Dennis Allen - Pro Football Rumors

Coach Notes: Meyer, Browns, Fangio, Raiders

January 13th, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

Wins over Alabama and Oregon in the NCAA’s first College Football Playoff created plenty of buzz for Urban Meyer, but the Buckeyes head coach quickly dismissed any speculation that his success at Ohio State would result in a jump to the NFL this offseason. “Not right now. I have a commitment to Ohio State and these players,” Meyer said when asked about the possibility of an NFL job, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Let’s check in on several coaching situations from around the league, as a handful of teams look to hire new head coaches and/or coordinators….

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links) provide an update on the Browns‘ hunt for an offensive coordinator, with Rapoport noting that Marc Trestman interviews tomorrow and Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo meets with the team on Friday. Per Schefter, the Browns have also requested permission to talk to Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn about the position.
Raheem Morris‘ meeting with Washington about the team’s defensive coordinator vacancy is expected to be the last of the club’s interviews, tweets Rapoport, who believes either Morris or Joe Barry will land the job.
Michael Silver of NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that the word in coaching circles is that 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio may want to leave the team unless he (or Mike Shanahan) is hired as the head coach. In that case, writes Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the Raiders should kick the tires on Fangio as a potential head coaching candidate.
Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who is working on a new deal of his own, says defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has told him he wants to stay with the team, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Per Archer, talks on new contracts for the team’s coaches are ongoing.
In a tweet, Kawakami also suggests keeping an eye on Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, who has multiple options, and would likely be Jim Tomsula‘s top choice for defensive coordinator if he lands the 49ers‘ head coaching job.
If Todd Bowles is hired as a head coach, he’d like to take Cardinals linebackers coach Mike Caldwell with him as a defensive coordinator, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910.
The Giants are interested in talking to former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen about their defensive coordinator position, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, adding that it’s not clear whether an interview has been scheduled yet.

Impact Of Midseason Coaching Changes

October 11th, 2014 at 4:33pm CST by Rob DiRe

It was not a surprise that Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen failed to make it through the season. More than 24% of our readers thought Allen would be the first coach fired (although 35% were wrong to think Jason Garrett would go first).

More than 65% of our readers thought Allen deserved to be fired when polled two weeks ago, after the Raiders blowout loss at the hands of the Dolphins.

Interim head coach Tony Sparano is now tasked with the challenge of taking over the team midseason and returning them to respectability.

Interim head coaches have fared poorly over the last decade and a half. Of the 23 interim head coaches since 2000, not one made the playoffs, and only two brought their teams to winning records, reports Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times. Further, only seven interim head coaches had winning records in their games coaching the team.

Of the eight interim head coaches to keep the job the next season, seven were either fired or the team decided against re-signing them after their initial contracts. Only Garrett of the Cowboys was able to secure a second contract from his team. Garrett has yet to make the playoffs as the head coach of the team, although they are 4-1 to start the season.

That doesn’t bode well for Sparano, who has failed to achieve any success as a head coach, offensive coordinator, or position coach since winning the AFC East with Chad Pennington in his first year as head coach of the Dolphins. Miami ran him out of town, and he lasted only one season as offensive coordinator with the Jets.

The Jets’ coach Rex Ryan is on the hot seat himself, with very tough matchups against the Broncos and Patriots coming up the next two weeks. Staring at 1-6, and possibly even 1-7 if they lose to a surprisingly good Bills team, Ryan could be the next coach fired. The Jets should just know that recent history does not suggest that a midseason coaching change will solve anything.

Raiders Fire Dennis Allen

September 29th, 2014 at 11:00pm CST by Zachary Links

11:00pm: The Raiders’ interim head coach options are Sparano and Olson, according to Schefter (on Twitter).

10:32pm: The Raiders have informed head coach Dennis Allen that he is fired, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Raiders dropped to 0-4 after getting blown out by the Dolphins in London on Sunday. Now in the midst of their bye week, the time off should give them time to adjust to an altered regime.

Allen, 42, first broke into the NFL as a defensive assistant with the Falcons in 2002. Over time he climbed the ladder, moving from the Saints’ staff to Broncos defensive coordinator to Raiders head coach in 2012. After back-to-back 4-12 seasons and an abysmal first month of the 2014 season, the Raiders decided that they have had enough. Allen, who has served under big names like Sean Payton, John Fox, and Dan Reeves, will probably have to climb the ladder again before he gets another crack at a head coaching gig.

There’s no word on who his fill-in will be, but Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter) reported last night that Tony Sparano would be expected to take over as interim head coach. Al Saunders could also be a consideration, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Offensive coordinator Greg Olson is a strong candidate, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

The news doesn’t come as a great surprise given the awful start to the Raiders’ season. The outrage from fans has been palpable and even veteran cornerback Charles Woodson aired his frustrations after the team’s Week 2 blowout at the hands of the Texans:

“That’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for this team. I’m embarrassed for these fans. And the thing about it is, I’m part of it. I don’t know what we need to do as a team going forward. I know something is going to have to be done,” Woodson said.

Apparently, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in Oakland. Al Davis sacked Lane Kiffin and Mike Shanahan four games into their final seasons with the Raiders and son Mark Davis has done the same with Allen. In a poll last night, 65% of PFR readers said that Allen deserved to lose his job.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: Should Dennis Allen Be Fired?

September 28th, 2014 at 10:42pm CST by Rob DiRe

Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen has been on the hot seat since before the season started, and after a blowout loss in a showcase game in London, he could be on the way out very soon.

Before the season started, we polled our readers on which coach they thought would be fired first. Our readers took Jason Garrett of the Cowboys to be the first to go, but at 3-1 as they are in the process of blowing out the Saints, Garrett’s job could be safe for a while. Allen was the second choice in that poll, and right now he looks like the best bet to go first, considering the reports that came out tonight.

Terry Collins of the Associated Press reported that Allen had been fired and that the official team report was coming, but later deleted the tweet. He eventually replaced it with an apology, saying he was unable to confirm that report (via Twitter).

Allen was hired in Oakland prior to the 2012 season. He took over one of the worst teams in football, but has failed to turn them around at all so far. The Raiders posted four win seasons in 2012 and 2013, and to start off 0-4 this year puts them behind the curve on even a four-win season.

General manager Reggie McKenzie has failed equally in terms of procuring, drafting, and keeping talent during his short tenure with the team. His best move to keep his own job could be to fire Allen as a scapegoat, and reset his own clock in the front office.

Despite having little to no talent to work with, it is unclear how much longer the organization stick with Allen. The team has a week off after returning from London, and if McKenzie was going to make this move, it would make sense to do it now when their team still has time to prepare.

Dennis Allen’s Job In Jeopardy

September 28th, 2014 at 9:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen could be fired this week, after suffering a blowout loss to the Dolphins in London. Terry Collins of the Associated Press tweeted that the Raiders have already fired Allen, and that the announcement could come as early as Tuesday. The tweet was later deleted, but captured in a retweet here by Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin (via Twitter).

The report has no elaboration, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk points out, and it certainly could be challenged. However, Smith writes, it would not be a surprise if it was true, sooner rather than later.

If Allen is fired, it is expected that Tony Sparano will take over as the interim head coach, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).

La Canfora’s Latest: London, Finley, Raiders

September 28th, 2014 at 10:59am CST by Rory Parks

Thanks to a report from CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, we learned earlier today that the internal struggles of the Dolphins organization goes beyond head coach Joe Philbin‘s reluctance to affirm Ryan Tannehill as the team’s starter earlier this week. That report has since been supported by a similar article from Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, and La Canfora has a few other notes worth passing along:

La Canfora writes that the movement to put an NFL franchise in London continues to gain momentum, and he describes how the league would handle some of the logistical challenges inherent in such a a decision.
In a series of tweets, La Canfora notes that league commissioner Roger Goodell and Players’ Association head DeMaurice Smith met this week to discuss a new personal conduct policy, which they hope to have in place by the Super Bowl. La Canfora expands on those tweets in a full-length article.
In a separate piece, he writes that, although teams continues to explore the possibilities of acquiring free agent TE Jermichael Finley–the Ravens, having lost Dennis Pitta for the season, were the most recent team to monitor his progress–it is “99 percent certain” that Finley will not play in 2014.
In an article concerning the uncertainty of the Oakland front office, La Canfora writes that Raiders owner Mark Davis, who “has considered firing his coach and general manager several times in recent years,” continues to speak with his confidants about a potential shake-up. If Davis does end up firing current head coach Dennis Allen, offensive coordinator Greg Olson is a strong candidate to take over as interim head coach.

West Notes: McKenzie, Broncos, Woodhead

September 21st, 2014 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Parks

As the early afternoon games get underway, let’s have a look at some items from the league’s west divisions:

With the sale of the Bills for $1.4 billion to be voted on by team owners within the next few weeks, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that there is a growing sense that the Raiders could fetch at least $2 billion and wonders if owner Mark Davis would sell.
Citing a team source, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Raiders appear willing to let head coach Dennis Allen “coach his way out” of the team’s early struggles, at least until late in the season.
Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Raiders‘ GM Reggie McKenzie is in no danger of losing his job.
David Migoya of the Denver Post writes that the NFL has said it will not allow the Broncos‘ search for a new owner to go on indefinitely, so the Pat Bowlen Trust will have to determine within the next two years which of Bowlen’s seven children will step into his shoes. If that does not happen, the team will have to be sold.
Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com describes how the Chargers will go about replacing Ryan Mathews, who will be sidelined for an extended period of time with an MCL knee strain. Although Donald Brown and Danny Woodhead were expected to share the majority of the workload, Woodhead’s injury today (he was carted off the field, per a tweet from La Canfora) means that undrafted rookie free agent Branden Oliver could be seeing action sooner than anticipated.
Kent Somers of AZCentral.com describes how the Cardinals’ depth is being tested to an extreme degree in 2014 and how the team has overcome early-season adversity thus far.

AFC Mailbags: Jaguars, Ravens, Colts, Raiders

September 20th, 2014 at 11:14am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of ESPN.com NFL mailbags. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the AFC…

The Jaguars have rookie Telvin Smith waiting in the wings, but Michael DiRocco thinks the team still needs an upgrade at linebacker.
Looking forward to next year’s draft, DiRocco opines that the Jaguars should focus on drafting a pass rusher. The writer suggests Randy Gregory (Nebraska), Shane Ray (Missouri), and Shilique Calhoun (Michigan State).
Even with wideout Steve Smith‘s presence, Jamison Hensley says it would be “shocking” if the Ravens don’t extend Torrey Smith.
Mike Wells would be surprised if the Colts signed defensive end Michael Sam from the Cowboys practice squad. To thrive in the team’s defense, the writer says that Sam would need to learn to play outside linebacker.
If the Raiders lose to the Patriots this weekend, coach Dennis Allen will certainly be feeling some pressure, writes Bill Williamson.

AFC West Notes: Justice, Williams, Raiders

September 17th, 2014 at 9:07pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s tonight’s look at the AFC West..

The Chiefs recently tried out offensive tackle Winston Justice and wide receiver Damian Williams, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Justice was in camp with the Broncos this offseason and worked out for the Cardinals last week. Williams, meanwhile, was with the Dolphins this offseason after four seasons with the Titans.
In today’s press conference, Raiders coach Dennis Allen refused to discuss his job security or lack thereof, writes Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News. When asked if he’s paying attention to the speculation, Allen responded, “What matters is getting ready for the New England Patriots. And that’s all I’m going to focus on.” When he was asked a follow-up question, Allen tersely answered, “Listen, I’m getting ready for the New England Patriots.”
Raiders owner Mark Davis has an idea for how domestic violence cases should be handled in the immediate aftermath, writes Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News. “In my mind, if somebody’s accused or arrested in a domestic-violence case, they should be suspended with pay,” Davis said. “I want to make sure it fits the legalities and with what the union wants, but I just think that’s the only thing that makes sense for us now.”

West Notes: Raiders, Allen, Chiefs

September 15th, 2014 at 6:31pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a lot to like about the 49ers‘ new stadium, but the parking lot situation has fans grumbling, writes Al Saracevic of the San Francisco Chronicle. Fans took to Twitter in droves after waiting for hours in traffic and many were suddenly nostalgic for Candlestick Park. Of course, the 28-20 loss to the Bears didn’t have them in a great mood either. Here’s a look at some items out of the AFC and NFC West..

On ESPN earlier today, Chris Mortensen said that there is already talk of Raiders head coach Dennis Allen losing his job, tweets Evan Silva of Rotoworld. “I know a lot of people around the league are talking about it,” Mort said, according to Silva.
The problems go beyond the team starting 0-2, Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group writes, and he wonders aloud how much longer the coach has in Oakland. The Raiders were blown out 30-14 in their home opener and the follow-up against the Texans was even worse. The fans aren’t the only ones that are frustrated. “That’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for this team. I’m embarrassed for these fans. And the thing about it is, I’m part of it. I don’t know what we need to do as a team going forward. I know something is going to have to be done,” veteran Charles Woodson said.
The Chiefs are scheduled to work out former Ravens wide receiver LaQuan Williams and former Patriots tight end Justin Jones, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Williams, a University of Maryland product, was cut by the Ravens in preseason. Jones is a former East Carolina standout who was with the Patriots after going undrafted. At 6’7″ and 270 pounds, Jones is an intriguing talent.