Minnesota Vikings gear. Monte was the Vikings' linebackers coach in 1986-89 and 1992-94 and served as their defensive coordinator in 1991. He was also drafted by Minnesota in 1964.

Lane took his first college head coaching job at Tennessee in 2009, and hired Monte to his staff. Monte then followed him to Southern Cal, FAU and Ole Miss.

"He's left a legacy and touched a lot of people," Kiffin said last year. "So I really try to work on that and I've got a long way to go."

KIFFIN:Monte Kiffin, distinguished defensive coach and father of Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, dies at 84

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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