PDA

View Full Version : Raiders interview Bucs' defensive line coach Marinelli



ducks
01-17-2006, 11:08 AM
Raiders interview Bucs' defensive line coach Marinelli

By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
January 16, 2006

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- The Oakland Raiders interviewed Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line coach Rod Marinelli on Monday, the third candidate brought in to discuss the team's coaching vacancy.

Marinelli just completed his 10th season as assistant head coach and D-line coach for the Bucs. His unit helped establish an NFL record with 69 straight games with at least one sack from 1999-2003.


Raiders owner Al Davis and his top personnel chief, Michael Lombardi, interviewed Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders last Wednesday as a potential successor to Norv Turner, fired Jan. 3 after consecutive losing seasons. The Raiders lost their final six games this season and failed to beat an AFC West opponent for the first time since Davis came aboard in 1963 to coach and eventually own the team.

Hall of Fame receiver James Lofton, the San Diego Chargers' receivers coach, interviewed at team headquarters Thursday. The 49-year-old Lofton, a native Californian elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003, was the first minority candidate to meet with the Raiders.

Lofton played 17 NFL seasons, including 1987-88 for the Los Angeles Raiders.

Saunders, also interviewed by Davis when the Raiders hired Bill Callahan before the 2002 season, was an All-American defensive back at San Jose State and also attended Stanford. He served as an assistant head coach, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at California from 1976-81. He is the type of offensive-minded coach Davis has preferred in the past.

Just like Saunders and Lofton, Marinelli has ties to California.

Marinelli, a 20-year college assistant and native of Southern California, joined the Bucs after serving as defensive line coach at USC in 1995 under John Robinson. Marinelli spent the 1992-94 seasons as assistant head coach and D-line coach at Arizona State.

Before that, Marinelli worked at Cal. He coached the Golden Bears' defensive line from 1983-1991, adding assistant head coach to his duties during his last two seasons at the school.

In January 2004, the Bucs denied the New York Jets permission to talk to Marinelli about becoming their defensive coordinator.



Updated on Monday