Possible Offensive Staff?

jatfly

jatfly

AKA:Burgraider
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Not sure if anyone knows anyone that is close to Kiffin or even his Dad that may be in line for the openings on the Offensive staff, but but Knapp as the OC may be interesting.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_5083163

Lane Kiffin was spotted on his first day on the job as coach of the Oakland Raiders Wednesday huddled with deposed Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Greg Knapp at practices for the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Kiffin, introduced as the Raiders 16th head coach Tuesday, left immediately after the press conference and said one of his first orders of business would be lining up candidates to join his staff.

Knapp, 43, has been an NFL offensive coordinator since 2001, starting under Steve Mariucci with the San Francisco 49ers and eventually moving to the Atlanta Falcons with Jim Mora from 2004 through 2006.

He is currently unemployed, with the Falcons firing Mora after the season and hiring Bobby Petrino. Petrino hired Hue Jackson as his offensive coordinator.
Knapp is also believed to be interested in coaching at USC on Pete Carroll's staff — another reason he and Kiffin are on common ground. With the Falcons and 49ers, Knapp was entrusted with play-calling duties. Kiffin made it clear at his press conference he will call the plays.

"We're going to have an offensive coordinator to assist me in daily plans and activities, but I'll call the plays for us to make sure that my name's on this franchise and my name's on this team and my name's on this offense," Kiffin said. Knapp interviewed with Al Davis for the Raiders head coaching position after the 2003 season, the year Norv Turner was hired, but joined Mora in Atlanta as offensive
coordinator shortly after the interview.


Davis interviewed Marc Trestman for the job of offensive coordinator not long after Shell was fired, but a source close to Trestman said there has been no word from the Raiders since the last meeting.
Oakland was represented in Mobile by much of its defensive staff, including coordinator Rob Ryan. The offensive staff, many of whom are waiting for word of their job status, remained behind in Alameda.
 
Obviously trying to find out how to best utilise Vick. :rolleyes:

USC have announced Sarkisian as OC so I don't know what roll Knapp would be looking for there. Could be something in it.
 
Knapp's a West Coast offense guy, isn't he?... I'd be down for a quick hitting passing game that goes occasonally deep...
 
Remember whoever we hire as the OC, they will have input but Kiffin will be calling all the plays from the sideline. The same formula Gruden and Shanny use. I'm not all that interested in the OC but it's killing me to know who the O-Line coach is going to be.
 
Stanny said:
Remember whoever we hire as the OC, they will have input but Kiffin will be calling all the plays from the sideline. The same formula Gruden and Shanny use. I'm not all that interested in the OC but it's killing me to know who the O-Line coach is going to be.
Click to expand...

I think the OCs main responsibility in this case is going to be getting the QB and the WRs on the same page as well as helping out with in-game adjustments.

I hope we can talk Gibbs into the OL coach job. That would be a real coup.
 
Looking at Knapps profile:

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.
 
Knapp is definitely WCO. A horrible fit for Vick, but getting him would certainly get this team away from the 7 step drop, dog-pile on the QB offense we ran last year.

It might also feed into the Gibbs-to-Oakland jihad. I think Gibbs' days as coach are done, I think he's on the consultant tip now.

I wonder if our current O-line, specifically McSexy and Boothe, fit into that type of blocking.
 
Lots of positive stuff in his profile (I posted in in the war rooms for anyone interested) in terms of production. I like that he has worked with QBs, could be a good choice.
 
massraider said:
It might also feed into the Gibbs-to-Oakland jihad. I think Gibbs' days as coach are done, I think he's on the consultant tip now.

I wonder if our current O-line, specifically McSexy and Boothe, fit into that type of blocking.
Click to expand...

Good point, I think they'd be salvageable but not someone like Langston Walker. I just want to get rid of Grove. Trade his ass for a mid round pick and draft Ryan Kalil, who's intimately familiar with Kiffen's offense.
 
I like the Kalil mention. Dude would be a perfect pivot for Kiffin. Knows zone blocking, will probably outwork every offensive lineman we have now, and is smart as all hell.
 
Deadbolt said:
I like the Kalil mention. Dude would be a perfect pivot for Kiffin. Knows zone blocking, will probably outwork every offensive lineman we have now, and is smart as all hell.
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Well it seems we have the inside track on alot of college prospects now doesnt it!~
 
massraider said:



It might also feed into the Gibbs-to-Oakland jihad. I think Gibbs' days as coach are done, I think he's on the consultant tip now.
Click to expand...

We might not be able to get Gibbs, but it looks like we're at least going to talk to the guy Gibbs consulted last year:

Raiders to interview OL coach Tom Cable


Getty Images By Scout.com

Posted Jan 25, 2007

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 a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts before beginning his coaching career.
 
Line coach in the West Coast Scheme.

Where there's smoke, there is fire. I'm betting that we run what amounts to the West Offense in 2007.

Does that mean Quinn?

Shit, this draft pick is really difficult.
 
RaiderIVlife said:
Line coach in the West Coast Scheme.

Where there's smoke, there is fire. I'm betting that we run what amounts to the West Offense in 2007.

Does that mean Quinn?

Shit, this draft pick is really difficult.
Click to expand...

Pete Carroll saying that JR would be Kiffin's fav QB in this draft over Quinn is some interesting insight. I think if we keep Moss and Porter the pick will be JR or Adrian Peterson. Is Lamont's Knee even going to be ready for the start of next season?
 
RaiderIVlife said:
Line coach in the West Coast Scheme.

Where there's smoke, there is fire. I'm betting that we run what amounts to the West Offense in 2007.
Click to expand...


Kiffen's more of a vertical guy... Knapp's a WCO guy... Maybe we'll run a good mixture of both like the Saints did this past year?... That would certainly make me a happy guy.... :)

--------------------------------------------------

Thursday update


Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Thursday at 7:44 pm
The way I understand it, the Raiders have not only already interviewed former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and line coach Tom Cable, but offered jobs to both of them Wednesday.

Knapp is believed to be lukewarm to the idea for two reasons: 1) He is still under contract to the Falcons for another year and will get paid regardless; and 2) He will not be a play-caller on a team coached by Lane Kiffin.

Cable is a former line coach at Cal and UCLA and a head coach at Idaho before coaching with Atlanta last season. Haven't heard whether he will take the job or not.

Kiffin is in Mobile, Ala., at the Senior Bowl. The Raiders seldom announce the naming of assistant coaches until well after the fact, and in almost all cases don't admit to offering the job to anyone who doesn't accept.

As for Alex Gibbs, the much-rumored choice for line coach, I've learned to never say never with regard to the Raiders, but let's call his appearance on the Raiders staff highly unlikely.

Gibbs, 65, worked with the USC line on a consulting basis while Kiffin was there, so there is a connection.

But Gibbs coached with the Raiders in 1988-89 on Mike Shanahan's staff, and eventually joined Shanahan in Denver, helping teach the cut-blocking schemes which gave the Broncos one of the NFL's most prolific rushing attacks.

Al Davis is big on what he perceives as loyalty. He's not often associated with the forgive and forget mentality, and Gibbs hasn't been on Davis' good side for awhile. Gibbs has also made it clear in recent years he'd rather work on more of a part-time basis as a consultant. He also commands big money as one of the top line coaches in the league.

That would be Kiffin's best bet, if he hoped to bring Gibbs aboard. If Kiffin managed to pull that off, it's bodes well for the influence he wields with Davis in the new regime.

Considering Kiffin will call the plays, and the offensive coordinator will be mostly involved with practice planning and administration, the line coach will be one of the most important hires the Raiders make.

Cable is regarded as being a solid run-blocking teacher, but his lines have had problems protecting the passer in some instances.

If, as Kiffin said during his introductory press conference, the Raiders would do whatever it takes (including money) to hire the best people, they would be well advised to write a big check for a proven line coach.
 
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Well at least we're being pro-active in our search and not interviewing guys who place mints on pillows in the evening. My questions is, can they make a bechamel sauce?
 
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