According to ESPN Reporter Josina Anderson, the Oakland Raiders have formally requested to interview Indianapolis Colts Offensive Coordinator Pep Hamilton:
Of course, Hamilton is the man calling the plays for one of the league’s most prolific offenses this season. The Colts are ranked 6th best in ppg at 28.6 ppg and 3rd best in total yards per game at 406.6 ypg. After a 2013 season that saw the Colts attempt to become a “smash-mouth” power running team with middling results, Hamilton turned the offensive reins loose to star young quarterback Andrew Luck, by featuring a high profile passing attack.
While interviewing Hamilton would satisfy the Oakland Raiders’ fulfillment of the “Rooney Rule“, a rule that requires any NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for a head coaching or senior football operations position, he’s a well deserving candidate nevertheless.
He’s well-acquainted with the Bay Area too, having previously served as Stanford University’s Offensive Coordinator from 2010-12, and also the Quarterbacks Coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 2006.
Pep Hamilton is one of the hottest young head coaching candidates on the market, and quite frankly, he has been all season. Losing him would be a significant blow to Andrew Luck and the Colts offensive continuity. However, such as when the team previously lost Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians to the Arizona Cardinals to become their next head coach in 2013, the Colts can recover.
They already have a strong in-house candidate in Special Assistant Rob Chudzinski, who both knows the offense and has extensive coaching experience as both a head coach and offensive coordinator in his 20 years of both professional and collegiate coaching. Prior to joining the Colts coaching staff, he served as the Cleveland Browns head coach in 2013.
Still, the Colts would rather much have Hamilton stay, than be forced with the tall-task of replacing him. Like Arians before him; however, they may not have a choice in the matter. Hamilton has proven to be one of the better young offensive minds in the game this season, and he’s shown tremendous growth in his 2nd year as the Colts Offensive Coordinator. The NFL’s other teams are clearly starting to take notice.