Its keeps breaking today.... Raiders hire Frank Pollack

Bob Wylie, who entered his fourth decade of coaching football that includes 18 years at the professional level, has been released by the Raiders as our offensive line coach.

Wylie spent last season retooling an offensive line that relied heavy on the run. The Raiders seemed to really produce at times last year and I am sad to see him go.

Frank Pollack on the other hand was in his sixth year as the Texans assistant offensive line coach. Pollack  worked closely with offensive line coach John Benton to mold the Texans offensive line into one of the most productive in the NFL.

Last season, the Texans were 13th overall. They scored an average 23.8 points per game, amassed 372 average yards per game and only allowed 33 sacks Vs. the Raiders who only allowed 25. The Texans were also 2nd in the league in rushing and ran for 2,448 yards with an average of 4.5 per carry which was good enough for 7th in the league.

In 2010 the Texans front five paved the way for another record-setting season for Houston’s offense. The Texans ranked third in the NFL in 2010 with a franchise record 6,186 yards of offense (383.3 yards per game), a team-record 290 points (24.4 points per game) and helped produce the NFL’s rushing and touchdown champion, running back Arian Foster. Foster set team records with 1,616 yards rushing and 18 total touchdowns. It was the third-straight season Houston’s offense finished among the NFL’s top-five offenses.

In 2009, the line provided protection for the NFL’s leading passer, Matt Schaub, who threw for 4,770 yards and 29 touchdowns.  Overall, the offense ranked fourth in the league, averaging 383.1 yards per game.  The passing attack led the league with an average of 290.9 net yards per game, and the 25 sacks allowed were the fifth-fewest in the league.

In 2008, the Texans line featured the same starting lineup for all 16 games, marking the first such occurrence in team history.  The line paved the way for rookie running back Steve Slaton to set a franchise record with 1,282 rushing yards, while the 32 sacks allowed were the second-fewest in team history.  The 2008 offense was the most productive in Texans history, gaining 6,113 total yards, which ranked third in the NFL.

In his first year with the Texans, Pollack helped mold an offensive line that became the best in team history in terms of pass protection. The line cut its 2006 sack total nearly in half, from 43 to just 22 in 2007, allowing a sack on just four percent of the team’s pass attempts. On the ground, the line helped running back Ron Dayne to a team- and career-high 773 yards and six touchdowns.

Pollack’s first collegiate coaching position was at his alma mater, Northern Arizona, in 2005 as the co-offensive line coach working specifically with the tackles and tight ends. He was promoted to the offensive line coach in 2006 where the Lumberjacks produced the Big Sky Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. The Northern Arizona offense led the conference in scoring (34.4) and passing (267.2) and finished second in rushing (137.9). Their points per game were fourth in the Division 1-AA.

Pollack was a sixth-round selection by the San Francisco 49ers in 1990. He played by the Bay from 1990-91 before moving to Denver where he played from 1992-93 before ending his career with the 49ers from 1994-98. He finished his career with 90 career games and one Super Bowl Championship with San Francisco in 1994.

Pollack attended Greenway High School in Phoenix and graduated from Northern Arizona with a degree in advertising in 1990. He was inducted into Northern Arizona’s Hall of Fame in the fall of 2010. He and his wife, Wendy, have three sons, Frankie, Carter and Wilson.

His Coaching career is as follows:

2007-11:  Assistant Offensive Line, Houston Texans
2006:  Offensive Line, Northern Arizona
2005:  Co-Offensive Line, Northern Arizona

I am sure this is a Greg Knapp pick. Based on his relationship he had this year with Pollack, the Raiders are looking to keep some sense of similarity on the Offensive side of the ball. Look for more of a Zone Blocking Scheme to make its way back into the picture.

Chaotic View