I Don't Know About You All

[Madturk]

But I'm finally feeling a glimmer of hope after the Lane Kiffen signing. This organization needed a fresh breath of air after the debacle of the last four years. I like Kiffen's pedigree and I'm confident that he's going to assemble a competent coaching staff. I was really stoked after viewing the press conference and honestly, got a little choked up Ole Yeller style watching it.

It's been a brutal four year run but I think we have a lot of the pieces in place to get this thing back on track.

PS I was already dipping my pud before Kiffen was born.

 

[Byron2112]

Yeah, I like it becasue it's a clean break from the past, we're not trying to salvage anything with a re-run, re-tread.
We're getting a fresh, somewhat unknown perspective and direction here.... which is just what we need.

 

[Crossbones]

I liked whast I heard form the kid. Time wil tell. He talked tough, talked fair IMO but we'll have to wait and see what really happens.

These press conferences are kinda always the same. But I liked how Lane wanted to move away from what's happened in the past. I liked the way he said everybody starts with a clean slate but that everything that happened from now on on and off the field counts. I also like the way he avoided being baited by those media types like Nancy Gay and Ann Killion.

For me I'm happy but not overly optimistic or pessimistic. I think it's appropriate to take a wait and see approach at this point. Talk is cheap. Actions speak. But, this could be a turning point for the Raiders and I sure hope it works out. It's another New Beginning to get the Raiders to Return to Glory.

 

[Plunkett16]

phil, nancy was ok to me imo but that ann killon wow did she ever piss al off today

 

[hawaiianboy]

My optimism is tempered, but I feel a lot better than I did 48 hours ago...

I loved when Kiff was describing his offense as one that 'utilizes his personnel to create mismatches, uses mulitple personnel groupings, multi formations and works to get the ball in the hands of playmakers'.... I'm looking forward to putting some points on the board again...

 

[Raider Nation]

His demeanor and focus exceeded my expectations. He was talking like a 25-yr. coaching veteran, not a 31-yr. old who's never had a Head Coaching gig. That being said, I do expect a bit of a learning curve because while he may have coached against the USC offense every day, there's about 26 defenses in this league superior to the one USC fields. Thank god he had at least a year of experience in Jacksonville otherwise I'd be real worried about his understanding of the speed of the game at this level.

I'll be very interested in seeing who he brings in for OC, other offensive positions, and who he retains from the current staff. I still maintain that one of his key attractions will be his experience recruiting at USC. I know Al touched on it today and I spoke to it last night in a previous post, but he's a guy who can sell FA's and young draftees, which is vital to a team coming off a 2-14 season and a horrible 4-yr. run.

I want to see who the coaches are and then I want to see talks about an Asomugha extension. I'm not optimistic about Aso's extension getting done this early, but I want to be on record now as saying they need to consider it once Asante Samuel gets paid, because that'll set the market for Asomugha.

 

[Limee]

I am happy so far. I really want to see who they bring in as OC, to coach the Oline and if they look at a QB coach. It is going to take a team effort to get this offense turned around.

 

[Swords]

The local radio station here had Monte on yesterday and he said Lane loves to, and he said this repeatedly,.... attack. He must have said that 7 or 8 times during the interview.

I hope the kid is half the person that his pops is...

 

[massraider]

My optimism is tempered, but I feel a lot better than I did 48 hours ago...

I loved when Kiff was describing his offense as one that 'utilizes his personnel to create mismatches, uses mulitple personnel groupings, multi formations and works to get the ball in the hands of playmakers'.... I'm looking forward to putting some points on the board again...

Yeah, it sounds like a little variety on offense, which I like.

 

[Limee]

I watched the UCLA vs USC game from this season to look at what sort of formations they ran. They had a good mix of everything from I Form to 5 wide. The most common formation was single back with 3 WR and a TE. They used motion about a third of the time and only once did they send 2 players in motion. They also only put the RB as WR on a couple of occasions, something they did more often when they had Bush.

They used a short passing game as UCLA's DE were getting good pressure against their OTs. Only 3 times did they take shots downfield and they were all in the second half. They moved Booty around some to ease the pressure and always had a short option for him. The running game didn't have a great deal of success.

Not that much you can take from one game, but I thought it was worth posting.

 

[Seraph24]

its hard to tell how much of this year was him vs carroll and sark. it was rumored that carroll over ruled him on the philosophy tip telling him he had to be more conservative this year w/o bush or Leinart at their disposal to give his defense a chance..

 

[poptart]

I'm hopeful, but I've got some real concerns about the hire too.

Look, with Kiffen's age and lack of NFL experience, it would be a stretch just have him elevated up to O-Coordinator in the NFL, and yet here we have him being raised up to NFL HEAD COACH. He has no head coaching experience at any level.

That's all a little scary.

I feel pretty damn good that a bright young offensive mind is now on the staff -- a promising compliment to Oakland's D-Coordinator, but ..... wouldn't we all feel better if the kid was just O-Coordinator, and not actually guiding the entire ship ... ?

Does the youngster actually have the 'juice' to LEAD a group of NFL men .... ?

Some of us remember what happened when Al elevated bright offensive minded Mike Shanahan up to Head Coach.
He wasn't ready for it.

I fear the same result with Kiffen.


Damn, I REALLY hope this hire works out.

 

[BigTron]

I'm hopeful, but I've got some real concerns about the hire too.

Look, with Kiffen's age and lack of NFL experience, it would be a stretch just have him elevated up to O-Coordinator in the NFL, and yet here we have him being raised up to NFL HEAD COACH. He has no head coaching experience at any level.

That's all a little scary.

I feel pretty damn good that a bright young offensive mind is now on the staff -- a promising compliment to Oakland's D-Coordinator, but ..... wouldn't we all feel better if the kid was just O-Coordinator, and not actually guiding the entire ship ... ?

Does the youngster actually have the 'juice' to LEAD a group of NFL men .... ?

Some of us remember what happened when Al elevated bright offensive minded Mike Shanahan up to Head Coach.
He wasn't ready for it.

I fear the same result with Kiffen.


Damn, I REALLY hope this hire works out.

USC's powerhouse offense... or a bed and breakfast? Its risky but no more than freaking Art and Tom!

 

[poptart]

I agree.

I much prefer the hire to a retread hiring.


It's a bold move by Al, and let's hope young Kiffin can make it pay off.

 

[RHC]

I watched the UCLA vs USC game from this season to look at what sort of formations they ran. They had a good mix of everything from I Form to 5 wide. The most common formation was single back with 3 WR and a TE. They used motion about a third of the time and only once did they send 2 players in motion. They also only put the RB as WR on a couple of occasions, something they did more often when they had Bush.

They used a short passing game as UCLA's DE were getting good pressure against their OTs. Only 3 times did they take shots downfield and they were all in the second half. They moved Booty around some to ease the pressure and always had a short option for him.

This sounds suspiciously like Kiffin was making adjustments. It's a strange tactic that's all the rage, but I've been told it works every now and then.

 

[Turo]

What are these 'adjustments' you speak of?

 

[Limee]

This sounds suspiciously like Kiffin was making adjustments. It's a strange tactic that's all the rage, but I've been told it works every now and then.

Yep, they had plays and formations that were not used until the 2nd half. The gameplan was solid enough considering the pressure UCLA was getting and the lack of running game.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Kiffin to flop? All signs point to just the opposite



LET'S CUT to the quick: I love the hire of Lane Kiffin by the Oakland Raiders. It should go without saying they were exceedingly lucky to get him.
Yes, I've digested all the negative scuttlebutt. That a few people from his past have labeled him a colorless jerk. That he's hard on players and has had more than his share of disputes with them. That Norm Chow recently slighted his abilities on an L.A. radio show. That USC alums, whining about his conservative game plans, are glad he's gone.

In the face of all that, Kiffin somehow established himself as one of the most sought-after young coaches in the country. In just the past two years, he has been mentioned and/or courted for a plethora of jobs, either as a coordinator or a head coach: Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Florida State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Miami and most recently Alabama, wooed by none other than Nick Saban.

Yet Kiffin chose the Raiders ... the broken-down, problem-plagued, alternate-universe Raiders. Why? He could have waited, taken over a moresecure college program with a lot less to fix and worked his way to the NFL the traditional way.

Nope. Instead, he elected to reach for the stars in that alternate universe, a football crab nebula in the minds of many. At the tender age of 31, he made a huge, risky career choice, albeit one that offers a potentially great reward if he succeeds.

But it says something Kiffin wanted this when there was no cause to be desperate. It said something to Davis, and powerfully, about the incredible intangible this kid has.

"Confidence," Davis said. "He thinks he can do it."

Taking on the Raiders goes beyond confidence, whether it's rooted in bravado or sheer delusion. There's a sense of ambition at work here that's almost frightening, eerily similar to that a certain USC assistant, who when passed over for the head coaching job at USC in 1959, went to the bushes of the early AFL with a passion of a barracuda and built himself an empire.

Little wonder that Davis, that one-time USC assistant, quickly became enraptured with this kid's self-assurance and his clear vision. Jon Gruden comparisons are inevitable, but Kiffin appears much closer to the relentlessly aspiring Mike Shanahan model. The key difference may be that Kiffin has more buffers to lean on for sage advice — Pete Carroll, Jeff Tedford, his own father, Monte Kiffin — than Shanahan ever did.

He also has Davis' faith going for him, too, at least at the moment. The belief here is that Al will give Kiffin an unprecedented loose tether in order that his latest and probably last protege's dreams and designs can be maximized. He'd be wise to do so, in fact, if he expects his new man to pull off this daunting quest.

Even at 31, though, Kiffin is better equipped to get it done right than any of the three previous coaches. Here are just a few things that should get changed and improve immediately under his leadership.

-Energy and vitality. Players know the real deal when they see it, and Kiffin's intense drive to succeed should be infectious.

-Organization and attention to detail. Kiffin's tough words about hard practices were good to hear. But really, it's efficiency of practice — something Gruden was so good at and Kiffin's teachers, Carroll and Tedford, are noted for — that will make all the difference.

-The offensive line. C'mon, the guy is coming from USC. When he reviews the 2006 tapes, Kiffin will learn this is his first priority and address it, not only by hiring the best teaching O-line coaches he can find but also putting linemen in better position to succeed through a far more progressive offense.

-Play-calling. Goodness, how could this not be better from any way you want to look at it? Imagination, utilization of skill personnel, red-zone strategy, formations, balance, boldness. If you saw the Trojans against Arkansas, Cal, Notre Dame and Michigan, you understand this guy knows offense.

-Talent evaluation and drafting. As USC's head recruiter, Kiffin should have a great feel for the current talent available in the draft. It couldn't come at a better time. He'll not only know whether Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch might be a better fit, but also whether the Raiders might be better suited taking a quarterback with the top pick. Whatever Oakland does with the No.1 choice, Davis intimated Kiffin will have a lot of clout getting his way on it.

-Head coaching savvy. Kiffin likely will be bullish and in-your-face as a leader, but also forthright and honest. Whether it works on Randy Moss or Jerry Porter has been overdramatized, because if they're not on board with this guy, they will be replaced ... only this time, not with Alvis Whitted or Johnnie Morant. The real key is the whole of the offense believing in your program. By studying Carroll and other top coaches, Kiffin seems to grasp that.

He seems to grasp a lot, including why he wanted this particular tractor-pull of a job even if we don't. Whether Kiffin flies or flops, it should be fascinating to watch him work. The bet here is that he soars.

 

[GRaider]

What are these 'adjustments' you speak of?

Making adjustment during the game in order to defeat the other team? BRILLIANT!!

 

[Limee]

Gruden gives Kiffin vote of confidence
Ex-Raiders coach knows latest hire through his Bucs coordinator, Monte Kiffin
By MATT MAIOCCO
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

MOBILE, Ala. - The Raiders' hiring of head coach Lane Kiffin is already producing unexpected results around the NFL.

"Now, believe it or not, I'm a big Raider fan again," said Jon Gruden, who recently completed his fifth season as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after an acrimonious split from Al Davis' franchise.

"I hope he does a great job," Gruden said. "He's a good friend, and I'm excited for him."

Kiffin has spent time in the offseason around the Buccaneers' coaching staff because his father, Monte, is a longtime defensive coordinator. Gruden said he often exchanges offensive ideas with Lane Kiffin.

"He comes from great stock, great background," Gruden said. "He's been training for this opportunity his whole life. He's been on the fast track for some time."

If there are concerns about Lane Kiffin, 31, being too young and inexperienced to earn the respect of Raiders players, his father and Gruden don't share those worries.

"I don't think it matters how old you are," Monte Kiffin said. "He's going to be very involved in the offense, and he's a really, really good offensive football coach. He's called every play for the last two years (at USC), so he knows what he's doing.

"If you get up on the board and you're putting in a pass route or a blocking scheme or whatever, the players are pretty smart in the NFL and they'll see that and they'll buy into it. If you're not a good teacher, you won't make it. But he's a good teacher."

Said Gruden, "There's no drawback. Whether you're 32 or 62, who cares? You got to go in there and earn the respect of your team and prove you're capable of getting it done."

Kiffin was hired Monday night to coach the Raiders. On Tuesday, the youngster was the talk of the Senior Bowl, where many of the NFL coaches and executives have gathered for the top college all-star game.

One NFL executive said the Raiders' job is the most difficult in the league because of the dynamics involved. But he said a young coach such as Kiffin has nothing to lose with such a move.

But his father does not see it that way. After all, the younger Kiffin already had a nice job working under Pete Carroll at a national collegiate powerhouse.

"He was at a good situation at Southern Cal and they're going to keep winning there," Monte Kiffin said. "He felt it was the right thing. He gave it a lot of thought. Once he decided what he wanted to do, now he's got some leverage in hiring some of his offensive staff, and I think that was important. ... I think they had a good visit about that. Al (Davis) hires the people, but Lane has input on who's coming in."

Monte Kiffin said he interviewed with Davis in 1988 for the defensive coordinator position under then-coach Mike Shanahan - a fact Davis relayed to the younger Kiffin during one of the interviews.

Monte Kiffin was a head coach at North Carolina State from 1980 to '82. He has spent nearly a quarter-century in the NFL, but has been approached for head-coaching openings just twice. The 49ers requested permission to speak with him in January 2003, but he instead signed a lucrative contract extension to remain with the Buccaneers. Last year, the Rams showed some interest, as well.

Now, his son, with just one season as an NFL quality-control coach has landed a head-coaching position in the league.

Monte Kiffin said he did not try to influence his son's decision one way or the other.

"No, he had to make his own decision," Monte Kiffin said. "It was his decision to make and he felt comfortable with it. There's no perfect script in this business. I think he felt very good about Mr. Davis, and that's the whole thing."

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/NEWS/701240356/1010/SPORT01