Raiders hire ex-Cal coach Michalczik to lead offensive line

Raiders hire ex-Cal coach Michalczik to lead offensive line
February 10
Oakland Tribune

"Raiders coach Tom Cable wasted little time in completing his staff by hiring former Cal coach Jim Michalczik on Monday to be his offensive line coach.

The move came only five days after managing general partner Al Davis introduced Cable as the full-time coach. Cable was entrusted with hiring offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators, as well as three other positions.

He has hired six new coaches since the season ended Dec. 28 and re-assigned five others to new positions. It remains to be seen whether Cable will retain or hire any quality control coaches.

"This hire completes our 2009 coaching staff, with the exception, perhaps, of a quality control position or two," Raiders senior executive John Herrera said.

Michalczik's arrival moves the needle more than usual in terms of an offensive line coach, for more than one reason.

Bay Area fans are familiar with him from his recent seven-year stint with Cal, and the bizarre path he took in getting to the Raiders provides a measure of revenge for an embarrassing series of events from a little more than two years ago.

Davis interviewed then-Southern Cal co-offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian for the Raiders coaching vacancy in January of 2007. Things went so well that Davis permitted Sarkisian to send for fellow Southern Cal co-offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin so that Davis could interview him about being the Raiders offensive coordinator.

A few days later, Davis offered the coaching job to Sarkisian. He turned down Davis, as did Kiffin. Davis shifted his attention toward Kiffin for the coaching job. Kiffin accepted but lasted only 20 games before he was fired by Davis on Sept. 30.

Sarkisian was hired by the University of Washington in December. Michalczik was one of the first coaches he targeted. Ultimately, Sarkisian lured away Michalczik with a three-year contract reportedly worth in excess of $1 million to be the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach."
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