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His Raiders Are Struggling, But Kiffin Not Pushing Panic Button

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By IRA KAUFMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2007

Updated: 12/25/2007 10:12 pm

JACKSONVILLE - Impressionable players are studying him hard, looking for the slightest hint of panic.

Oakland's legendary owner is also examining Lane Kiffin, hired in January as the youngest head coach of the NFL's modern era.

If Monte Kiffin's 32-year-old son is feeling the pressure, you'd never know it. Even after Sunday's 49-11 debacle against the Jaguars, the most lopsided regular-season loss since Al Davis arrived at Oakland in 1963, Kiffin stayed cool and preached patience.

Never let 'em see you sweat.

"He's been level-headed through this whole thing," guard Robert Gallery said after the Raiders plunged to 4-11. "Coach Kiffin has been very consistent with us, and we haven't jumped ship on what he's going to do. He expects a lot out of us, but he treats us like men."

Two of Sunday's starters, defensive tackle Warren Sapp and left tackle Barry Sims, are older than Kiffin, who served the previous six years as an assistant coach at Southern Cal.

The Raiders have been through four head coaches since Jon Gruden departed following the 2001 season, and Davis hasn't commented publicly on Kiffin's rookie effort.

Davis attended Sunday's embarrassing display, a blowout from the start that included 11 penalties and Sapp's ejection for making contact with an official.

"Lots of things didn't go our way Sunday, and we have to find out why that is," said tight end Zach Miller, who caught JaMarcus Russell's first NFL touchdown pass, a 2-yard flip with six seconds remaining. "What strikes me the most is how competitive of a guy Coach Kiffin is and how he's always behind his players. I like him because he just wants to win."

Sapp singles out Kiffin's enthusiasm, a trait Lane shares with Tampa Bay's kinetic defensive coordinator.

"Both are high-energy guys that love the game and everything about it," Sapp said during a conference call last week. "That comes out of them every day that you are around them. That's just something you thrive off ... when your head coach comes to work just as well as you do."

Kiffin knows he is being judged on a daily basis to see how well he copes with adversity. There has been more than enough to go around.

The Raiders have won only 19 games in the past five seasons, and when the cover of your club's media guide features a Raiders helmet and the caption: "The Team of the Decades," you know the stakes are high.

"As a head coach in this league, I've learned you can't ever allow yourself to get into a lull," Kiffin said. "Players and assistant coaches will pick up on that in a flash."

Kiffin learned the value of consistency by hanging around his father and Tony Dungy when they were both assistants on Dennis Green's staff in Minnesota 15 years ago.

"You could see he was one of those guys who was really interested in the game of football," Dungy said of Lane Kiffin. "He's from a great background and really worked hard to get to where he is. There was no doubt in my mind that he would eventually get there."

Having Sapp on his side has helped Kiffin win over Oakland's locker room, despite his youth and his inexperience on the pro level.

Kiffin has displayed an inner toughness, even while Oakland tumbled toward a fifth consecutive season of double-digit losses since Tampa Bay administered that 48-21 Super Bowl beating.

Despite heat from fans and media - and perhaps from Davis - Kiffin remained cautious with Russell, the first overall pick in the 2007 draft who skipped training camp and Oakland's four preseason games because of a contract dispute.

Russell didn't play until Week 13, and he looked like a nervous rookie against the Jaguars, throwing continually into tight coverage and suffering three interceptions.

Kiffin indicated Russell will make his first pro start in Sunday's finale against San Diego.

That calm demeanor never changes, but when Kiffin needs a pep talk, he reaches out for a blood line.

"My dad and I speak every day," he said. "Monte has been real supportive, and I'm so glad the Bucs are doing extremely well this year."

Lane Kiffin will learn his fate in the next few weeks, but there are no indications Davis is contemplating another coaching change.

Already, there is speculation that Kiffin will return to Oakland in 2008 and bring in his father as defensive coordinator. Monte Kiffin, 67, does not have a contract with the Bucs past this season.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who played for Monte Kiffin as a linebacker with the Vikings, said the Raiders have the right guy at the helm.

"I've watched Lane go up through the coaching ranks, and he's done a tremendous job," Del Rio said. "I think they have a good man in Lane, so I think they're on the right track."

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