Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Subtle changes could be in store as Olson replaces Gruden as Raiders’ play-caller

Familiarity remains as Raiders’ top three coaches first worked together 13 years ago

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Steve Marcus

Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson watches quarterback Nathan Peterman (3) during practice at the Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021.

Las Vegas Raiders Interim Head Coach Rich Bisaccia

Interim Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders Rich Bisaccia speaks with reporters after practice at the Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. Launch slideshow »

Outside uncertainty has existed for the last four seasons on the exact role of Raiders assistant Greg Olson.

He held the traditional offensive coordinator title but did so without holding the job’s usual top responsibility, play-calling, as now former coach Jon Gruden handled those duties. Players always spoke highly of “Olly” and his place in the organization, which amounted to more of an advisory or analyst position next to Gruden.

That’s no longer true heading into Sunday’s game at Denver, however, and there’s no longer any lack of clarity about how Olson will spend gamedays. He became the primary, and lone, play-caller after Gruden resigned.

“I always say opportunity comes in many different ways and certainly this wasn’t the opportunity I was looking for but there’s always excitement about that,” Olson said on Thursday. “I think you get into the coaching profession, or you get into the coordinator role, to take that responsibility.”

It’s nothing new to the 58-year-old Olson, who’s spent the last 34 years as a coach on either the professional or college level. He’s been an NFL play-caller for much of that time, dating back to his role as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator from 2004-2005.

His most recent stint calling plays came with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2015-2016. Gruden brought him on with the Raiders as soon as he was hired in 2018 where Olson served as his second-in-command on offense.

Olson partook in all the same position meetings as Gruden and offered play suggestions on gameday to both the coach and quarterback Derek Carr. So don’t expect a massive transformation of the Raiders’ offense post-Gruden, even if Carr is suggesting otherwise.

“I think we’re going to Wing-T, triple-option football, ball control,” he said to draw some laughs on an otherwise tense practice day on Wednesday. “Just try and run the quarterback as much as we can in the middle.”

Joking aside, some negligible changes should be evident. Las Vegas is just staying tight-lipped on what exactly they will entail.

No two coaches will ever call a game the exact same way, but beyond that, the Raiders could dabble in some personnel and formation alterations. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley praised Olson’s creativity with different personnel groupings, and tight end Darren Waller hinted that the Raiders could simplify things going forward.

“Complex” was the word most associated with Gruden’s system, and though its tenets will remain, Olson could dial the intricacies down.

“I’m excited with who we’ve got,” Waller said. “I believe in Olly. I believe he gives us a chance to win.”

Interim coach Rich Bisaccia didn’t give thought to anyone except Olson calling plays after being appointed as Gruden’s replacement on Monday night.

“It’s not like we just got Greg Olson off some other team,” Bisaccia said. “He’s been a part of building this offense and building the vernacular of the offense.”

Despite Gruden’s exit, there’s still a great deal of continuity and familiarity among the coaching staff. Bisaccia, Olson and Bradley first worked together in 2008 as part of Gruden’s staff in Tampa Bay.

Olson eventually made his way to the Raiders where his first of two stints as offensive coordinator lasted from 2013-2014, the latter being Carr’s rookie season. Carr credits Olson for establishing much of his weekly routine and showing him how to be a professional.

“My rookie year, he called plays,” Carr said. “I’ve heard his voice through the headset. I know how he calls the game and I know how he thinks. We’re in the same room. Every conversation I had with Coach Gruden, I had with Olly this whole time.”

After Olson was dismissed from his initial run with the Raiders, Bradley, then the Jaguars head coach, hired him as his offensive coordinator in Jacksonville. Olson’s tenure in Jacksonville lasted less than two seasons before Bradley had to fire him, a decision he agonized over at the time but felt necessary as the Jaguars skidded to a 3-13 season.

They’re all hopeful this year’s run can end much differently. The Raiders have talent on offense and confidence that Olson can coax the most out of it.

“He’s got a definitive philosophy on how he wants to go about doing it and meshing things together,” Bradley said. “He knows this team so well, our offensive players and the talent of them. He’ll do outstanding. I’ve got a lot of respect for them. Greg and Rich Bisaccia and (offensive line coach) Tom Cable, those are big reasons as well why I came back, to get an opportunity to work with them again.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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