THE OFFICIAL OAKLAND RAIDERS 2009 OFFSEASON THREAD
- Thread starter Meta4iCAL
- Start date
D-coordinator candidates a mystery
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm in Oakland Raiders.
It’s Day 27 on the seemingly inevitable march to Tom Cable as Raiders head coach, and while there have been hints, clues and confirmed interviews for that job and others, it’s been a veritable information void with regard to the replacement for Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator.
A few names have bubbled to the surface, only to be quickly shot down.
Linebackers coach Don Martindale met with Al Davis and talked a lot of defensive football, but he ended up believing he was a head coaching candidate. When Martindale found out otherwise, he ended up a linebackers coach in Denver.
Ed Donatell, a veteran NFL assistant with experience as a coordinator, was floated as a possibility. He had a logical connection in that he has worked Cable.
The Raiders’ company line? Donatell’s name never came up _ a distinct possibility because Donatell also ended up in Denver, coaching defensive backs.
Around the same time Martindale interviewed, Davis spoke with defensive backs coach Darren Perry. Perry, I’m told, is not a candidate and is looking for work elsewhere.
The most recent name was Tennessee linebackers coach Dave McGinnis. McGinnis interviewed with Oakland in 2004 for defensive coordinator. Rather than wait through the process while there was a phone interview with Eric Mangini, a sought-after interview with Rex Ryan which the Ravens declined and then the eventual interview with Rob Ryan, McGinnis took the Titans job.
Having lost defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to the Detroit Lions, the Titans are expected to hire Chuck Cecil to take his place, rather than McGinnis.
Former Raider exec Mike Lombardi reported the Raiders had talked with McGinnis. A team spokesman said McGinnis’ name has not come up.
Neither has that of Ron Meeks, the deposed Indianapolis defensive coordinator who interviewed with the Raiders in 1998 for the job that went to Willie Shaw.
Meeks would seem an unlikely fit, anyway, given the Colts’ Cover 2 defensive philosophy and a penchant for using smaller, faster players rather than imposing physical specimens.
The Raiders interviewed Green Bay assistant head coach and linebackers coach Winston Moss for the head coaching job, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Moss would be back in Green Bay if he isn’t hired in Oakland _ meaning he won’t be a defensive coordinator here.
Carolina defensive line coach Mike Trgovac declined an offer to return as defensive coordinator but was on the market only a few days before agreeing to join Dom Capers’ defensive staff in Green Bay.
One drawback with the Raiders job is a defensive coordinator comes in knowing there will be a certain way of doing things, with a lot of man-to-man coverage in the secondary and little in the way of conventional blitzing or zone blitzing.
Perhaps the Raiders will talk to Bob Sanders, who was dumped in in favor of Capers in Green Bay but whose team played nearly as much man coverage as the Raiders with Charles Woodson and Al Harris at the corners. Newly hired secondary coach Lionel Washington worked at Green Bay under Sanders.
Washington and Dwaine Board, expected to be named defensive line coach within the next few days, have been the two new additions to what will be a revamped defensive staff.
Sanders is speculation on my part. Your guess is as good as mine, so guess away.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm in Oakland Raiders.
It’s Day 27 on the seemingly inevitable march to Tom Cable as Raiders head coach, and while there have been hints, clues and confirmed interviews for that job and others, it’s been a veritable information void with regard to the replacement for Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator.
A few names have bubbled to the surface, only to be quickly shot down.
Linebackers coach Don Martindale met with Al Davis and talked a lot of defensive football, but he ended up believing he was a head coaching candidate. When Martindale found out otherwise, he ended up a linebackers coach in Denver.
Ed Donatell, a veteran NFL assistant with experience as a coordinator, was floated as a possibility. He had a logical connection in that he has worked Cable.
The Raiders’ company line? Donatell’s name never came up _ a distinct possibility because Donatell also ended up in Denver, coaching defensive backs.
Around the same time Martindale interviewed, Davis spoke with defensive backs coach Darren Perry. Perry, I’m told, is not a candidate and is looking for work elsewhere.
The most recent name was Tennessee linebackers coach Dave McGinnis. McGinnis interviewed with Oakland in 2004 for defensive coordinator. Rather than wait through the process while there was a phone interview with Eric Mangini, a sought-after interview with Rex Ryan which the Ravens declined and then the eventual interview with Rob Ryan, McGinnis took the Titans job.
Having lost defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to the Detroit Lions, the Titans are expected to hire Chuck Cecil to take his place, rather than McGinnis.
Former Raider exec Mike Lombardi reported the Raiders had talked with McGinnis. A team spokesman said McGinnis’ name has not come up.
Neither has that of Ron Meeks, the deposed Indianapolis defensive coordinator who interviewed with the Raiders in 1998 for the job that went to Willie Shaw.
Meeks would seem an unlikely fit, anyway, given the Colts’ Cover 2 defensive philosophy and a penchant for using smaller, faster players rather than imposing physical specimens.
The Raiders interviewed Green Bay assistant head coach and linebackers coach Winston Moss for the head coaching job, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Moss would be back in Green Bay if he isn’t hired in Oakland _ meaning he won’t be a defensive coordinator here.
Carolina defensive line coach Mike Trgovac declined an offer to return as defensive coordinator but was on the market only a few days before agreeing to join Dom Capers’ defensive staff in Green Bay.
One drawback with the Raiders job is a defensive coordinator comes in knowing there will be a certain way of doing things, with a lot of man-to-man coverage in the secondary and little in the way of conventional blitzing or zone blitzing.
Perhaps the Raiders will talk to Bob Sanders, who was dumped in in favor of Capers in Green Bay but whose team played nearly as much man coverage as the Raiders with Charles Woodson and Al Harris at the corners. Newly hired secondary coach Lionel Washington worked at Green Bay under Sanders.
Washington and Dwaine Board, expected to be named defensive line coach within the next few days, have been the two new additions to what will be a revamped defensive staff.
Sanders is speculation on my part. Your guess is as good as mine, so guess away.
I wouldnt say people were mad that Cable got the job... I think people were mad Kiffin got fired
If I had my choice and we could go back in time and keep Kiffin and erase that whole feud... would I want to do that... probably... yes
but the fact is Kiffin is gone... and right now... there's not a whole lot of people who are willing to come here and work under Al
Cable is the best candidate of coaches who are willing to come to the team
he got respect from the players... he can work with Al... and he proved that he may be a decent coach at the end of the season
plus I think we need consistency in Oakland if we're gonna get anywhere... especially with the young team we have... mainly JR
do I think Cable is gonna lead us to a Super Bowl next season... no of course not
but I think we're better of with him then Gilbride or Jim Fassel or some other lame ass coach coming in here
If I had my choice and we could go back in time and keep Kiffin and erase that whole feud... would I want to do that... probably... yes
but the fact is Kiffin is gone... and right now... there's not a whole lot of people who are willing to come here and work under Al
Cable is the best candidate of coaches who are willing to come to the team
he got respect from the players... he can work with Al... and he proved that he may be a decent coach at the end of the season
plus I think we need consistency in Oakland if we're gonna get anywhere... especially with the young team we have... mainly JR
do I think Cable is gonna lead us to a Super Bowl next season... no of course not
but I think we're better of with him then Gilbride or Jim Fassel or some other lame ass coach coming in here
The Oakland Raiders have decided on Tom Cable as their head coach for the 2009 season, a source close to another candidate for the Raiders' head-coaching job has told ESPN's Michael Smith.
Kirby Lee/US PresswireAs interim Raiders coach, Tom Cable recorded a 4-8 record.
The source said the Raiders informed the other candidate Tuesday of their decision to go with Cable. A second source with knowledge of the Raiders' operation also told Smith the Raiders have settled on Cable as their head coach.
ESPN reached Raiders senior executive John Herrera, who denied that the club had decided on Cable as its coach.
"The decision has not been made," Herrera said. "That's not correct. At some point here we will have a head coach, but as of now that decision has not been made. We are assembling a staff as you know, but a decision on the head man has not been made."
Cable served as interim head coach in 2008 after the in-season firing of Lane Kiffin. Cable has been considered the front-runner ever since he helped the Raiders finish the season with consecutive victories while winning three of their last six games.
Still unclear are the status of contract negotiations with Cable and when the Raiders' decision will be announced.
Kirby Lee/US PresswireAs interim Raiders coach, Tom Cable recorded a 4-8 record.
The source said the Raiders informed the other candidate Tuesday of their decision to go with Cable. A second source with knowledge of the Raiders' operation also told Smith the Raiders have settled on Cable as their head coach.
ESPN reached Raiders senior executive John Herrera, who denied that the club had decided on Cable as its coach.
"The decision has not been made," Herrera said. "That's not correct. At some point here we will have a head coach, but as of now that decision has not been made. We are assembling a staff as you know, but a decision on the head man has not been made."
Cable served as interim head coach in 2008 after the in-season firing of Lane Kiffin. Cable has been considered the front-runner ever since he helped the Raiders finish the season with consecutive victories while winning three of their last six games.
Still unclear are the status of contract negotiations with Cable and when the Raiders' decision will be announced.