ALAMEDA – His first season as head coach history, the Raiders' Lane Kiffin addressed the team and talked about its future.
One omission? Talk about his future.
"I had a couple of players afterward say, 'Well, I guess that means you're staying,' " Kiffin said Monday at his season-ending news conference. "I hadn't even thought to address that. They said, 'Well, we read all over the Internet, and everything says you're going somewhere.' "
Kiffin isn't going anywhere, even though his name was linked to college coaching openings this season.
Instead of musing about his next coaching stop, Kiffin will be busy evaluating players and coaches as he looks to end the Raiders' streak of five consecutive losing seasons.
The Raiders will pick either third or fourth in the 2008 NFL draft, pending a coin flip with Atlanta.
"I think, first of all, that if you do it right, the most improvement comes from Year One to Year Two because you've had a year to evaluate everything," Kiffin said.
And there's a lot to evaluate after a 4-12 season.
The defense was a major disappointment after returning all 11 starters. Ranked third in 2006, it dropped to 22nd this season.
The offense needs to address issues at receiver, offensive line and running back. Tight end Zach Miller broke Tim Brown's rookie reception record with 44 catches, but Kiffin wants to give quarterback JaMarcus Russell more weapons and better protection.
Kiffin said a decision on whether to retain defensive coordinator Rob Ryan would be made soon. Kiffin also will continue to assess the roster, identifying players who fit what he wants to be the Raiders' mold.
Two players Kiffin definitely wants back are two free agents – cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and running back Justin Fargas – and he wants more players like them.
For Asomugha, the Raiders might apply the franchise tag, which would be a one-year contract that would guarantee him the average of the five highest-paid players at his position – $7.8 million for the 2007 season.
Kiffin found turning around a team that hasn't won in a long time is tough.
"We've got a ways to go," he said, referring to the contaminated chemistry plaguing the Raiders in recent years.
"We'll continue to work on it, and we'll continue to build around players that are team players and understand what you have to do to buy in and what it really takes to win," Kiffin said. "And we'll continue to find more of those players and just keep building those players up as the leaders of our team."
One vocal leader, defensive tackle Warren Sapp, might have played his last game for the Raiders.
Kiffin said he spoke to Sapp about his future but declined to reveal details of the discussion. Sapp has decided what he wants to do and will disclose that information when he is ready, Kiffin said.
Some players are proceeding as if Sapp won't be back.
"I have to be more of a leader next year," linebacker Kirk Morrison said after Sunday's loss to San Diego. "I know Warren said it's his last game, but I don't want him to leave, because he's been such a vital part of our team."
But the most vital part of the rebuilding process, Kiffin, will be back.
And the players know that much.
Read Jason Jones' Raiders' blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
