Coaching Profiles

[jatfly]

Rob Ryan
Defensive Coordinator

Rob Ryan is in his third year as Raiders defensive coordinator. The 2005 Raiders defense featured the NFL's leading sack artist, DE Derrick Burgess, who chalked up 16 quarterback sacks and a Pro Bowl invitation.
Before joining the Raiders, the 19-year coaching veteran spent four seasons as linebackers coach on Bill Belichick's New England Patriots coaching staff. Ryan's linebacking corps contributed to the Patriots posting victories in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII. The 42-year-old Ryan is the son of National Football League defensive coaching legend Buddy Ryan.

The younger Ryan has previous experience as a defensive coordinator at the college level, having served in that capacity at Oklahoma State from 1994-95 and at Hutchinson Community College in 1996.

In 2003, Ryan's linebacking corps helped the Patriots defense rank first in the NFL in fewest points allowed (238) while ranking seventh overall in the NFL in total defense. Ryan's unit also contributed to one of the best scoring defenses in franchise history in 2001, as the Patriots allowed just 17 points per game. It was the lowest point production allowed by the Patriots in 24 years when the 1977 squad held their opponents to just 15.5 points per game.

Ryan originally entered the NFL coaching ranks in 1994 as defensive backs coach on his father's staff at the Arizona Cardinals. He also coached Cardinals cornerbacks and safeties in 1995. With Ryan as his position coach, cornerback Aeneas Williams earned two trips to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Cardinals in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, the Cardinals 32 interceptions and 42 total takeaways led the NFL.

From 1997-99, Ryan was Oklahoma State's defensive coordinator, where the Cowboys defense was continually ranked among the best in the nation. In 1999, they were ranked 10th in the nation in total defense and ninth in passing yards allowed. In 1998, they were second in the nation with 41 sacks. In his first season at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys defense finished among the nation's Top 20 in turnover margin, rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense, allowing just 302.7 yards per game. It was an over 100-yard improvement per game from the year before and helped the Cowboys produce an 8-4 mark and an Alamo Bowl berth.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at Western Kentucky in 1987 and then coached outside linebackers at Ohio State in 1988. Ryan then spent five seasons at Tennessee State, where he coached running backs (1989-91), linebackers (1992) and the defensive line (1993). He served as defensive coordinator at Hutchinson Community College in 1996, where they led the nation in total defense (228 yards per game) and in sacks (56). His defense also set a national record by forcing 49 turnovers, which generated eight touchdowns in 10 games. Hutchinson also topped the conference in total defense, run defense and pass defense. Ryan played three seasons as a defensive end and outside linebacker at Southwestern Oklahoma State.

His twin brother, Rex, is defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ryan family includes wife Kristin, three children - sons Joseph and Matthew and daughter Dimitra.

 

[jatfly]

Wide Receivers
21st NFL Season, 5th with Chargers

Hall of Fame wide receiver James Lofton is passing along his knowledge of the game to the Chargers’ corps of receivers. One of the most prolific pass catchers in NFL history, Lofton was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on January 25, 2003.
Under Lofton’s watchful eye in 2005, Keenan McCardell caught more touchdown passes (nine) than he had in any of his previous 13 seasons, while fellow wide receiver Eric Parker continued to raise the bar, upping his career bests for the second consecutive year with 57 catches for 725 yards.
During an NFL career than spanned 16 seasons (1978-1993), Lofton caught 764 passes for 14,004 yards (18.3 avg.) and scored 75 touchdowns. His 764 career receptions rank 17th in league history, while his 14,004 receiving yards is third in NFL annals to only Jerry Rice (22,466) and Tim Brown (14,734). Lofton played in 233 games during his career.
Lofton entered the NFL in 1978 as a first-round draft pick (sixth overall) of the Green Bay Packers. He spent nine seasons (1978-1986) in Green Bay before moving to Los Angeles to play for the Raiders during the 1987-88 seasons. In 1989, Lofton signed with Buffalo, where he spent the next four seasons (1989-1992). In Buffalo, Lofton was part of three AFC Championship teams and played in three Super Bowls following the 1990, ’91 and ’92 seasons.
In 1993, Lofton played one game for the Los Angeles Rams and nine games with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring after the ’93 season. It was with Philadelphia that Lofton became the first player in NFL history to eclipse 14,000 receiving yards.
Lofton’s finest NFL seasons came in 1983 and 1984 with the Packers. In 1983, he caught 58 passes for 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the NFL with an average of 22.4 yards per catch. The following year, he caught 62 passes for 1,361 yards and seven scores for an average of 22.0 yards per catch, also tops in the NFL.
Lofton joined the Chargers after spending eight years in broadcasting. From 1994-96, he was an analyst for CNN’s NFL Preview Show. In 1997, he spent a year as an analyst on NFL games for NBC. In 1998, Lofton returned to CNN as a studio analyst for CNN-SI’s coverage of the NFL. He spent three years (1998-2001) as a game analyst on FOX Sports Net’s broadcast of Big 12 football games while also doing NFL games for CBS Radio on Westwood One. From 1995-2001, Lofton worked as an analyst for the Carolina Panthers on the team’s preseason telecasts. Lofton was born July 5, 1956 in Fort Ord, California. He attended George Washington High School in Los Angeles and Stanford University. His career receiving totals at Stanford included 68 catches for 1,216 yards (17.9 avg.). In 1977, he set the school single-season record with 12 touchdown catches. He was a three-year letterman (1975-77) for the Cardinal in football. He also had an outstanding career in track and field at Stanford where he was a four-time All-America selection. In 1978, he won the NCAA Championship in the long jump. Lofton graduated from Stanford in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering.
Lofton has competed in Master’s track and field events since 1997. He won the 2003 and 2005 Pacific Association championship in the 400 meters and posted the fastest time in the world in the 300 meters for the 45-49 year old division. In 2002, Lofton won the Western Regional championship in the 400 meters, and in 2001 he captured the long jump championship. Lofton also won the championship in the long jump at the World Master’s Games in 1999. His first titles were in 1997 in the 200 and 400 meters, and the long jump at the Texas State Master’s.
James and his wife, Beverly, have three children, sons David and Daniel, and daughter Rachel. David is a fifth-year senior free safety at Stanford, who graduated in June, 2006 with a degree in urban studies. Daniel is a freshman wide receiver at the University of California. Rachel attends Westview High School where she runs track and was the number two ranked freshman in San Diego in the 100 and 200 meters in 2006.
Since 2004, James has been the Chargers’ representative in the NFL Coaches Association.
James Lofton’s Coaching Experience
2002-06 - Wide Receivers, San Diego Chargers

 

[jatfly]

QB's - Offensive Coordinator

Personal
Josh McDaniels was born in Canton, Ohio and attended Canton McKinley High School. He was a quarterback and kicker for McKinley. His father, Thom McDaniels, was a longtime head coach at McKinley High and is currently the head coach at Warren Harding High in Warren, Ohio. Josh and his wife Laura have a son, Jack Thomas, and a daughter, Maddie.
Coaching History
Josh McDaniels enters his sixth NFL season and his sixth season in New England. He joined the Patriots on March 1, 2001 as a personnel assistant in the scouting department and assisted the defensive coaching staff for three seasons. He began serving as the Patriots' quarterbacks coach in 2004 and was named offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach on January 20, 2006.
In the two seasons since he began serving as quarterbacks coach, McDaniels has worked closely with starting signal caller Tom Brady, helping him set career highs in major passing categories. In 2005, Brady led the NFL with a career-best 4,110 passing yards, a number that exceeded his previous career high by nearly 350 yards and represents the second highest yardage total in Patriots history. In 2004, Brady set a career high by recording a 92.6 passer rating, besting his previous career mark by six points.
In his two seasons working with McDaniels, Brady has compiled the top two passer ratings of his six-year career - 92.6 (2004) and 92.3 (2005). Additionally, Brady has consistently completed longer passes in his two seasons working with McDaniels, averaging 7.77 yards per attempt, more than a yard higher than his average of 6.62 yards per attempt in his three previous seasons as a starter.
Last season under McDaniels, Patriots quarterbacks threw 28 touchdown passes, tying the fourthhighest total for the position in franchise history. The mark was also achieved in 1986, 2002 and 2004, McDaniels' first season as quarterbacks coach. Also in 2005, the Patriots finished the season as the NFL's second-ranked passing offense (257.5 yards per game), marking the team's highest ranking in that category in 11 seasons.
In addition to assisting in Brady's continued development, McDaniels has tutored Matt Cassel, a four-year backup quarterback in college and a seventh- round draft choice in 2005. In the 2005 regularseason finale, Cassel threw his first two touchdown passes since high school as he led the Patriots on a fourth-quarter comeback against Miami that fell just two points short.
In 2004, McDaniels earned his first positional coaching responsibilities and worked with Brady to help the quarterback produce the highest passer rating of his career (92.9) and the second highest single-season passer rating in team history. Brady's 28 touchdown passes ranked second in the AFC and tied his career high set in 2002.
Upon his arrival in New England prior to the 2001 season, McDaniels served as a personnel assistant and quickly expanded his role to include film breakdown and scouting preparation for the defensive coaching staff. He became a coaching assistant in February of 2002. In that role, his responsibilities included film breakdown and scouting chart preparations for the defensive staff. In 2003, he drew additional responsibilities working with the defensive backs. McDaniels began his coaching career in 1999 as a graduate assistant at Michigan State, working under head coach Nick Saban.

Playing
McDaniels attended John Carroll University, where he played wide receiver for the Blue Streaks. He was a college teammate of Patriots Director of Pro Personnel Nick Caserio, who played quarterback for John Carroll from 1996-99.

 

[jatfly]

Jim Fassel (born August 31, 1949 in Anaheim, California) was formerly the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and former head coach of the New York Giants.
View attachment 43
http://www.afcwestforums.com/forums/
Professional career

Fassel began his career with assistant coaching stints at Utah State University and Stanford University, working with John Elway at Stanford. He also served as head coach of the University of Utah.
Fassel has a long record of offensive success. He tutored prominent quarterbacks Phil Simms and John Elway. Prior to becoming New York Giants head coach, Fassel served as an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Oakland Raiders.
During Fassel's time as Giants head coach, his teams were known for numerous post-season runs in December and for winning big games, such as against the previously undefeated Denver Broncos in 1998. In 1997, he was named NFL coach of the year. He resurrected the career of quarterback Kerry Collins and received acclaim for his "playoff guarantee" in the 2000 season, during which he led the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl appearance.
However, his legacy as head coach for the Giants is mixed. Fassel's Giants were known for their disappointments against inferior teams in the regular season, as well as in the playoffs. The most notable loss was a shocking 39-38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 postseason, in which they blew a 38-17 second quarter lead. During the 2003 season, injuries decimated the Giants and he was fired amidst some controversy.
Before the 2003 season, Fassel was reunited with a son, John Mathieson, who he and his wife Kitty gave up for adoption in 1969. The couple was unmarried when he was born.
Critics of Fassel have pointed to his lack of success in two seasons with the Ravens. The Ravens have been near the bottom of the league in offense for both the 2004 and 2005 season.
On October 17, 2006 it was announced that Fassel was fired from his post of Offensive Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.[1]
In 2004 and 2005, Jim and Kitty owned a Quiznos Restaurant in Denville NJ. Their son Brian was in charge of day to day operations. The store was sold in April 2005 but still remains open
It is currently rumored that he is interviewing for head coaching positions at Boston College and with the NFL's Oakland Raiders[2].
http://www.afcwestforums.com/forums/
College career

Fassel played quarterback at California State University, Long Beach after playing at USC in 1969. He was drafted in the 7th round by the Chicago Bears in the 1972 NFL draft.

 

[jatfly]

STEVE SARKISIAN​

Assistant Head Coach
Quarterbacks​

View attachment 41


Steve Sarkisian, who is in his fourth stop at USC as an assistant coach or athlete, returned to the Trojan staff in Feburary of 2005 as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.
In 2005, quarterback Matt Leinart won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards and was an All-American first teamer. He set 16 USC records (11 were Pac-10 marks and 2 was an NCAA record). USC's 4,157 passing yards was a school record and the Trojans were fifth nationally in passing (319.8).
He spent the 2004 season as the quarterbacks coach with the Oakland Raiders. His quarterbacks passed for more than 4,000 yards in 2004 as Oakland ranked eighth in passing in the NFL.
Sarkisian, 32, originally joined the USC staff as an offensive assistant in January of 2001. Then, after joining San Diego State briefly as the quarterbacks coach in January of 2002, he returned to USC in March of 2002 to handle the quarterbacks fulltime for 2 seasons (2002-03).
In 2003, quarterback Matt Leinart was an All-American first teamer and was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (he finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting) while setting Pac-10 season records for TD passes (35) and consecutive passes without an interception (212). He also had the highest passing efficiency rating of any USC quarterback (163.2). USC won its first national championship since 1978.
In 2002, quarterback Carson Palmer won the Heisman and Unitas Award en route to setting the Pac-10 career records for passing yards and total offense (he was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NFL draft), plus he was an All-American first teamer.
USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl and 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game).
He spent the 2000 season as the quarterbacks coach at El Camino Junior College in Torrance (Calif.). His quarterback, Robert Hodge, earned All-American honors. El Camino played in the CHIPs For Kids Bowl.
Sarkisian starred at the quarterback position at the prep, collegiate and pro levels. He was with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League for 3 seasons (1997-99). He started in 1999 and threw 16 touchdowns.
He had a record-setting 2-year (1995-96) career at BYU, where he was coached by former USC assistant Norm Chow. He completed 549-of-824 passes (66.6%) for 7,755 yards and 55 TDs in his career. His 162.0 career passing efficiency rating is third on the all-time NCAA list. As a senior in 1996, he led the nation in passing efficiency (173.6, the seventh best mark ever) as the Western Athletic Conference champion Cougars went 14-1 and won the 1997 Cotton Bowl. He was the WAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1996, won All-American second team honors and played in the East-West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl. As a 1995 junior, he made the All-WAC team and led BYU to the WAC title. Against Fresno State that season, he set an NCAA game completion percentage record when he hit 31-of-34 passes (91.2%).
He came to BYU from El Camino Junior College, where he starred for 2 seasons (1993-94). He was a J.C. All-American first teamer as a 1994 sophomore and won All-Mission Conference honors in 1993 as a freshman. He also played baseball (shortstop) at El Camino in 1993.
He actually began his college career at USC, spending the fall of 1992 on the Trojan baseball team before transferring to El Camino.
He was a standout football and baseball player at West Torrance (Calif.) High. He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from BYU in 1997 after getting his associate's degree in general studies from El Camino in 1994.
He was born March 8, 1974. He and his wife, Stephanie, have a 4-year-old daughter, Ashley, and a son, Brady, 2.
SARKISIAN SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDAY: March 8, 1974
FAMILY: Wife, Stephanie; Daughter, Ashley, 4; Son, Brady, 2
HIGH SCHOOL: West Torrance (Calif.) HS
EDUCATION: Associate's degree, general studies, El Camino Junior College, 1994
Bachelor's degree, sociology, BYU, 1997
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: West Torrance (Calif.) HS
El Camino Junior College, Torrance, Calif., quarterback, 1993-94
BYU, quarterback, 1995-96
Saskatchewan Roughriders, quarterback, 1997-99
COACHING EXPERIENCE: 6 years

 

[jatfly]

Marc Trestman
Offensive Coordinator
View attachment 42

Marc Trestman, 45, is a 15-year coaching veteran at the pro level who has six years experience as an NFL offensive coordinator. He enters his third year with the Raiders, his second as the team's offensive coordinator. The Raiders offense finished #1 in the NFL in total offense and #1 in the league in passing in 2002.
Trestman spent the past three seasons as offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals. He also served as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (1989) and San Francisco 49ers (1995-96). The St. Louis Park, Minnesota native has coached in the NFL with Detroit (1997), Minnesota (1985-86, '90-91), Cleveland (1988-89) and Tampa Bay (1987).

Trestman began his NFL coaching career as offensive backfield coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 1985, then joined the Tampa Bay staff as quarterbacks coach before moving to Cleveland, beginning as quarterbacks coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator during a season in which the Browns reached the AFC Championship game.

He re-joined the Vikings for a two-year stint as quarterbacks coach before leaving pro football to pursue a career in business. After returning to the NFL with San Francisco, Trestman coordinated a 49ers offense in 1995 that led the NFL in scoring and passing and ranked second in total offense.

Trestman played quarterback at the University of Minnesota before completing his college career at Moorhead State. He signed as a free agent defensive back with Minnesota and spent the 1978 and '79 training camps with the Vikings.

Trestman began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at the University of Miami while attending law school there in 1982. He was hired as quarterbacks coach the following year when the Hurricanes won the national championship.

Marc and his wife Cindy have two daughters - Sarahanne, 11, and Chloe, 9.

 

[jatfly]

SHIT I FORGOT ONE!

View attachment 47
LANE KIFFIN

Offensive Coordinator
Wide Receivers
Recruiting Coordinator


Lane Kiffin, the son of longtime pro and collegiate coach Monte Kiffin, is in his sixth year at USC. He joined the Trojan staff in February of 2001 and spent the 2001 season handling the tight ends. He became the wide receivers coach in 2002. In 2004, he took on the additional duty of passing game coordinator. In 2005, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, in addition to continuing as the wide receivers coach.

In 2005, he was named one of the nation's Top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com. Wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was an All-American first teamer and Biletnikoff Award finalist. Troy's offense was in the national Top 6 in every offensive category, including tops in total offense (579.8) and second in scoring offense (49.1), and set Pac-10 records for total offense yardage, first downs, points scored, touchdowns and PATs. The Trojans, who scored 50 points a school-record 7 times, won games by an average of 26.2 points. USC became the first school to have a 3,000-yard passer, a pair of 1,000-yard runners and a 1,000-yard receiver in a season.

In 2004, Jarrett was named a Freshman All-American first teamer. The Trojans won their second consecutive national championship.

Wide receiver Mike Williams was a consensus All-American first teamer and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in 2003 (he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting) as he set the USC career (30) and season (16) touchdown reception records, while fellow wide receiver Keary Colbert set the USC career reception record (207) and was a NFL second round pick. Troy won its first national championship since 1978.

In 2002, Williams was a Freshman All-American first teamer and the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year as he and Colbert became USC's first pair of 1,000-yard receivers. Also in 2002, wide receiver Kareem Kelly became the Trojan career reception leader and was a sixth round NFL draft pick.

USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game).

Kiffin, 30, was the defensive quality control coach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in 2000 (he worked with the secondary).

He began his coaching career at Fresno State, his alma mater, where for 2 seasons (1997-98) he worked with the quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs.

He then was an assistant at Colorado State in 1999, working with the offensive line. The Rams played in the Liberty Bowl that season.

Kiffin was a quarterback at Fresno State for 3 seasons (1994-96).

He earned his bachelor's degree in leisure service management from Fresno State in 1998.

He prepped at Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson High, where he played football, basketball and baseball.

He was born May 9, 1975. His wife's name is Layla. They have a daughter, Landry, 1.

His father, Monte, is the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The elder Kiffin, a longtime NFL and collegiate assistant coach who served as North Carolina State's head coach in the early 1980s, has a long history with Pete Carroll (Carroll was an assistant on Kiffin's Wolfpack staff from 1980 to 1982, and they served as assistants together with Arkansas in 1977, the Buffalo Bills in 1984, the Minnesota Vikings from 1986 to 1989 and the New York Jets in 1990).

His brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State (2001-04).


KIFFIN SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDAY: May 9, 1975
FAMILY: Wife, Layla; Daughter, Landry, 1
HIGH SCHOOL: Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson HS
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, leisure service management, Fresno State, 1988
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson HS
Fresno State, quarterback, 1994-96
COACHING EXPERIENCE: 9 years

YEAR TEAM POSITION BOWL
2005 USC Off. Coord./WR/Recruit. Coord. Rose
2004 USC Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coord. Orange
2003 USC Wide Receivers Rose
2002 USC Wide Receivers Orange
2001 USC Tight Ends Las Vegas
2000 Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Quality Control --
1999 Colorado State Offensive Line Assistant Liberty
1998 Fresno State Graduate Assistant --
1997 Fresno State Graduate Assistant --

 

[Limee]

Gregg Knapp
Offensive Co-ordinator

Biography
Greg Knapp continued to make strides with the Falcons offense in 2005 in the second year of a building project in a new system that was first implemented in 2004. His offense improved from 20th overall in 2004 to 12th in the NFL in a year's time. The Falcons' potent running game finished as the best in the League again for the second straight season under Knapp's direction as they gained an NFL-high 2,546 yards on the ground (159.1 average per game) and 4.8 yards per carry. Among those impressive rushing totals last year were five, 200+ yard rushing games, including 285 yards against Minnesota in Week 4, which was the second-highest total in a single-game in Falcons history.


And since the 2004 season, the Falcons have recorded an NFL-best 12, 200+ yard rushing contests (with the next best teams totaling just five). The birds have also rushed for 150+ yards in 20 games since 2004, which is the most of any team in the League. The two-year combined rushing total of 5,218 yards and 4.9 yard average are the NFL's best marks since 2004. The rushing game has produced the top two highest yards per carry average in a season ever in franchise history with 5.09 in '04 and 4.795 in '05 with Knapp's hand on the offense. The Falcons have out-rushed opponents in 22 of 34 total games played since 2004.


Falcons RB Warrick Dunn made it to his first Pro Bowl since the 2000 season with a career-high 1,416 yards rushing, eighth highest among all NFL runners, and his 5.1 per carry average was the best in team history and the fourth-highest in the League last year. This marked the second straight season that Dunn went over 1,000 yards in Knapp's offense. With those 1,416 yards, Dunn became only the fourth Falcons player ever to rush for over 1,400 yards in a season.


Knapp's influence on the offense also saw some serious gains from 2004 in such areas as Red Zone efficiency, third down conversions, total net yards, total points, average yards per game, passing yards, passing touchdowns, fewest sacks allowed, interceptions, and time of possession. Atlanta drove the ball to the opponents 20-yard line 54 times in 2005 and scored a touchdown on 31 occasions or 57.4% of their chances to rank 10th in the NFL. The offense added 19 successful field goals on the year so they failed to score just four times when they were inside the Red Zone with Knapp's leadership. The birds were also very efficient in converting third down opportunities, finishing second in the entire League with a 42.9% success rate (94/219).


Besides Dunn, QB Michael Vick and TE Alge Crumpler benefited from the coaching of Knapp by being voted to another Pro Bowl. Three players - Dunn, Crumpler, and WR Michael Jenkins - all experienced career seasons last year under the watchful eye of Knapp. Also, Knapp has now coached a quarterback to the Pro Bowl in nine out of his 11 years in the NFL. Three different signal-callers under Knapp: Steve Young (1997-98), Jeff Garcia (2000-02), and Michael Vick (2004-05), have all punched tickets to Hawaii through his tutelage.


In his first season in Atlanta in 2004, Knapp's brand new offense was successful in helping the birds post their third division title in team history, while advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in team annals, and posting the best overall team record since the Super Bowl season of 1998.


Under Knapp, the Falcons rushing game produced the third-highest total in the NFL since 1990 with a team record 2,672 yards. Atlanta had never led the NFL in rushing in their 39 year history. The 5.1 yards per-carry average easily outdistanced the previous team high of 4.5 yards and it marked only the ninth time since the NFL went to a 16 game schedule in 1978 that a team averaged 5.1 yards or more per carry. The team's rushing exploits were highlighted by a 327 yard rushing explosion, the fourth-highest postseason rushing total in NFL history and a new team-best, in the club's 47-17 NFC Divisional Playoff victory over St. Louis. Knapp's handiwork was evident in a number of prominent offensive accomplishments in 2004 that included sending two players, Vick and Crumpler, to the Pro Bowl.


The Falcons averaged more points per game than they did in 2003 (21.2-18.7).
Tied a team record by rushing for more than 200 yards six times. Including the playoffs, the Falcons rushed for 200 or more yards four times in the season's final six games despite having four different fullbacks.
The Falcons led the NFL with 22 runs of 20 or more yards.
Offense produced one 1,000-yard rusher in RB Warrick Dunn (1,106 yards) and nearly had a second in Vick (902 yards).
Vick's 11-4 record as a starter was the third-best record for a starting quarterback in team history behind Chris Chandler (13-1 in 1998) and Steve Bartkowski (12-4 in 1980).
Vick had a single-game passer rating of 82.0 or higher eight times in 2004 and had a rating of 104.0 or higher five times.
In the Falcons' 41-28 win at Denver (Oct. 31), Vick became the first quarterback ever to throw for more than 250 yards and run for more than 100 yards in the same game.
Vick's three 100-yard rushing games tied the single-season modern-day record for the most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback. Combined with the two 100-yard rushing outings he had coming into the season, Vick's career total of five 100-yard rushing games are the most ever for a quarterback.
Crumpler set the team single-season record for the most receptions by a tight end with a then career-best and team-leading 48 catches. His 774 yards receiving also paced the team and his six touchdowns were both career bests.
Crumpler's 16.1-yard per-catch average was the best in the NFL by a tight end. He had 17 receptions of 20 or more yards, the second most for a tight end in the NFL in 2004.


Knapp is one of the well-respected young offensive minds in the game. His coaching career began in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995. During a nine-year association with the 49ers, he served in various capacities, including offensive coordinator (2001-2003), quarterbacks coach (1998-2000) and offensive quality control (1995-97).


Under Knapp's direction, the 49ers offense performed at an exceptionally high level. In 2003, the 49ers finished in the top five in total offense (355.4 yards per game) and rushing offense (142.4 ypg). The team also recorded top 10 rankings in passing offense (213.0 ypg), scoring offense (24.0 ppg) and fewest sacks allowed (28).


Individually speaking, WR Terrell Owens went to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl, fullback Fred Beasley went to his first Pro Bowl and running back Kevan Barlow recorded the first 1,000-yard campaign of his three-year career.


In 2002, Knapp's offense played a pivotal role in the 49ers' run to the NFC West title and the Divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Overall, the 49ers finished eighth in the NFL in total offense and placed four offensive starters - Garcia, Owens, center Jeremy Newberry and guard Ron Stone - in the Pro Bowl. Garcia continued to flourish in Knapp's system, passing for more than 3,000 yards for the third consecutive season, while Owens finished with a career-best 100 receptions. The offensive line, anchored by Newberry and Stone, allowed only 22 sacks and opened holes for a running game that accounted for 2,244 yards. The unit also set a record with a 52.3-percent conversion rate on third down, the highest mark in NFL history over a 16-game season.


In his first season as architect of the 49ers offense in 2001, Knapp helped lead a young offense to a No. 4 ranking in total offense and a No. 2 ranking in rushing. The success of the 49ers offense was further evidenced by the naming of five offensive players to the Pro Bowl.


Prior to be named offensive coordinator, Knapp spent three seasons as the 49ers quarterbacks coach. In that position, Knapp worked with Garcia and one of the NFL's all-time highest rated passers and future Hall of Famer Steve Young.


In his first season instructing the quarterbacks, Knapp's guidance played an important role in helping Young reach career highs in touchdowns (36) and passing yards (4,170) - in the 14th season of his NFL career. Over the course of the next two seasons, Knapp oversaw the development of Garcia, who took over in 1999 after Young was lost for the season in Week 3. It would take a little more than a year for Garcia to fulfill his Pro Bowl potential.

In 2000, Garcia set a new team record, passing for 4,278 yards to go along with 31 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. Garcia earned the NFL's Most Improved Player Award for his sudden success.


Knapp joined the 49ers coaching staff in 1995, spending the first three seasons as the team's offensive quality control coach. Prior to his appointment with the 49ers, Knapp spent nine years on the coaching staff of Sacramento State University, serving as running backs coach (1986-89), receivers coach (1989-90) and offensive coordinator/assistant head coach (1991-94).


A former quarterback himself, Knapp enjoyed a distinguished career at Sacramento State where he ranked among the Hornets' career leaders with more than 3,800 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes. He went to training camps with the Kansas City Chiefs (1986), Los Angeles Raiders (1987-90) and the 49ers (1992-94). It was during this period of his career that he started to learn about the intricacies of a successful offensive scheme from the likes of 49ers coaching legend Bill Walsh and then-Raiders head coach (and future head coach of two-time Super Bowl winner Denver) Mike Shanahan.


A native of Seal Beach, Calif., Knapp was born March 5, 1963 in Long Beach, Calif. He and his wife, Starla, have a daughter, Jordan.

 

[jatfly]

Raiders to interview OL coach Tom Cable

Scout.com has confirmed the Oakland Raiders will interview former Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach Tom Cable for their vacant offensive line position.

Tom Cable spent last year coaching the Atlanta Falcons offensive line, his only year with the club.
Cable spent the prior two seasons as both the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at UCLA. In 2005, the Bruins' offense ranked 23rd in the nation with an average of 431.0 yards of offense per game as the team won 10 games. In 2004, the Bruin offense improved by over 1,000 yards from the previous season and ranked 28th nationally in yards per game (410.0).
Prior to joining the UCLA staff, Cable, 42, served as head coach of the University of Idaho for four seasons. During his tenure at Idaho, his teams ran the West Coast offense and averaged 424.1 yards of total offense per game. Idaho ranked sixth nationally in 2001 (464.8), eighth nationally in 2000 (453.2) and 27th nationally in 2002 (404.6) in terms of yards per game.
Before becoming a head coach at his alma mater, Cable spent two years at the University of Colorado. In 1998, he served as the offensive line coach for Rick Neuheisel, working with then-offensive coordinator and current UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell. In 1999, he was promoted to offensive coordinator by head coach Gary Barnett. Under his direction, the Buffaloes' offense was ranked 14th in the nation, averaging 424.9 yards per game.
Cable spent six seasons (1992-97) as offensive line coach at the University of California, working for Keith Gilbertson, Steve Mariucci and Tom Holmoe. He produced four first-team All-Pac-10 selections, including first-team All-America and two-time All-Pac-10 performer Todd Steussie, who was also voted the Pac-10's top lineman in 1993. Cable began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as a graduate assistant for Gilbertson at Idaho in 1987 and 1988. He then served as a graduate assistant at San Diego State in 1989. From there, he went to Cal State Fullerton, where he was the defensive line coach in 1990. His next stop was UNLV, where he coached the offensive line for one year (1991) before moving to the University of California. Cable, a 6-3, 270-pound offensive lineman, played four years for the Dennis Erickson teams that launched the rebirth of Idaho football in 1982. After a four-year career - three as a starting guard - for the Vandals, Cable spent one season as