Oakland raiding teams for coach

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders' search for a new head coach picked up steam Monday as they received permission to interview two Denver Broncos assistants and were poised to talk to members of the Green Bay Packers' staff.

With the Broncos and Packers eliminated from the playoffs over the weekend, new general manager Reggie McKenzie could begin moving quickly to fill the job that opened up when he fired Hue Jackson last week on his first day on the job.

McKenzie got permission from the Broncos to interview offensive co-ordinator Mike McCoy -- a former Calgary Stampeders quarterback -- and defensive co-ordinator Dennis Allen. McCoy also had an interview scheduled Monday for the head-coaching vacancy in Miami.

"I think it's very complimentary to this organization that they're having that opportunity and to their work," Broncos coach John Fox said. "I think any assistant coach's aspiration is to be a head coach. It speaks for what this organization has accomplished this season. Time will tell."

McCoy spent nine years as an offensive assistant in Carolina before joining the Broncos as offensive co-ordinator in 2009. He has been in that role for three seasons and oversaw a midseason transformation of the offence as it evolved from a passing attack with Kyle Orton at quarterback to the read-option offence run by Tim Tebow.

Allen just finished his first year as defensive co-ordinator in Denver. He had previously been an assistant in Atlanta and New Orleans.

McKenzie started work with the Raiders last Tuesday. His first move was to fire Jackson, who went 8-8 in his only season as head coach. McKenzie said at the time he wanted his own guy as head coach, leading to speculation one of his former colleagues in Green Bay could get the job.

With the Packers having been eliminated from the playoffs Sunday with a 37-20 loss to the New York Giants, McKenzie will be able to start interviewing those assistant coaches soon. McKenzie had been director of football operations in Green Bay before taking the job with the Raiders.

One of the leading candidates will likely be linebackers coach Winston Moss, who has interviewed for openings with the Raiders in the past and played four seasons for the team from 1991-94.

Offensive co-ordinator Joe Philbin, defensive co-ordinator Dom Capers, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements -- another former CFL quarterback -- and secondary coach Darren Perry also could be candidates.

The coaching search started last week when McKenzie interviewed former Miami interim coach Todd Bowles on Friday. Bowles was an assistant head coach and secondary coach for the Dolphins before being promoted to replace the first Tony Sparano with three games left in the season.

Miami went 2-1 under Bowles, who is a candidate for the full-time job there.

ESPN also reported McKenzie interviewed New Orleans offensive co-ordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. when the Saints were in town to play the San Francisco 49ers in a playoff game.