The last time Al Saunders served the Raiders was two years
before coach Hue Jackson was born.
”
I was a ball boy for Al Davis in 1963 when he was the head
football coach,
”
Saunders said as he addressed the media for the first time since
being named offensive coordinator on Jan. 26.
”
You know when you grow up as a kid and it’s your team? It’s just
the right time for me.
”
By Jerry McDonald – The Oakland Tribune
NAPA, Calif.
The last time Al Saunders served the Raiders was two years before coach Hue Jackson was born.
“I was a ball boy for Al Davis in 1963 when he was the head football coach,” Saunders said as he addressed the media for the first time since being named offensive coordinator on Jan. 26. “You know when you grow up as a kid and it’s your team? It’s just the right time for me.”
Throughout the years, Davis and Saunders remained in touch. He interviewed with Davis on at least three occasions for vacancies at head coach and offensive coordinator.
Saunders, 64, also has history with Jackson, having worked with him as an offensive consultant on the staff of the Baltimore Ravens, and with quarterback Jason Campbell as assistant head coach of the Washington Redskins.
With Campbell in limbo with the Redskins after Mike Shanahan was hired as head coach in 2010, Saunders said he recommended Oakland as the quarterback’s next stop because Jackson had been named offensive coordinator.
“I said, ‘The best place for you would be to go to the Oakland Raiders with Hue Jackson,’ ” Saunders said.
Included on Saunders’ resume are stints with potent offenses in St. Louis, San Diego and Kansas City. He was also the Chargers’ head coach from 1986-88 and believes his experience can be beneficial to Jackson.
“I was a first-time head coach when I was (39) years old and I know what that is,” Saunders said. “Hue is a young guy with tremendous upside. He’s the right man for the job. I want to do everything I can to take a little weight off his shoulders, because there’s so many things on his plate.
“I can help ease his burden quite a bit in a lot of areas.”
When Jackson was quarterbacks coach in Baltimore, the two discussed the idea of working together if Jackson ever became a head coach.
-With 15 practices in the books, Davis has yet to make an appearance during training camp. Senior executive John Herrera said the owner has been in Napa, just not on the field.
Asked if Davis is expected to attend road games this year, Herrera said, “He was at our opening game, so I’d fully expect him to be at all of our games like he always is.”
-With safeties Hiram Eugene (dislocated hip) and Zac Etheridge out indefinitely, the Raiders signed veteran safeties Matt Giordano and Josh Bullocks.
Giordano, a fourth-round draft pick out of Cal by Indianapolis in 2005, played for the Colts for four seasons and won a Super Bowl ring. He also spent time with Green Bay and New Orleans as well as the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons.
Bullocks was a second-round pick out of Nebraska by New Orleans in 2005, played four seasons for the Saints and was with the Chicago Bears in 2009-10.
-Running back Darren McFadden, recovering from a broken orbital bone, took a few handoffs during drills while not wearing a helmet. Wide receiver Jacoby Ford is no longer wearing a protective sleeve over his fractured left hand, but the hand remains swollen and has a raised scar from surgery.
-Jackson instituted another “over-30” day for the noncontact practice, giving some of his older players the day off heading into the team’s off day on Tuesday.
Among those who did not practice were defensive tackles Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and Trevor Scott, guards Daniel Loper and Cooper Carlisle, running back Michael Bennett and linebacker Sam Williams.
Wide receiver Louis Murphy (hamstring) and Mike Mitchell (undisclosed) remained out of practice, as was fourth-round pick Taiwan Jones.
