After 26 games and a 9-17 record as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders Raiders, Antonio Pierce has been let go, and the franchise is looking for his replacement. The man for the job may currently be coaching at the college level, but who could be in line for the role?
Potential Antonio Pierce Replacements From the College Football Coaching Ranks
There is a short list of college coaches that the Raiders could target after dismissing Pierce. Las Vegas has not had a winning season since 2020 and has rifled through four different coaches since 2021. They need a leader who can rebuild their roster and culture quickly. Here are the five current college coaches who make sense for the Raiders to hire.
Bill Belichick, North Carolina
Back on Dec. 11, the University of North Carolina hired former seven-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick to take over the North Carolina Tar Heels football program. It was a shocking move at the time, with few expecting Coach Belichick to make the switch to the college ranks.
However, his old buddy Tom Brady recently became a part-owner of the Raiders. According to a report from Tom Pelissero this morning, the legendary quarterback asked Coach Belichick to consider leaving North Carolina to return to the NFL and coach the Raiders.
Belichick obviously has the experience and ability to do so and could be interested in pairing up with Brady once again.
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Steve Sarkisian took over the Texas Longhorns back in 2021 and has turned the program into a powerhouse, making back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances as the Longhorns head coach.
The Raiders are definitely in the market for an offensive-minded head coach who could potentially develop an incoming rookie QB. Sarkisian fits that mold pretty well.
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He also has previous NFL coaching experience as, funnily enough, the Raiders QB coach in 2005 and the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator from 2017-2018.
It’s possible that the Raiders could look to pull him away from the Longhorns and bring him up to the NFL.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
For the first time in a long time, it feels like Lane Kiffin has some uncertainty at the Ole Miss Rebels. He is losing his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, to the NFL and has a lot of rebuilding to do across the whole roster.
Kiffin was hired as the youngest-ever NFL head coach back in 2007 by none other than the Raiders. If the Rebels head coach isn’t up for the rebuild at Ole Miss, he may be looking to dip his toes back into NFL waters.
While Kiffin’s stint in Oakland the first time wasn’t a success, he’d be returning with much more experience under his belt and could be a very viable option for the Raiders. Also, who fits in more in Las Vegas than Kiffin?
Lincoln Riley, USC
As previously mentioned, the Raiders are in the market for a young QB and could be looking to take one with their first-round pick. Lincoln Riley has been a known quarterback whisperer at the college level, developing talents like Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Caleb Williams.
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If the Raiders see Riley as the answer to their quarterback troubles, they could certainly inquire about his interest in leaving the USC Trojans, where he’s had a tumultuous couple of years.
Jim Mora, UConn
Jim Mora took over the UConn Huskies in 2021 and has since turned the program around, winning nine games this year for the first time since 2007.
Mora has previously coached at the NFL level, serving as the Falcons’ head coach from 2004-2007. He could be looking to return to the pros, and the Raiders could use him.
While Mora isn’t a scheme guru or talent developer like some of the coaches on this list, he is a man who could come in and completely change the culture in Vegas, as he just did at UConn.
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