Raiders Head Coaching Search

[Bay Area Jat]

32 Year Old Head Coach? Ballsy Hire if it happens.It worked with Gruden though.

Raiders to interview Sarkisian first

Former Raiders quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian will be the first candidate interviewed as a prospective replacement for the fired Art Shell, a person in the front office said Sunday.

Word around Raider headquarters in Alameda is that managing general partner Al Davis is intent upon identifying and hiring the next great young coaching prospect. Davis also said he wants a "play-caller" as his next coach.

Sarkisian is expected to interview this week, perhaps as soon as today. The person in the front office said the meeting time has not been firmed up.

Sarkisian, who turns 33 on March 8, is an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for Southern Cal. He got rehired there after his one season with the Raiders ended with the 2004 season

Sarkisian has worked with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart and current Southern Cal quarterback John David Booty the past two years. He also worked with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer in his first coaching stint at Southern Cal.

Sarkisian coached Rich Gannon, Kerry Collins and Marques Tuiasosopo during his one season in Oakland. The Raiders finished eighth in passing that season.

This season, the Raiders ranked 31st in passing.

Sarkisian's current role with Southern Cal entails his assisting Lane Kiffin with the offensive coordinator duties. Kiffin calls the plays, Sarkisian works from the sideline.

Ten years ago, he was BYU's starting quarterback.
Eight years ago, he was the Saskatchewan Roughriders' starting quarterback.
Seven years ago, he began his coaching career, at a junior college.
Six years ago, he was a graduate assistant at USC.
Five years ago, he got his first full-time Division 1 coaching job.
Two years ago, he was named assistant head coach at USC.
Pete Carroll, the USC head coach, labored as an unpaid graduate assistant for four years, compared to one for Sarkisian.

Carroll later told the L.A. Times that Sarkisian "knew the day he left (for the Raiders QB coach 2004) that I wanted to get him back . . . I think the world of this guy."
Sarkisian says he observes closely how Carroll handles players, media and problems off and on the field.

It's conceivable that any decision Sarkisian makes concerning the Raiders will hinge upon what happens with Kiffin and Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll. Kiffin is a candidate for the University of Minnesota vacancy. Carroll's name has surfaced in connection with the Miami Dolphins. Sarkisian likely would benefit from either Kiffin or Carroll leaving Southern Cal.



In other news, ESPN reported that Davis has broached the subject of interviewing New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin if Coughlin gets fired by the Giants at the end of this season.

Also, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino accepted the Atlanta Falcons job less than one year after turning down the Raiders. And Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt likely won't return for a second interview if he gets offered the job to replace Bill Cowher on Tuesday

[Bay Area Jat]

IMO Rob Ryan deserves the HC job, and will get it.  He'll become the "face" of the Raiders very quickly. I wouldn't mind hiring Marc Trestman as our OC.  I think the guy has a lot of experience and can be a good OC.  I believe he was our assitant HC under blow out Bill the year we went to the Superbowl.  It appears Trestman came for an interview with Davis last night.

["THE" MoSav]

^^Real Spit

The Raiders isnt as bad a job to have as people think. If they make the right draft picks. THe # 3 defense is nothign to sneeze about. And the offense can get better, with trades, f.a., and draft picks especailly..

[d-nice]

Yeah we need a couple of pieces but hopefully we can get there. A new O line would be nice too, because it does not matter who is under center, if you do not have time to throw the football, you are going to suffer. I think we have good linemen but they play in spurts, a drive here and there. And for the love of god put Robert Gallery in 1 position! But in the end Al Davis needs to loosen the reigns a little bit and allow the coach to do just that, coach!

[Don Jacob]

i'm just hoping that they'll get someone in there that'll be able to control the team. i'm getting sick of seeing a disaster out there....and of corse i'm talking about the offense. the defense is so beautiful, not to say that the offense isn't THAT bad it's just they just show up and mindlessly play

[Wild_Elmo]

Naw I say, let Rob Ryan stay in charge of the defense. Dude finally got the defense where it should be. Al Davis likes offensive minded coaches. I hope we interview Whisenhunt again this year. Hopefully we get him. Tom Coughlin might be looking for a team to coach within the next week. Tom Coughlin is a damn good coach, I feel bad for him because the Giants lost most of their games because of self-inflicted wounds. Penalties killed them this year.

[GangstaBoogy]

Just kick the Raiders out of the NFL. They've only won like 6 games in the last 3 seasons.

[Bay Area Jat]

WTF are u talking about its like a fuckin home game for the raiders when we come to daygo

[GangstaBoogy]

09-11 vs. Raiders 27-0

welcome home 

[Wild_Elmo]

Oh yeah and LOL @ that roided out mongolian Shawn Merriman crying that he didn't get defensive player of the year. He doesn't realize Jason Taylor had a superior year than he did, oh yeah and maybe the steriods had something to do with it. Don't even bring up that stupid dance he does when he makes a play.

[Wild_Elmo]

It's alright, every team has their ups and downs, it wasn't long ago when the chargers were where we are now. chargers won't go far in the post season, they will either get bounced by Indy or Balitimore in the championship.

[GangstaBoogy]

chargers won't go far in the post season, they will either get bounced by Indy or Balitimore in the championship.

 

[Vegasmac25]

they just have to hope for Al Davis to retire and the raiders will be better off.

[Just Another Sunny day in California]

Raiders are a joke, they can't play as a team.  it's not the coach's fault, it's the players

[Wild_Elmo]

they just have to hope for Al Davis to retire die and the raiders will be better off.

Sorry dude, the only way Al is going out is by kicking the bucket