O'Donal31
01-18-2007, 06:10 PM
USC connection means it's Sark's job (http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/2007/01/18/usc-connection-means-its-sarks-job/)
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Thursday at 2:27 pm
When Steve Sarkisian is officially named the 16th coach of the Oakland Raiders, he may as well ride in on a white horse.
One that goes by the name of Traveler.
If there were any doubts that Sarkisian is the man Al Davis hasselected to lead the Raiders in 2007 and hopefully beyond, they wereerased Thursday when Lane Kiffin arrived in Alameda.
Kiffin, 31, was the co-offensive coordinator at USC along withSarkisian. A source confirmed that Kiffin was at the club facility todiscuss the possibility of being the Raiders offensive coordinator.
Sarkisian, who met with Raiders late into Wednesday night, remains in town.
The way it works with the Raiders is a newly hired coach gets tomake recommendations for positions on his staff. They are brought inand meet with Al Davis, who either approves the coach or makes his ownhire.
It doesn't mean Kiffin will be the Raiders offensive coordinator,but it's solid circumstantial evidence that Sarkisian is the head coach.
It's not unusual for the Raiders coach to be in place for a few dayswhile contract details are ironed out and a formal announcement is made.
Kiffin, 31, is considered a riser on the coaching profession. Theson of Tampa Bay Buccaneers longtime defensive coordinator MonteKiffin, Lane Kiffin was a finalist for the head coaching job at theUniversity of Minnesota that went to Denver tight ends coach TimBrewster.
Kiffin was recently contacted by Nick Saban for a spot on his staff at the University of Alabama.
With Sarkisian leaving for the Raiders, Kiffin could stay at USC andpresumably become the lone offensive coordinator of the top collegefootball program in the country, which could give him ampleopportunities next year as a college head coach.
If Kiffin were to join the Raiders, he and Sarkisian could assume apartnership similiar to the one they had at USC. There, Kiffin calledplays from the press box with Sarkisian running the game on the fieldwith the power to overrule a call.
It remains to be seen whether Davis wants to pair his 32-year-oldhead coach with a 31-year-old offensive coordinator, both of whom werein the Pac-10 in 2006. Marc Trestman, a veteran coordinator with NFLexperience, including a stint with the Raiders from 2001 through 2003,has already interviewed and is waiting for a call.
Davis, a line coach at USC from 1957 through 1959 before leaving tojoin Sid Gillman in 1960 with the San Diego Chargers, has long beenenamored with all things USC. He has collected Trojans players wheneverpossible and even shared the Los Angeles Coliseum with the school whenthe Raiders were in Los Angeles.
One of my favorite Al Davis stories was told by Jim Harbaugh awhile back on the radio in an interview on The Jim Rome Show.
When Harbaugh told Davis he was going to leave his job as Raidersquarterbacks coach to take over as head coach at University of SanDiego, a non-scholarship Division I-AA school, the reaction wasnegative. Davis told Harbaugh he was making a bad career move.
Harbaugh reminded Davis of his own resume, which included time a college coach.
"Yes, but I coached at USC, not USD,'' Davis said.
uh ohhhhh
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Thursday at 2:27 pm
When Steve Sarkisian is officially named the 16th coach of the Oakland Raiders, he may as well ride in on a white horse.
One that goes by the name of Traveler.
If there were any doubts that Sarkisian is the man Al Davis hasselected to lead the Raiders in 2007 and hopefully beyond, they wereerased Thursday when Lane Kiffin arrived in Alameda.
Kiffin, 31, was the co-offensive coordinator at USC along withSarkisian. A source confirmed that Kiffin was at the club facility todiscuss the possibility of being the Raiders offensive coordinator.
Sarkisian, who met with Raiders late into Wednesday night, remains in town.
The way it works with the Raiders is a newly hired coach gets tomake recommendations for positions on his staff. They are brought inand meet with Al Davis, who either approves the coach or makes his ownhire.
It doesn't mean Kiffin will be the Raiders offensive coordinator,but it's solid circumstantial evidence that Sarkisian is the head coach.
It's not unusual for the Raiders coach to be in place for a few dayswhile contract details are ironed out and a formal announcement is made.
Kiffin, 31, is considered a riser on the coaching profession. Theson of Tampa Bay Buccaneers longtime defensive coordinator MonteKiffin, Lane Kiffin was a finalist for the head coaching job at theUniversity of Minnesota that went to Denver tight ends coach TimBrewster.
Kiffin was recently contacted by Nick Saban for a spot on his staff at the University of Alabama.
With Sarkisian leaving for the Raiders, Kiffin could stay at USC andpresumably become the lone offensive coordinator of the top collegefootball program in the country, which could give him ampleopportunities next year as a college head coach.
If Kiffin were to join the Raiders, he and Sarkisian could assume apartnership similiar to the one they had at USC. There, Kiffin calledplays from the press box with Sarkisian running the game on the fieldwith the power to overrule a call.
It remains to be seen whether Davis wants to pair his 32-year-oldhead coach with a 31-year-old offensive coordinator, both of whom werein the Pac-10 in 2006. Marc Trestman, a veteran coordinator with NFLexperience, including a stint with the Raiders from 2001 through 2003,has already interviewed and is waiting for a call.
Davis, a line coach at USC from 1957 through 1959 before leaving tojoin Sid Gillman in 1960 with the San Diego Chargers, has long beenenamored with all things USC. He has collected Trojans players wheneverpossible and even shared the Los Angeles Coliseum with the school whenthe Raiders were in Los Angeles.
One of my favorite Al Davis stories was told by Jim Harbaugh awhile back on the radio in an interview on The Jim Rome Show.
When Harbaugh told Davis he was going to leave his job as Raidersquarterbacks coach to take over as head coach at University of SanDiego, a non-scholarship Division I-AA school, the reaction wasnegative. Davis told Harbaugh he was making a bad career move.
Harbaugh reminded Davis of his own resume, which included time a college coach.
"Yes, but I coached at USC, not USD,'' Davis said.
uh ohhhhh