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Three offensive assistants ready to join Dungy in Indy

But Colts coach likely won't be allowed to raid Bucs defensive staff.

By DARRELL FRY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 24, 2002

MOBILE, Ala. -- New Colts coach Tony Dungy already has raided the Bucs coaching staff, but he apparently isn't getting Tampa Bay's most coveted names, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.

Dungy, introduced as Indianapolis' coach Wednesday, is in the process of taking offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen, offensive line coach Chris Foerster and quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell from Tampa Bay to Indianapolis.

With the Colts, Foerster would direct the tight ends, which he did with the Vikings in 1995. Christensen and Caldwell's duties are undetermined; one would coach quarterbacks and the other receivers.

"I like Tony a lot," said Foerster, who is attending the Senior Bowl here with other Bucs assistants. "I'm looking forward to working with him again."

Indications are the Bucs aren't allowing Kiffin or Marinelli to interview with other teams and are dealing with their other defensive assistants on a case-by-case basis.

"The key is who you get, not how fast you get them," Dungy said. "I think we have to find the right people and the right mix."

Neither Kiffin nor Marinelli would comment on their status. "I don't want to say anything right now," Marinelli said during Senior Bowl practice.

Bucs tight ends coach Ricky Thomas is a candidate to join Dungy as a quality control coach. Also, Bucs special teams coach Joe Marciano is expected to accept an offer to coach special teams for the expansion Houston Texans. As for the Bucs' search for a head coach, the Raiders' Jon Gruden continues to be a possibility.

The Bucs also are expected to ask the Ravens for permission to interview defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, Lewis' agent, Ray Anderson, said Wednesday. Lewis is the architect of what many consider to be one of the top defenses ever on last year's Super Bowl champions.

Gruden, who has said he plans to finish the final year of his contract with Oakland and not re-sign, could become available if the Raiders let him out of his deal early to get some compensation, such as draft picks or cash. Otherwise, they might be left with Gruden as a lame-duck coach for next season, which could hurt their chances of signing quality free agents.

The Raiders seem intent on taking their chances and holding onto Gruden, but the coach's agent thinks sooner or later the team will decide to minimize its losses and work a deal for Gruden with another team, possibly Tampa Bay.

"If Jon, as he has through me, articulated there is a zero percent chance that he will coach the Raiders after 2002, you don't have to be John Nash to understand that that's probably not going to be a good (situation)," said agent Bob LaMonte, who is at the Senior Bowl with coach Mike Holmgren, another of his clients. "If it's a fait accompli then I think (the Raiders) are faced with other alternatives. Whether (they) choose to utilize those alternatives or not is entirely up to the club. But like I said, zero is not a good number."

LaMonte said he has not had contact with the Bucs regarding Gruden.

With former Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer expected to finalize a deal with San Diego in the next few days, Chargers offensive coordinator Norv Turner will pursue a similar position with the Miami Dolphins. However, Turner is likely to be a candidate for the Bucs' head coaching job.

Turner said he had not been contacted by the Bucs.

NOTE: Defensive end Marcus Jones, linebacker Jeff Gooch, guard Randall McDaniel, safety Eric Vance and long-snapper Sean McDermott were left unprotected by the Bucs, meaning they are eligible to be selected by the Texans in the Feb. 18expansion draft.

-- Times staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report.

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