Now that Klint Kubiak is officially done with his Seattle Seahawks duties, he can start getting to work on putting his coaching staff together with the Las Vegas Raiders. It remains to be seen if he’ll keep many coaches from the previous staff, so he’s got a lot of work to do.
Since Kubiak will be calling plays on offense, his offensive coordinator hire isn’t the most important job on the staff. However, it appears that’s the first position he’s looking to fill.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders are interviewing Seattle Seahawks wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson for their offensive coordinator job.
Jackson is a former wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns who has been coaching since 2008. Throughout his entire career, he has been a wide receivers coach. He spent last season working with Kubiak on the Seahawks and did an excellent job with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
If the Raiders end up going with another offensive coordinator, Jackson would be an excellent addition as a wide receivers coach in Las Vegas if Seattle lets him leave. He’s got a lot of experience and be a strong voice to have on the staff.
Kubiak Talks What He’s Looking for In Coaching Staff
This is Kubiak’s first head coaching job, so it’s important that he puts together a strong coaching staff. It’s a little later in the process, so he missed out on a lot of options.
He gave some insight into what exactly he’s looking for.
“I’m in the weeds of it right now, man,” Kubiak said during his introductory press conference. “We’re identifying candidates and going to be contacting guys and bringing them in. But I think whoever that coach is, it’ll be really important that we establish a physical style of play. That’s part of our job as coaches, to scheme guys and help them be put in the best positions. But I want to make sure that we have a DC that is coaching effort first and technique. A guy that’s going to rip into somebody if they’re not finishing in practice because that’s what helps you win in February. It’s not the Xs and Os. They got 17 games of tape on you. It’s about how hard you guys play.”
Kubiak Has a Lot of Respect for Defense
Kubiak is mostly going to be on the offense, but he just won a Super Bowl with a defensive-minded head coach. He is very aware of how important that side of the ball is.
Kubiak has some experience with defense, and he tries to look at football from multiple perspectives.
“I think I’ll always see it that way; see it from the back end,” Kubiak said. When you’re in the pass game-wise, when you’re thinking about what’s going to give them problems, that’s kind of where I would start putting myself in that situation. … I’ve always felt like I had it from a defensive perspective.”
Kubiak will likely be very intentional with his defensive coordinator hire.
First Interview for Klint Kubiak’s Raiders Coaching Staff Revealed: Report