Former CFL quarterback interviews for Raiders head coach position
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ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP-CP) - Former CFL quarterback Steve Sarkisian became the first candidate to interview for the Oakland Raiders' head coaching vacancy Monday.
Sarkisian served as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Southern California this year. The 32-year-old was Oakland's quarterbacks coach in 2004 in between stints at USC, where he helped tutor Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer and John David Booty.
Sarkisian spent three seasons in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1997 to '99) before starting his coaching career in 2000 at El Camino Junior College as quarterbacks coach. He went to USC, first as an offensive assistant (2001), then as quarterbacks coach (2002 and 2003).
The Raiders are hoping to complete this year's search for Art Shell's replacement in a shorter time frame than the more than five weeks it took to replace Norv Turner a year ago. Shell was fired last week after setting a franchise record for losses in a 2-14 season.
"I have a great deal of respect for Al Davis and the Oakland Raider organization," Sarkisian told the Los Angeles Daily News before interviewing with the Raiders. "It's a proud organization that wants to do whatever it can to be on top."
Other potential candidates for the Raiders' job include defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan, offensive co-ordinator John Shoop, former Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green and former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel.
At USC, Sarkisian coached Heisman Trophy winners in Palmer and Leinart and helped develop Booty into one of the early favourites for the Heisman next season. Booty threw for 391 yards and four scores in last week's Rose Bowl win over Michigan and will return to the Trojans for his senior season.
Sarkisian left USC for one season to become the Raiders' quarterbacks coach in 2004. Oakland ranked eighth in the NFL in passing that season with 4,019 yards passing.
That's a far cry from this season, when Oakland ranked second-last with 2,420 yards passing and posted the fifth-fewest points in a 16-game season with 168.
With much of the NFL's third-ranked defence set to return next season, owner Al Davis will likely turn to an offensive coach. Oakland also has the No. 1 pick in April's draft and could use it on quarterback Brady Quinn of Notre Dame or JaMarcus Russell of LSU, if he decides to turn pro as expected Wednesday.
While Sarkisian is young, Davis has a history of identifying sharp coaching minds. Davis gave the first professional head coaching jobs to John Madden, Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden when all three were in their 30s. Only Madden won the Super Bowl with Oakland; Shanahan did it with Denver, Gruden with Tampa Bay.
Gruden is the only coach to have a winning record with the Raiders since the team returned from Los Angeles in 1995. He was 38-26 in four seasons, taking the team to the postseason twice before leaving to take the Bucs job following the 2001 season.
Gruden left a Super Bowl team in place and his Buccaneers ended up beating Bill Callahan's Raiders the following season for the title. Oakland has won just 15 games since, going through three coaches in the past four seasons.
Sarkisian served as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Southern California this year. The 32-year-old was Oakland's quarterbacks coach in 2004 in between stints at USC, where he helped tutor Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer and John David Booty.
Sarkisian spent three seasons in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1997 to '99) before starting his coaching career in 2000 at El Camino Junior College as quarterbacks coach. He went to USC, first as an offensive assistant (2001), then as quarterbacks coach (2002 and 2003).
The Raiders are hoping to complete this year's search for Art Shell's replacement in a shorter time frame than the more than five weeks it took to replace Norv Turner a year ago. Shell was fired last week after setting a franchise record for losses in a 2-14 season.
"I have a great deal of respect for Al Davis and the Oakland Raider organization," Sarkisian told the Los Angeles Daily News before interviewing with the Raiders. "It's a proud organization that wants to do whatever it can to be on top."
Other potential candidates for the Raiders' job include defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan, offensive co-ordinator John Shoop, former Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green and former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel.
At USC, Sarkisian coached Heisman Trophy winners in Palmer and Leinart and helped develop Booty into one of the early favourites for the Heisman next season. Booty threw for 391 yards and four scores in last week's Rose Bowl win over Michigan and will return to the Trojans for his senior season.
Sarkisian left USC for one season to become the Raiders' quarterbacks coach in 2004. Oakland ranked eighth in the NFL in passing that season with 4,019 yards passing.
That's a far cry from this season, when Oakland ranked second-last with 2,420 yards passing and posted the fifth-fewest points in a 16-game season with 168.
With much of the NFL's third-ranked defence set to return next season, owner Al Davis will likely turn to an offensive coach. Oakland also has the No. 1 pick in April's draft and could use it on quarterback Brady Quinn of Notre Dame or JaMarcus Russell of LSU, if he decides to turn pro as expected Wednesday.
While Sarkisian is young, Davis has a history of identifying sharp coaching minds. Davis gave the first professional head coaching jobs to John Madden, Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden when all three were in their 30s. Only Madden won the Super Bowl with Oakland; Shanahan did it with Denver, Gruden with Tampa Bay.
Gruden is the only coach to have a winning record with the Raiders since the team returned from Los Angeles in 1995. He was 38-26 in four seasons, taking the team to the postseason twice before leaving to take the Bucs job following the 2001 season.
Gruden left a Super Bowl team in place and his Buccaneers ended up beating Bill Callahan's Raiders the following season for the title. Oakland has won just 15 games since, going through three coaches in the past four seasons.
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