Jack Del Rio will return home to the Bay Area as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Del Rio brings some excitement to a strong fanbase and a team in need of an experienced coach.
Bill Callahan was the last head coach to lead the Raiders to a winning record and playoff appearance back in the 2002-2003 season when the silver and black went to the Super Bowl. Since ‘03, Oakland has gone through seven head coaches, none of whom have been able to get the Raiders past an 8-8 record.
After Al Davis passed away, Reggie McKenzie took over the role of General Manager and hired Dennis Allen. Needless to say, he wasn’t the answer. Enter Jack Del Rio who was hired this past week and had his press conference Friday afternoon. Del Rio brings a lot to the table for the Raiders and is a great hire by McKenzie and Mark Davis.
Del Rio has several years of not only coaching in the NFL, but playing as well. He played the game for 11 years and has a record of 68-71 as a head coach. While he may have a losing record, that should not be a knock to Del Rio. He coached the Jacksonville Jaguars who have had their fair share of struggles over the years.
The Raiders interviewed a number of candidates these last few weeks, but Del Rio was the best hire. He won over Mark Davis during the interview process by showing his extensive knowledge of the game and the Raiders roster by ranking players and describing their strengths and weaknesses. Davis showed an interest in hiring an offensive minded coach, but Del Rio was able to woo the Raiders owner to reconsider and eventually hire him. He has an extensive knowledge of the AFC West as well after spending three years as the Denver Broncos’ defensive coordinator.
Del Rio also brings something else to the table, he’s a local guy with a personal attachment to the Raiders. He played for a local high school in Hayward High, and grew up a Raiders fan, in fact his parents are Raiders season ticket holders. On a personal level, he wants to bring the Raiders back to greatness and get them back to their winning ways.
During the press conference it was mentioned by McKenzie and Del Rio that they feel the Raiders have a foundation to build on and some key pieces such as Derek Carr and Khalil Mack. The two showed much promise in their rookie seasons and no doubt help Del Rio bring in a good coaching staff.
As a matter of fact, the Raiders have already been linked to a few big name coordinators such as Marc Trestman, Mike Smith, and Vic Fangio. Del Rio mentioned in his press conference that they are already working on a list of coordinators to target, and with his experience and credibility he could help land a few desirable coaches.
Del Rio put an emphasis on the fundamentals of football and getting the players in that locker room excited about going to work each day. Looking back on the Raiders season, there were times when they truly looked lost on the field and forgot the fundamentals of the game. Del Rio is a tough minded coach who has that motivational factor to get his players to give him 150 percent on game day; something Raiders coaches have been missing.
He has earned the respect of his players throughout the years, and many of them took to Twitter to congratulate their coach. Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton publicly praised Del Rio, and with such great respect amongst his players, he could help bring in some much needed free agents this offseason.
Overall, this was a great hiring by the Raiders. With the Broncos being eliminated last weekend, they were able to sign their guy quickly and get this show on the road preparing for the 2015 season. Jack Del Rio brings credibility and experience to this Raiders team and has high expectations and great goals for this franchise.