Kiffin acknowledges 'unique' situation

PALM BEACH, Fla. – Lane Kiffin finally came up for air.

After two months almost entirely off the media grid – during which reports indicated the guillotine was poised to drop on his stint following just one season with the Oakland Raiders – Kiffin resurfaced Tuesday at the league's owners meetings and did his best to once again assert his standing in the franchise. He's poised to move forward, despite many reports to the contrary.

That's not to say Kiffin isn't treading lightly. Throughout his 45-minute session with the media, he chose his words carefully, addressing his relationship with owner Al Davis, the scuttled departure of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and the Raiders massive – if not controversial – free agent spending spree in the offseason. And while Kiffin remained diplomatic as ever, he sounded like a man who got a full education on why his coaching job is likely the most difficult in the NFL.

Asked to describe his relationship with Davis, Kiffin paused, smiled, took a drink of water, and termed it "very unique."

"You have an owner that is very hands on," Kiffin said. "An owner that prides himself on knowledge of football, especially defensive knowledge and coaching of the defensive side of the ball. He's very active in that, with Rob (Ryan). … It's just very interesting and very intriguing. But at the same time, you have somebody who has done a lot of things in this league. He's been a coach and he's been a commissioner and owner, and has a tremendous amount of knowledge."

If anything, that is the understated view of the relationship Davis has with most of his coaches, and Kiffin's term hasn't been any different. To call it a rocky start would be kind. ESPN reported in January that Davis drafted a letter of resignation for Kiffin after the 4-12 finish and a disagreement over the potential firing of Ryan. The Raiders strongly denied that report, also refuting reports from Bay Area media that Davis had stripped Kiffin of personnel power.

But there is no denying that Kiffin and Davis had significant issues in January, when Kiffin noticeably coached the Senior Bowl sans Raiders apparel. And Kiffin admitted that he and Ryan had discussions about the coordinator leaving the team to pursue "other opportunities," adding that ultimately Davis made the decision to keep Ryan aboard.

"Rob felt that it may be in his best interest to go somewhere else and to pursue another opportunity," Kiffin said. "So I met with the owner the next Tuesday after the season. I expressed that to Al. Al thought about that for awhile and we talked about a number of different things, a number of different scenarios that could come up. And then Al decided to stay with Rob. Rob has another year on his contract."

Externally, it continues to look like a power struggle that Kiffin lost, despite his best effort to spin it forward Tuesday, saying he and Ryan would put their best foot forward next season. And while Kiffin steered clear of addressing the particulars of what happened with Davis – or whether his job was truly in jeopardy – he did offer a cryptic response.

"When there is smoke there is fire," Kiffin said. "Not everything was made up. But we're moving forward."

What was clear is that while Kiffin says that Davis listens to him when it comes to personnel matters, he does lack decision-making authority. Kiffin made it clear that it is Davis who ultimately selects the talent and Davis who handles the contracts – a key point he made several times.

"As a staff we target the players we think are a need or that put us in a better place at some positions and then we give our evaluation on those players," Kiffin said. "We don't get into the money."

Asked if he anticipated the team would be leaning on free agency, doling out in excess of $250 million in free agent contracts and extensions, Kiffin said it wasn't the initial plan.

"I don't think anybody did," Kiffin said, "as far as the amount of money spent, as far as the number of players added."

Kiffin added that some moves – like the trade that brought in Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall and the signing of wideout Javon Walker – were as much a matter of scooping up the best player available than by design. And did Kiffin agree with all the players Davis added?

"When you have a head coach and an owner that is so involved, who is also the general manager, are you going to see eye to eye on everything? No, I don't think anybody is," Kiffin said. "Especially two people who haven't worked together very long and have an age difference. We don't see eye to eye on all the guys but in the end we come out together and do the best we can and try to make it work."

And now that is what Kiffin will be charged with in '08: Making the Raiders work at the relatively green age of 33 when the new season starts, with an owner who still wields absolute control over the franchise at the seasoned age of 78. Kiffin said he "hopes" he has some sway on the fourth overall pick in this month's NFL draft, particularly considering he could use a defensive tackle to help out a 32nd ranked run defense that made its biggest offseason splash at – of all places – cornerback.

How long his grasp on the job lasts is anyone's guess, but the Raiders are still on the hook for $4 million in guaranteed money for the remainder of Kiffin's three year deal – a significant sum for Davis, who has a history of balking at the idea of cutting loose coaches with remaining years on guaranteed contracts. And with second-year starting quarterback JaMarcus Russell walking into the limelight and a defense loaded with several new pricey pieces, Kiffin's coaching task hasn't gotten any easier.

"We have a very interesting and a very tough job ahead of us, to mesh all these players together," Kiffin said of the upcoming season. "We have a bunch of different personalities, some guys who have had some issues in the past at their different places."

Ultimately, the personalities that matter most, Kiffin and Davis, appear set for at least one more year together. Whether their past issues linger could mean more than anything else in a franchise that continues to struggle for traction.