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USC O-Coordinator Lane Kiffin named Raider Coach

Toro

Waterboy
After failing to land Southern California assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Oakland Raiders and Lane Kiffin have completed the deal to hire the USC offensive coordinator as Oakland's head coach.

Kiffin signed the five-year deal to be Art Shell's replacement on Monday night, and a press conference to announce the signing is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Oakland (4 p.m. ET) on Tuesday.

Late last week, Kiffin was offered the offensive coordinator job under Sarkisian. But Sarkisian turned down Oakland's offer, and the Raiders were left scrambling.

On Sunday, Raiders owner Al Davis reached out again to Kiffin, son of Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Kiffin flew to Oakland Sunday night and spent all day Monday talking to Davis. As the evening approached, negotiations for a contract started and concluded quickly.

The 31-year-old Kiffin has been a six-year member of Pete Carroll's staff. Carroll hired him to coach tight ends in 2001. Kiffin switched to coaching wide receivers in 2002. In 2004, Kiffin took over passing game coordinator duties. Kiffin was then promoted to offensive coordinator in 2005. He also had recruiting coordinator responsibilities.

Davis has a long history of hiring young, offensive-minded head coaches and he particularly likes offensive play-callers. Kiffin has done that at the highest level of college football for the past few years. He's worked with top NFL draft prospects such as wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett and former Lions first-round pick Mike Williams, another wideout.

Kiffin spent the 2000 season in Jacksonville as a defensive quality control coach working with defensive backs.

As a player, Kiffin was a quarterback for Fresno State from 1994 to 1996. He was a three-sport high school star in Bloomington, Minn. He started his coaching career after college working as a grad assistant at Fresno State.

Kiffin is expected to keep Rob Ryan as his defensive coordinator.
From ESPN.com

Funny, the USC fans I know wanted Kiffin gone anyhow.. The Raiders sure know how to pick 'em eh?
 

Toro

Waterboy
Titan "Tack" Fan;580180 said:
He's 31 years old. That's absolutely ridiculous.
Yeah, and sadly that's all Old Man Al wants-- someone young enough to be considered a "Yes" man. Someone who wasn't even mentioned for any of the COLLEGE vacancies, let alone the NFL ones.

I could be wrong here, but I see this ending badly.. Very badly.
 

Toro

Waterboy
Damn 31 is young. Who is the youngest coach ever in the NFL?
I'm pretty sure he has that distinction. I think Gruden was 34 when the Raiders hired him.

Also, it must be noted-- Kiffin is considered in USC circles the FOURTH best coach on the roster, behind Sarkisian, Carroll and Nick Holt.. Oh, and did I also mention, most of my Southern Cal friends wanted this guy fired?

Looks like the AFC West has last place locked up for awhile.
 

TexanSam

Hall of Fame
He can say goodbye to his career. The Raiders are turning into a complete joke of an organization. You can say what you want about the Texans with Casserly and Capers or the Detroit Lions with Matt Millen and whoever the heck is there coach in a given season, but at least it seems they are attempting to run the organization the right way. Al Davis is just a completely looney. He doesn't give much, if any power to his head coach. He thinks he still knows what he's talking about. Al Davis needs to retire. He's 77 years old! He should be sitting back in Florida wearing Depends not in a draft war room!
 

Toro

Waterboy
everyone else said no. if he turns the raiders into a + .500 team, he'll be a legend.
.500 hell.. If he gets the Raiders to 6-10, you better build a statue in downtown Oakland for the guy.

Here's a stupid question for you all.. Rob Ryan did a HELL of a job with that defense.. Why not consider one of your own, and reward a guy for working with a less than star studded defense?
 

TexanSam

Hall of Fame
.500 hell.. If he gets the Raiders to 6-10, you better build a statue in downtown Oakland for the guy.

Here's a stupid question for you all.. Rob Ryan did a HELL of a job with that defense.. Why not consider one of your own, and reward a guy for working with a less than star studded defense?
Because Al Davis likes offensive minded guys. And because he's Al Davis. I'm surprised he didn't decide to coach the team himself.
 
Because Al Davis likes offensive minded guys. And because he's Al Davis. I'm surprised he didn't decide to coach the team himself.
That's what I thought was going to happen sooner or later.

This is stupid. This guy has no HC experience, and very little coaching experience period.
 

TexanSam

Hall of Fame
That's what I thought was going to happen sooner or later.

This is stupid. This guy has no HC experience, and very little coaching experience period.
I don't blame Calvin Johnson for saying he wouldn't want to play for the Raiders if that story is true. Not the way Al Davis is. Davis makes Jerry Jones look like a good owner.
 

Toro

Waterboy
That's what I thought was going to happen sooner or later.

This is stupid. This guy has no HC experience, and very little coaching experience period.
USC fans wanted Kiffin FIRED.

Not like the Trojans were burning down the hatches tonight to keep the guy in town.

I know Al likes his offensive minded guys, and being pretty much anyone with a pulse was turning this job down like it's the bubonic plague, he had to settle for whatever he could get, but need I mention this hiring is suspect at best?
 

tulexan

Hall of Fame
I feel bad for Raiders fans. Even they deserve better than this.

On the plus side, the Texans are no longer the laughing stock of the NFL, and won't be unless they make Kyle Shanahan head coach next year.
 

OzzO

.. and then?
Al brings another to the dark side. Oh, these young influencial fools. I feel the force is strong within him. His rage flows through his veins. If he will not rule the NFL by the side of Darth Al, then he shall DIE!!!



... oops. Went on a tangent, sorry. I thought for sure Dallas would find one before Oakland. Ah well.
 

texasguy346

Mod Squad
Don Shula was 33 when he got his first head coaching gig in the NFL. Does that mean Kiffin will go on to have a career like him? Probably not, but still important to note that young coaches can suceed if given the chance.
 
Give the guy a chance. Even though it's an odd acquisition.
I agree. Who knows how this will turn out... He may become the next legend in football. EVERYONE deserves a chance sooner or later. I can't believe this guy is getting blasted right here because as some said, he has no head coaching experience... Go figure, seems to me that EVERY ding dang coach in the world never have any head coaching experience until they landed there first head coaching job. Take a wait and see attitude instead of blasting him before he has even had time to decorate his office... Geez, you guys are hard...

Everybody has to get started somewhere, why not Oakland? Better than Houston...
 

eriadoc

Texan-American
Don Shula was 33 when he got his first head coaching gig in the NFL. Does that mean Kiffin will go on to have a career like him? Probably not, but still important to note that young coaches can suceed if given the chance.
No coach in Oakland will ever truly be given a chance as long as Al Davis is manning the helm.
 

Porky

Hall of Fame
John Madden wasn't much older when he took over, but I see some major differences. Madden was, if I am not mistaken, the D-Coord at the time, and had earned the respect of that team. He also had more overall experience. I want to say Madden was 32, but stand to be corrected. Gruden was only 34 himself, but again, he was older, and had proven more. This guy hasn't been a HC on any level, never been in the NFL on any level, and doesn't have much overall experience perios on any level. This is doomed to failure. I think it's time for Al to step down, before he makes his team an even bigger joke.
 
This is absolutely ridiculous. The NFL should take the franschise away from Al Davis and place it in Los Angles and run it themselves. This will only work if he has BOTH Rob Ryans and his father Monte Kiffen on his staff next year.

I was all for them hiring Rob Ryan. Then he could hire his brother Rex Ryan from Baltimore. That would seriously cause a buzz around the NFL, two of the best defensive minds coaching a defensive team in Oakland. But instead, a USC reject.

He only has 1 year of coaching in the NFL, as a "quality control" coach for the Jaguars. Tell me Lane, how is the quality of this team?

Get this -- the Raiders currently have 9 players on their rooster that are older than their head coach. Maybe Al Davis just thinks of him as a son........
 

TexanSam

Hall of Fame
I agree. Who knows how this will turn out... He may become the next legend in football. EVERYONE deserves a chance sooner or later. I can't believe this guy is getting blasted right here because as some said, he has no head coaching experience... Go figure, seems to me that EVERY ding dang coach in the world never have any head coaching experience until they landed there first head coaching job. Take a wait and see attitude instead of blasting him before he has even had time to decorate his office... Geez, you guys are hard...
Yeah, but this guy hasn't even had pro experience. He wasn't a head coach at a university either. He was a co-offensive coordinator at USC. He didn't even call all the plays on offense at USC and now he's going to be running a team (in theory anyway)? Al Davis could have found one assistant coach in the NFL who would have taken his job. Going for an assistant coach in college is just stupid.
 

TwinSisters

Veteran
O' man... I think my prayers to Beelzabub have finally been answered with this hire.

Kiffin is from Fresno State 98-99.
Raiders need a QB.
Kiffin will deal for Carr.

O thank you Football Gods! Thank you!! You are as cruel, as generous. If only I am so worthy?
 
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