Raiders hire Knapp

[Return Of S&B]

Great first hire for Lane...Knapp is a well respected coordinator around the league who will bring some good veteran experience to the offensive staff.

 

His background revolves around the West Coast Offense so it will be interesting to see if the Raiders switch back to that style of offense (or some mix of it) this upcoming season.

 

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http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c...SPG11NQVKN2.DTL

 

Raiders hire Knapp as offensive coordinator

David White, Chronicle Staff Writer

 

Monday, January 29, 2007

 

 

(01-29) 09:56 PST -- The Oakland Raiders hired Greg Knapp as their offensive coordinator late Sunday, according to a league source.

 

Knapp, a Sacramento State graduate, returns to the Bay Area after spending the past three seasons running the Atlanta Falcons offense.

 

He was with the 49ers from 1995-2003, starting as an offensive quality control coach and moving up to offensive coordinator his final three seasons.

 

Knapp will work under new Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, a former USC offensive coordinator who announced at his hiring that we would call his own plays. Knapp will assist Kiffin with daily plans and activities.

 

More importantly, Knapp's veteran presence is expected to help Kiffin, a 31-year-old with one year of NFL experience, with the transition to his first head coaching job.

 

Knapp accepted an offer in excess of $750,000 a year, which he was making in Atlanta. He was not retained by new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino after head coach Jim Mora was fired after the season

Edited January 29, 2007 by Return Of S&B

[piratesownninjas]

So you mean they'll actually have an OC this year?

[Return Of S&B]

So you mean they'll actually have an OC this year?

 

 

Yeh, maybe Al woke up from his 4 year nap and decided to hire real coaches this year...

 

The most important thing about this is Al is letting Lane do his thing, so far.

 

Instead of being like Shell, and hiring some retread who's been out of football for 10 years, Lane hires a coach that can present some fresh ideas to the table and can run an offense in today's NFL...what a concept.

[Return Of S&B]

Knapp Joins Raiders Coaching Staff as Offensive Coordinator

January 29, 2007

 

 

 

Greg Knapp has joined The Oakland Raiders coaching staff as offensive coordinator.

 

Raiders.com

Greg Knapp, who has 21 years of coaching experience including 12 at the NFL level, joins The Oakland Raiders as offensive coordinator. The 43-year old Knapp has served as an offensive coordinator at the NFL level for the past six seasons - from 2004-06 for the Atlanta Falcons and from 2001-03 for the San Francisco 49ers.

"We are extremely excited to have Greg on board and be part of a new and exciting era of Raider football," said Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin. "I've been familiar with his success coaching in this league for some time now and he shares the same vision and passion for what it will take to bring an explosive offense back to the Raider Nation. His history of getting his quarterbacks to play at an elite level is second to none. He's thrilled about moving back to the Bay area and we're excited to have him."

 

Under Knapp's direction, the Falcons led the NFL in rushing for the past three seasons. His influence enabled the Falcons to produce two 1,000-yard performers in 2006 while averaging 183.7 yards per game. With Knapp as coordinator, the Falcons led the league in rushing in 2005, averaging 159.1 yards per game and producing a 1,000-yard rusher and three Pro Bowlers on offense. In 2004, Knapp's first season in Atlanta, the Falcons averaged 167.0 yards per game while advancing to the NFC Championship Game, had two Pro Bowlers and a 1,000-yard rusher.

 

Under Knapp's direction in 2003, the 49ers finished in the top five in total offense (355.4 yards per game) and rushing offense (142.4 yards per game). The 49ers also finished in the top 10 in passing offense (213.0 yards per game), scoring offense (24.0 points per game) and fewest sacks allowed (28).

 

In 2002, Knapp was the architect of a 49ers offense that ranked eighth in the NFL in total offense, produced a 3,000-yard passer, a 100-catch receiver and set an NFL mark for 16-game season in third down conversion rate at 52.3 percent while allowing only 22 sacks. In his first season as an NFL coordinator in 2001, Knapp directed a 49ers offense that ranked fourth in total offense, second in the league in rushing and produced five Pro Bowlers.

 

Knapp began his professional coaching career with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995, serving as quality control assistant from 1995-97 before being promoted to quarterbacks coach in 1998 and then offensive coordinator in 2001. Knapp has coached a quarterback to the Pro Bowl in nine out of his 12 years in the NFL-Michael Vick, 2004 and 2005; Jeff Garcia, 2000, 2001, 2002; and Steve Young, 1997 and 1998.

 

Knapp enjoyed a distinguished college career as a quarterback at Sacramento State. He still ranks as one of the school's all-time leaders with more than 3,800 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes. He went to training camps with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1986, the Los Angeles Raiders in 1987-1990 and the San Francisco 49ers in 1992-1994. The Long Beach, California native began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater handling running backs from 1986-89. He also coached wide receivers from 1989-90 and was offensive coordinator/assistant head coach at Sacramento State from 1991-1994.