The Raiders have finished filling out their coaching staff with the announcement of the hiring of Bob Sanders as their new linebackers coach.

The hiring of Sanders adds another veteran coach to the roster just a couple of days after naming Sparano the new offensive line coach, with Al Saunders still on the staff.

Sanders has 33 years of experience in coaching on the defensive side of the ball, including time as a defensive coordinator. Sanders was last a defensive coordinator from 2006-2008 with the Green Bay Packers while Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie was also there. Sanders has spent the last four years serving as linebacker coach for the Buffalo Bills.

The 59-year-old coach served 11 years (1990-2000) at the University of Florida primarily working with defensive ends and linebackers, including one year as assistant head coach and one as assistant defensive coordinator. Sanders' tutelage helped three Gator defensive players earn first round draft picks: Jevon Kearse, Kevin Carter, and Huey Richardson.

Sanders moved on to the Miami Dolphins for his first NFL coaching gig, coaching the linebackers and Zach Thomas, who earned three-straight Pro Bowls during Sanders' tenure with the Dolphins.

The hiring of Sanders, along with head coach Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, gives the Raiders three coaches on the defensive side of the ball with defensive coordinator experience. The same can be said on the other side of the ball, as offensive coordinator Greg Olson, offensive line coach Tony Sparano and senior offensive assistant Al Saunders all have offensive coordinator experience.

The Raiders no longer have any open coaching positions needed to be filled with the hiring of Sanders. It should prove beneficial to the Raiders to have the entire coaching staff to evaluate players during the Senior Bowl.

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 23, 2012

The Pro Bowl has long been a question of debate and heated up this past offseason when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the game due to a lack of effort from the players.

Goodell later backed down and decided to allow the game to go on the weekend before the Super Bowl, as it has the last three years. With the Pro Bowl scheduled to take place this Sunday, it's no surprise that the future of the all-star game once again came into question when NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson opened up to reporters on Tuesday.

"We’re excited to be back here in Hawaii to celebrate the accomplishments of NFL players and another terrific season of NFL football," Anderson said opening in his introduction during the press conference. "The NFL has a long history with this beautiful state that goes beyond football and expands some four decades."

While he admits that Pro Bowl week is more than just the game with a wide variety of events that include entertainment and events for the community, the game may not be able to continue to be played should the players continue to play with little effort on the field.

The NFL believes that it is necessary for the players to engage in the same kind of effort that a fan can see on a Sunday during the regular season.

"Our expectations and our hope that our players will give the same effort and energy that allowed them to become roster eligible for this Pro Bowl," Anderson said. "We had serious discussions with the Players Association about the equivalence of upping the quality of play in this game.

"We have been very clear that the NFL quality has to be NFL quality to the extent that it has to reflect well on the brand, and that’s important to our fans."

With about 12.5 million fans tuning into the game last year, pleasing the fans remains a priority for the NFL. It appears that if the players continue to give poor effort on the field than Goodell may very well lean towards ending the All-Star game. The 12.5 million fans watching last year was the most watched for any professional all-star game.

Chicago Bears cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman says he hasn't spoken with any of his fellow Pro Bowl representatives but believes the NFL's message regarding the play has been clear.

"Considering that the game was suspended by Commissioner Goodell and he lifted that suspension and allowed us to play this game, I think the message is clear: the play has to be better than it was last year," Tillman said. "For those guys playing Sunday, I think the message is very clear and we have to play better"

Though players never want to get hurt during an all-star game that only counts for a $50,000 bonus and not towards a tally in the win-loss record, Tillman believes that it is the players' duty to help please the fans with strong effort on the field at Aloha Stadium.

"There’s a balance, like at any all-star game. Nobody wants to get hurt at any all-star game. You’ve got to find a balance. I feel like the responsibility of a player is you owe it to your fans."

One place that the Pro Bowl lacks NFL-caliber play is on the offensive and defensive lines where it seems as if the lineman are making actions closer to dancing than blocking.

It appears that the play given by the players on Sunday will likely hold a great deal of weight in the NFL Front Office's decision on the future of the Pro Bowl. Anderson believes that the fate of the Pro Bowl will be decided before they 2013-2014 NFL schedule is released in April.

"We have been engaged in some discussions with authority and we will continue to do that and the hope is to have something firm in advance of our 2013 schedule," Anderson said.

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 23, 2013

Reports have surfaced that the Raiders have hired former Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano to fill their offensive line coach vacancy, while also naming him their assistant head coach.

Sparano was also head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2008-2011, and has been coaching in the NFL since 1999, giving him valuable coaching experience to a relatively young coaching staff in Oakland.

The 51-year-old coach last served as an offensive line coach with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003-2007 under Bill Parcells until 2006.

Sparano is expected to help offensive coordinator Greg Olson re-implement a power-blocking scheme into the Raiders offense after the offensive line struggled with Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme.

It had been reported that Sparano was being interviewed for other offensive line coaching openings around the league before Raiders head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie reportedly inked him to the coaching staff.

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 23, 2012

The NFL is holding the fourth-annual "Play 60 Community Blitz" on January 24, participating in numerous events taking place in Hawaii during Pro Bowl week.

The events being held by the NFL allow the players and the league to give back to the Hawaiian community as a way of giving thanks for hosting the annual all-star game.

Events will be taking place on January 24 in association with the NFL's Play 60 program, designed to fight obesity in the nation's youth.

Other events taking place this week include showing support to the United State military. NFL players and volunteers will hold events on various military bases in Hawaii including a wounded warrior meet and greet at Schofield Army Barracks, in association with USAA.

Additionally, the NFL will partner with United Way to build a healthy food garden; host a Punt, Pass & Kick event with athletes from the Special Olympics of Hawaii and will lead NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festivals and cheer clinics.

A clinic will also be held for football players from Farrington High School to help with health and safety related to football. The USA Heads Up program will help teach concussion awareness, heat and hydration, while representatives from Riddell will be present to help teach proper helmet fitting practices.

The NFL's Play 60 Community Blitz, along with their "green" initiatives, gives the league a platform to give back to the Oahu community for hosting the league and its fans for the week.

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 23, 2013

The National Football League is working with Hawaii and local children this week in an effort to help decrease the environmental impact of the Pro Bowl on Hawaii this week.

More than 80 children will help plant native groundcover along with a variety of plants starting on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Youth Education Town in Wai'anae, where NFL players will join and assist the children. Also of note, a Milo tree will be planted to replace an ailing tree that was planted by the late Senator Daniel Inouye.

In order to choose the best plants, the NFL works closely with Friends of Hawaii's Urban Forests, the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Programs and Scenic Hawaii for these projects. The NFL is also obtaining renewable energy for this years Pro Bowl from Green Mountain Energy Company.

The wide array of "green" initiatives being installed in the 2013 Pro Bowl include:

• Recycling of beverage containers in the parking lot of Aloha Stadium during tailgating at Pro Bowl. Tailgaters will be asked to place cans and bottles in containers marked for recyclables. Recycling saves energy, conserves resources, and reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators.</li>
  
• Prepared Food Recovery at all appropriate Pro Bowl events in partnership with Aloha Harvest. Un-served prepared food from Pro Bowl events will be distributed to local shelters and community kitchens.</li>
  
• Recycling of cans and bottles from the NFL Tailgate Party, the Pro Bowl Block Party, and the Friday night “Eat The Street” event in partnership with E2K event management and Oahu Community Recycling.</li>
  
• Material recovery and donation of decorative materials, office supplies and other items. These items are donated to local community nonprofit agencies for fund raising auctions or reuse.</li>
  
• “Green” power. Power used at Aloha Stadium during the game will be offset using Renewable Energy Certificates provided by Green Mountain Energy Company.
  

The NFL first started incorporating ways to minimize the environmental damage of the Pro Bowl twelve years ago.

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 21, 2013

Raiders fullback Marcel Reece earned his first Pro Bowl selection Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New England Patriots.

Reece was named a Pro Bowl alternate and will make the trip to Honolulu due to Ravens fullback Vonta Leach heading to New Orleans to prepare for Super Bowl XLVII. 

Reece has quickly grown into one of the NFL's most dynamic players, serving as a lead-blocker, wide receiver and running back. 

The 6-foot-1, 255 pound fullback stepped in and started four games at the running back position when Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson both went down with high-ankle sprains. Reece rushed the ball a career-high 59 times for 271 yards. Reece, who played wide receiver at the University of Washington, also caught 52 receptions for 496 yards and one touchdown. His 52 receptions was the second most on the team. 

The undrafted free agent joined the Silver & Black in 2008 and spent his first season on the Raiders practice squad before joining the active roster in 2009. Reece was also named an alternate last season, but never got the opportunity to go the Hawaii. 

The Pro Bowl will be played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, HI on Jan. 27, 2013. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski was also named an alternate but doesn't appear to be going back after he made his first Pro Bowl last season. 

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 19, 2013


Reports have surfaced that head coach Dennis Allen and the Raiders seem to have found their new offensive coordinator, hiring Jacksonville Jaguars quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. 

Though the hire has not been announced by the team, it has been reported around the league and is expected to be announced by the team in the next couple of days. The Raiders coaching staff heads to Alabama to coach the Senior Bowl on Saturday. 

Olson has served as an offensive coordinator on three separate occasions in the NFL: Detroit Lions (2005), St. Louis Rams (2006-2007), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009-2011). Olson helped develop Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman during his tenure in Tampa Bay. 

One aspect of Olson's philosophy that Raider Nation will welcome is his belief in the power-blocking scheme. Raiders running back Darren McFadden struggled under former offensive coordinator Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme, averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per carry. This comes after the star running back averaged a career-high 5.4 yards per carry under Hue Jackson's power-blocking scheme. It should come as no surprise that the Raiders intend on changing the scheme after the offensive line's difficulties this past season as well McKenzie implying McFadden's necessity to run downhill.

Though he recently served as the quarterbacks coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Olson has had success at the NFL level as an offensive coordinator. Olson helped lead Freeman to one of his best seasons as an NFL quarterback as well as helping Rams running back Steven Jackson succeed.

The next step for Oakland is to find hire coaches to their other vacancies: offensive line, special teams and linebackers coach. Olson will likely want to bring in his own guy to coach his offensive line. 

Olson was one name that was reported to be interviewed along with Mike Martz and Marc Trestman. 

Having an offensive coordinator named will be beneficial to the Raiders as they head to Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl, allowing the new coordinator to properly evaluate any potential draft picks. 

Olson inherits an offense with weapons that include McFadden, starting quarterback Carson Palmer, and a young wide receiving corps. The 48-year-old coordinator has plenty of ammunition to play with, but will need to find a way to incorporate all of the pieces to improve the offense from a dismal 2012 season.  

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 18, 2013

The Oakland Raiders have yet to find their new offensive coordinator, a little over two weeks after the firing of Greg Knapp. 

Though it has been reported that McKenzie doesn't have a timetable as to when a hire will occur, it would be beneficial for the team to have a set coaching staff as they head to the Senior Bowl. It would be good for any new coaches to also have the extraordinary opportunity to evaluate the seniors playing in the game for a whole week. 

Meanwhile, offensive coordinator vacancies are being filled around the league with names such as Ken Whisenhunt (San Diego Chargers), Norv Turner (Cleveland Browns), Adam Gase (Denver Broncos). 

While Raider Nation grows uneasy about the lengthy search, head coach Dennis Allen and members currently on the coaching staff prepare for the Senior Bowl. Allen and his staff leave for Alabama on Saturday for a week of preparation with the roster before the game next Saturday. 

Though many of the big names have been hired off of the availability board, many credible names still remain available for Allen to hire. 

Al Saunders has been on the Raiders coaching staff for the past two seasons and knows the roster well. Saunders would be beneficial to the Raiders as he knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players after watching them succeed and struggle in two different offenses under Hue Jackson and Greg Knapp. Though Jackson served as the play caller in 2010, Saunders was listed as the team's offensive coordinator.

With Saunders already under contract, there is no reason for Allen to name him the offensive coordinator yet should he still be looking at other options. Saunders will be there for promotion should Allen decide this is the route he'd like to take.

With former Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians heading to the Cardinals for their head coach opening, reports quickly surfaced linking Stanford offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton to the Colts because of his experience with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.

If Hamilton was presented the option between the Raiders and the Colts, you'd think he would take the Colts as they are a young playoff team with his former star quarterback. 

It has only been reported that the Raiders have interviewed Mike Martz, and Jaguars quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. 

Martz's name seems to have frightened the Raider Nation after his failed stint with the Chicago Bears. 

Olson has served as an offensive coordinator on three separate occasions in the NFL: Detroit Lions (2005), St. Louis Rams (2006-2007), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009-2011). Olson helped develop Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman during his tenure in Tampa Bay. 

Chan Gailey continues to be an interesting name in regards to the Raiders search as he has plenty of NFL coaching experience and saw some success with the Buffalo Bills.

Gailey is believed to be a bright offensive mind that produced a strong rushing attack in Buffalo and got the most out of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

Gailey has 12 years of coaching experience in the NFL to go along with college coaching experience . Gailey also has connections with former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Reeves, who coach Allen thinks highly of and considers a mentor. Gailey would be a viable option still for McKenzie and the Raiders. 

Mike Tice's name has also been tossed around but he lasted just one year with the Chicago Bears as their offensive coordinator before Lovie Smith was fired. While Tice would be a solid offensive line coach (which Oakland also needs to fill), hiring Tice may provide similar results to last year's hiring of Knapp.

Former Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg's name has also been tossed around due to his availability and the fact that McKenzie interviewed him for the head coaching vacancy last year before he lost out to Allen. Mornhinweg also worked with McKenzie in Green Bay, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 1995 and 1996.

Though he has a poor record as a head coach in the NFL, Mornhinweg has provided some solid offenses as offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles as he provides a balanced attack of pass and run. 

Whoever the Raiders decide on, the team would benefit if they could do it quickly. The team has a great opportunity for their new coaching staff to get an evaluation process that no other team gets as the Raiders coaching staff heads to Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl. The Raiders coaching staff will be able to see NFL Draft candidates in practice, in meetings, in the locker room and on the field. 

McKenzie and Allen still need to fill the linebackers coach, special teams coach, and offensive line coaching positions as well as the offensive coordinator position. 

Originally published on SBReport.net on Jan. 1, 2013

The firing of offensive coordinator Greg Knapp on Monday signals another new offensive system for the Raiders to learn for the 2013 season.

Head coach Dennis Allen fired offensive line coach Frank Pollack along with Knapp, suggesting that he may have recognized that the zone-blocking scheme that he defended all year may not be a right fit. 

It appears that the Raiders are not "tied" to any certain system, leaving an array of offensive coaches available for hire.

"What I want to do is I want to get the right guy for the job and I’m not tied into the system, but I want to make sure that we’re able to be a successful, productive offense," Allen said during his Monday press conference. "We have to have some rhythm and some explosiveness in our offense.”

Below is a list of some candidates I believe may be considered for the offensive coordinator vacancy. 

From the NFL Ranks

Al Saunders

Al Saunders has an obvious connection with the Raiders having served as the offensive coordinator in 2011 and currently on the coaching staff as an offensive assistant coach. Though he was listed as the offensive coordinator in 2011, it was head coach Hue Jackson that held play-calling duties. 

The 65-yeard-old coach has been working in football since 1970, including 29 years in the NFL alone, including as wide receivers coach and assistant head coach for the Super Bowl XXXIV Champion St. Louis Rams. 

Saunders, who is of the Don "Air" Coryell coaching tree, then brought his extensive playbook to the Kansas City Chiefs where he featured one of the NFL's top offenses from 2002-2005. 

Saunders is known for having a large playbook that involves lots of pre-snap motion and a vertical passing game. 

Allen stated that Saunders would be considered as they are going to explore all options until they find the right guy. The hire would make sense as he has extensive coaching experience and has been working within the organization for the past couple of years. 

Norval "Norv" Turner

Norv Turner expressed interest in looking for offensive coordinator vacancies after being fired by the San Diego Chargers on Monday.

Like Saunders, Turner has ties to the Raiders after serving as the offensive coordinator in 2002-2003 before being named head coach for 2003-2004 before being fired by Al Davis after going 4-12.

Turner made a name for himself while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys from 1991-1993, during their back-to-back Super Bowl victories with quarterback Troy Aikman. Turner also ran a top five offense in points scored while in San Diego from 2007-2011. 

Turner's experience in the NFL and more importantly, in the AFC West, would be beneficial to young Dennis Allen.

Cam Cameron

Recently ousted by the Baltimore Ravens in favor of Jim Caldwell, who had never been a play caller before, Cameron has served as an offensive coordinator for two teams. 

Cameron started as an offensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers under Marty Schottenheimer from 2002-2006. Though he was able to provide an explosive offense during his tenure in San Diego, he did benefit from having future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson as well as quarterbacks Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers. 

Cameron got on the hot seat for his conservative play calling and inconsistency in the Ravens offense. Raider Nation will likely not like the idea of Cameron after seeing Knapp's conservative play selection all season. 


Pat Shurmur

Like Turner, Shurmur was another head coach casualty on "Black Monday", being fired by the Clevelenad Browns after a 5-11 season. 

Prior to his two-year tenure as head coach with the Browns, Shurmur served as quarterbacks coach with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2007) and offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams (2009-2011).

While in St. Louis, Shurmur helped improve the Rams' offense in nearly every category as the team improved to a 7-9 record after going just 1-15 the year before. 

Ken Whisenhunt

Though he is reportedly already on the Bills' radar for their open head coaching position, Whisenhunt would be a solid candidate for the Raiders open OC position. 

While he found little success with the Arizona Cardinals during his head coaching tenure, Whisenhunt found success while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2004-2006). 

Whisenhunt believes in an old-school brand of football with a heavy dose of the rushing attack. The former tight end could be beneficial to getting the Raiders' rushing attack back on track. 

Chan Gailey

Chan Gailey is also another former offensive coordinator that didn't pan out during his head coaching stint with the Buffalo Bills and was fired on Monday. 

Gailey is believed to be a bright offensive mind that also believes in pounding the football on the ground. 

Gailey has 12 years of coaching experience in the NFL to go along with college coaching experience . Gailey also has connections with former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Reeves, who coach Allen thinks highly of and considers a mentor. 

From the College Ranks

Chris Ault

Once Chris Ault announced his retirement from the University of Nevada, speculation arose that the inventor of the "Pistol" offense would make the jump to the NFL. 

The speculation quickly linked Ault with a possible reunion with his former quarterback Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco. The 65-year-old Ault has stated that he is still in his "offensive prime" and may want to try his luck in the NFL. 

Ault is knowns for his creativity in using the strengths of his personnel. Though Terrelle Pryor would fit the "pistol" offense, Ault would likely be able to create a scheme that could utilize Darren McFadden and the Raiders offense. 

Pep Hamilton

Raiders head coach Dennis Allen tapped into the Stanford system when he hired Jason Tarver as the defensive coordinator, and he could do so again by going after Pep Hamilton. Hamilton is currently Stanford's offensive coordinator over the last two years after taking over play-calling duties for Jim Harbaugh. 

Hamilton has previously worked in the NFL, serving as a quarterbacks coach. 

A former quarterback himself, Hamilton would be a nice addition to help mentor Pryor or any other young quarterbacks the Raiders may bring in. He also has proven to be a strong supporter of running the ball as Stanford has averaged 173.3 rushing yards per game this season. 

Jeff Tedford

While I don't see this one happening, why not throw his name out there? The former Cal Bear head coach has a history or producing top quarterbacks, most notably Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. 

Tedford has also always found ways to utilize his playmakers like Marshawn Lynch, Jahvid Best and Desean Jackson. Tedford would not only be beneficial to the quarterbacks on the roster, but also the playmakers .