In response to a San Francisco Chronicle report that the Oakland Raiders have interviewed Jim Fassel and Marc Trestman to potentially replace Tom Cable as head coach and another report (from the original false rumor monger) that the team spoke to Jim Harbaugh about the job, a team official tells Steve Corkran of the Oakland Tribune that no candidates have been interviewed.
“The reports that we’ve interviewed prospective head coaches are totally untrue, totally false,” Raiders senior executive John Herrera said.
Fassel has denied that he has heard from the team, and the agent for Marc Trestman has said that Trestman has not been contacted, either.
A league source has confirmed this information (since, frankly, it’s not always prudent to accept at face value the self-serving stuff disseminated by any team), and we’re also told that there has been no effort to interview Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride or Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach Winston Moss. To interview either of these men, the Raiders would be required to submit a written request for permission to conduct the interview, and the request for permission contains a space requiring the team seeking permission to specify the job for which the candidate would be interviewed.
Meanwhile, we’re told that no decision has been made regarding the question of whether coach Tom Cable will return for a second full season. The possible addition of Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator could bolster Cable’s case for staying, since it would allow Cable to surrender the offensive coordinator and play-calling functions, and to focus on being the head coach.