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Sarkisian pulls out of Raiders' search
2007-01-19
Southern California assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian withdrew from the Oakland Raiders' coaching race Friday, just days after apparently emerging as the favorite to succeed Art Shell. Sarkisian, a former Raiders assistant who also coaches quarterbacks for the Rose Bowl champion Trojans, was the first coach to interview for the job after Shell was fired Jan. 4 following Oakland's NFL-worst 2-14 season. Sarkisian was at the Raiders' training complex in Alameda for further interviews Wednesday and Thursday, but the discussions apparently weren't fruitful -- leaving Oakland owner Al Davis to keep searching for his fourth coach in five seasons. "I thank them for their interest in me," Sarkisian said in a statement released by the university. "While the job was never offered to me, at this time in my career, I've told them I want to stay at USC. I strongly believe that the Raiders' job is a great opportunity for whomever their next head coach is going to be." The Raiders also issued a statement, affirming that the 32-year-old Sarkisian never was offered the job, and that USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin -- who also spoke to Oakland about becoming an assistant -- wasn't part of any prospective package deal to hire the two young Trojans coaches. The San Diego Union-Tribune also reported that Chargers receivers coach James Lofton was told he won't be hired by the Raiders after interviewing last week. Lofton briefly appeared to be the front-runner before negotiations picked up with Sarkisian, a former BYU quarterback. Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel and Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan are the only other candidates known to have interviewed. Oakland spokesman Mike Taylor said he didn't know whether any interviews with new candidates had been scheduled yet. Sarkisian's decision is another blow to the latest search by Davis, who hasn't found a suitable sideline boss since Jon Gruden fled to Tampa Bay following the 2001 season. Oakland has won just 15 games in the four seasons since reaching the Super Bowl after the 2002 season. Davis has fired Bill Callahan, Norv Turner and Shell since then, and many prime candidates for other top coaching jobs apparently are put off by Davis' management style. But Davis has a reputation for spotting young coaching talent, hiring Gruden, Mike Shanahan and John Madden while all three were in their 30s. The Raiders are rumored to be interested in interviewing Josh McDaniels, New England's 30-year-old offensive coordinator, but the Patriots face the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game Sunday. Oakland, which has the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, hoped to have a new coach in less than the five weeks it took to replace Turner with Shell last year -- but Sarkisian seemed to be the most serious candidate after the first two weeks of this search. Ryan, another former Patriots assistant, coordinated one of the NFL's best defenses last season. Nearly everyone from that defense will return, and the players have supported Ryan's candidacy. But Davis primarily has shown interest in offensive-minded coaches after the Raiders scored an NFL-low 168 points -- the fifth-fewest in league history in a 16-game season -- while setting the franchise record for losses in a season.
Broncos running back Damien Nash dies (2007-02-25)Raiders hire young Kiffin as head coach (2007-01-23)Sarkisian pulls out of Raiders' search (2007-01-19)Fort Worth mourns slain Broncos player (2007-01-06)Broncos' Williams shot to death in Colo. (2007-01-01)
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