Three Candidates To Run Oakland's Offense
Former Broncos' defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio (translated: "Jack Of The River") has been tabbed as the latest Leader Of Men for Mark Davis in Oakland. Del Rio went 68-71 in nine years, heading to the playoffs twice but never winning the division. Every bit as important as the hiring of Del Rio will be the guys he surrounds himself with.
Former Falcons' head man Mike Smith has been linked to the defensive coordinator spot, but the offense seems to be up in the air. With a promising second-year quarterback in Derek Carr, the Raiders are at a critical position in the growth process of the young QB - the wrong choice could set the franchise back another 5-10 years. Here is a short list of potential candidates to run Of The River's offense in Oakland.
1. Marc Trestman
Trestman flamed out miserably in Chicago with Jay Cutler, but his reputation as a terrific offensive mind has remained intact. Word is that Trestman's teaching style fits better with a smaller group, which explains why his success as an offensive coordinator hasn't translated to being a head coach.
Trestman was a two-time Grey Cup champion as a head coach in the CFL, and the last time he was in Oakland, he was the offensive coordinator that turned also-ran Rich Gannon into an MVP en route to an AFC Championship.
My favorite fact about Trestman isn't even football related: he earned a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1983.
2. Kyle Shanahan
Yeah, Mike's kid. Shanahan is just 35, and is considered a bright young offensive mind (aren't they all when they're looking for work?). He's had varying degrees of success, but he's largely responsible for the finest years of Matt Schaub's career.
Shanahan left Houston to coach with his father in Washington, where he experienced one fantastic season of RGIII before breaking Griffin for good.
3. Mike Tice
Tice is an interesting candidate - not so much because he would be a splashy name, but because the Falcons have been denying teams permission to talk to their assistants - Tice included. He's currently the offensive line coach in Atlanta, but has experience as both a head coach and a coordinator.
He compiled a record 32-33 as head coach of the Vikings, but his teams set an NFL record with 36 consecutive games compiling more than 300 yards of offense.
