Oakland Raiders officially introduce Jack Del Rio as next head coach
The Oakland Raiders have officially introduced Jack Del Rio as their next head coach.
Consider this a sort of homecoming for Jack Del Rio.
The Heyward, California native will be coming home to California to become the next head coach of the Oakland Raiders, as owner Mark Davis officially announced on Thursday.
“After a thorough interview and evaluation process, we are excited to announce Jack Del Rio as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders,” said Owner Mark Davis. “I have no doubt that he will make a significant impact and help reach the goal of everyone in this building, which is to win championships.”
This will be Del Rio’s second stint as a head coach. He previously was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine season from 2003 to 2011. While he led the Jaguars to playoffs only twice during his tenure as head coach (2005, 2007), his defenses were always near the top of the league.
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During his tenure with Jacksonville from 2003 to 2011, his defenses were ranked sixth in yards allowed per game (317.3), eighth in points allowed per game (20.3), and sixth in rushing yards allowed per game (105.6).
After his time in Jacksonville concluded, he was reunited with John Fox as he was hired as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos. Del Rio also worked under Fox as defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers in 2002.
Just like in Jacksonville, Del Rio’s defenses were a staple on the Denver Broncos.
The defense improved drastically as soon as Del Rio came on in 2012, as Denver’s defense tied for the largest scoring improvement in the league from the previous season (6.3 points per game). They also finished as the NFL’s second best unit with 290.8 yards per game, and third against the pass and rush. They also lead the league with 52 sacks and allowed the lowest opponent third-down percentage.
In 2013, Del Rio’s squad had to fight through a lot of injuries. As they got healthy down the stretch, his defense was ranked fourth in the league in total defense with 271.5 yards per game. It was a 112.7 point decrease from the previous 12 weeks. His improved defensive unit helped lead the Broncos to an AFC Championship and a Super Bowl appearance.
In 2014, Del Rio’s defense ranked third in the NFL in total defense and second against the run. They had 25 takeaways and had a plus-five turnover ratio that helped them to their third straight 12-win season. This defensive unit had five players selected to the Pro-Bowl.
The Oakland Raiders are hoping that Del Rio’s defensive philosophies can help their team, who ranked dead last this past season in points against. Their offense may be going in the right direction with Derek Carr as quarterback and possibly acquiring a deadly weapon like wide receiver Amari Cooper in the draft. If Del Rio can get this defensive unit on track, the Raiders may be able to make some noise in the AFC West in the coming years.
[H/T: Raiders/NFL]