Al Davis passed away Oct. 8, 2011, or did he? Someone may want to take one more look through the Oakland Raiders facility in Alameda, Calif., just to make sure. Reggie McKenzie, much like the late Raiders’ owner and general manager, has been very methodical in his search for the Raiders’ next head coach. McKenzie has asked permission to speak to numerous coaches throughout the league over the last couple of weeks but has actually only sat down to talk to four potential candidates: Todd Bowles who finished up last season as the Miami Dolphins interim head coach; Dennis Allen, the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos; Philadelphia Eagles assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg; and Winston Moss, the assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach of the Green Bay Packers.
McKenzie was ready to interview Denver’s offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, but McCoy turned down the opportunity, opting instead to have a second interview with the Miami Dolphins for their head coaching position, which ultimately went to Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Jerry Philbin. Mike Tice the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears and former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings is said to be scheduled for an interview next week. Rumors have been flying throughout Raider Nation as to why the coaching search has taken so long, and I must say that the possible reasons are varied.
Al Davis never put much stock in paying top dollar for his coaching staff, and Mark Davis may be taking the same approach as his old man. This could be why McKenzie’s search has been so slow. The Raiders are also not in the top echelon of NFL teams when it comes to cash. Over the last 10 years, Davis sold off percentages of the club to raise needed capital, so the ledger sheet may be a major factor in the search for a head coach. Money is important, but it may not mean everything in this case. Availability may also be the cause of McKenzie’s deliberate search for a head coach.
The Raiders’ defense has been a sore point over the last few years. This may indicate that McKenzie is looking at 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, or New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. Both the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants play the style of defense that the Raiders have always loved. Pressure the pocket with your defensive front and lock up receivers down the field with your superior athletes. Although the Raiders have always played this kind of defensive scheme, success over the last decade or so has been sporadic at best. The Raiders have also not had a defensive guy as their head coach since John Madden, and bringing in a defensive minded head coach may be the fastest way for the Raiders to find their way back to the playoffs.
McKenzie stated when he became the general manager of the Oakland Raiders that he wanted to hire “his guy” and that he make most of his decisions by following his gut. Apparently, he has yet to find “his guy” and his gut has not uttered a word.
I believe that the mystery may still be hidden within the walls of the Oakland Raiders facility in Alameda. Al Davis may still be breaking down film somewhere in a back room, and as usual, we are not supposed to know anything about it.
It’s the Raider way.