ALAMEDA, Calif. — The days of shoddy quarterback play, overmatched coaches, wasted draft picks and free agency blunders appear to be over in the Bay Area.

For eight years, the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders had far more than their share of each of those to contribute to a playoff drought in what had for decades been one of the NFL’s most successful regions.

Led by energetic first-year coaches in San Francisco’s Jim Harbaugh and Oakland’s Hue Jackson, the 49ers and Raiders finally appear ready to escape a nearly decade-long stretch of losing and compete for championships, which used to be so routine around here.

The 49ers (5-1) have been the surprise of the NFL with a fast start that has included three wins in the Eastern time zone and a 2½-game lead in the NFC West.

The Raiders (4-2) are in the thick of the race in the AFC West with quality wins over the Jets and Houston and now have a potential big-time quarterback in the fold after trading for Carson Palmer.

“There’s an excitement that the Raiders and 49ers are back,” said NFL Network analyst and former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci, who still lives in the Bay Area. “I hear more of that now. There should be an excitement. It’s well deserved. This is good for the entire league and obviously it’s good for the Bay Area because the Bay Area loves its football.”

There was plenty to love in the past, from the dominant teams of the 1960s and ‘70s that Al Davis built in Oakland to the 1980s dynasty started in San Francisco by Bill Walsh and Joe Montana.

In a 19-year period starting in 1976, the Raiders and Niners combined for eight Super Bowl titles, including one for the Raiders in Los Angeles; 16 division championships; 22 playoff berths and 33 postseason wins.

But since both teams made it to the playoffs in 2001 and ‘02, with the Raiders winning the AFC title that second season, there has only been failure.

The teams combined for an 83-173 record the past eight years, with Oakland ranking 31st in the league with 37 wins and San Francisco only slightly better at 29th with 46 victories.

Neither team posted a winning record in that stretch and there were four seasons where the teams combined for nine or fewer wins — a total already reached before the halfway point this season.

“Well, we’re both off to good starts,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t know how much it means right now. … We’ll look up in December, see how many we have and see how many we need.”

For most of this stretch of losing, the only time the national spotlight shined on the Bay Area was for ridicule: bizarre news conferences in Oakland to fire old coaches; sideline fights between players and coaches in San Francisco; coaching and personnel decisions that bordered on the ridiculous.

Both teams made their share of big personnel mistakes that led to this losing, from the Raiders using the No. 1 overall pick to draft JaMarcus Russell in 2007, trading for DeAngelo Hall and then cutting him after eight games, and signing Javon Walker to a $55 million contract.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The bright lights and national television audience that comes from a prime-time game seems to bring out the worst in the Oakland Raiders.

One constant during a long stretch of losing for the Raiders has been a failure to win on the prime-time stage. There have been a few heartbreakers and more than their share of blowouts, but no prime-time wins for Oakland since 2004.

“You want to go out and, because it’s prime time and everybody gets to see it, you want to play good,” Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said Monday. “But in the past, I know as long as I’ve been here, we haven’t played good on prime time. So this is another opportunity.”

The Raiders open their season Monday night in Denver against the division rival Broncos, their fifth season-opening prime-time game in the past seven years. Oakland has lost all of them, part of a troubling trend for a franchise that used to thrive on that stage.

The Raiders once won 14 straight Monday night games back when the series was at the height of its popularity starting in the mid-1970s. But Oakland has lost its last 11 appearances in prime time, dating to the start of the 2005 season, being outscored 175-53 over the last six games.

“This is what I know. This is 2011,” coach Hue Jackson said. “The Raiders and the Denver Broncos on Monday night in their stadium. That’s all I know. What’s gone on here in the past, I can’t speak about it, worry about. I’m just worried about this upcoming Monday night.”

Their last prime-time win came on Nov. 28, 2004, when they beat the Broncos 25-24 on a snowy Sunday night in Denver that featured a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch by Ronald Curry. Their last Monday night win came in their Super Bowl season in 2002, when they beat the Jets 26-20 on Dec. 2.

The Raiders have often been at their worst in season openers under the bright lights of a nationally televised game. They lost a Thursday night opener in New England 30-20 in 2005 against the defending-champion Patriots.

The following year, the Art Shell coaching era got started with a 27-0 loss to the Chargers that was indicative of what was to come in a 2-14 season. The Raiders allowed nine sacks and gained just 129 yards as they were completely overmatched by San Diego’s pressure.

The problems came on the other side of the ball in the opener two years later in a 41-14 home loss to Denver. Jay Cutler threw for 300 yards and the Broncos gained 441 in all. Coach Lane Kiffin washed his hands of that performance, saying co-ordinator Rob Ryan and owner Al Davis run the defence, contributing to his firing a few weeks later.

Oakland fared a little better the following year before losing a 24-20 heartbreaker at home to San Diego. JaMarcus Russell had given the Raiders a 20-17 lead with a 57-yard touchdown pass to rookie Louis Murphy with 2:34 left, before Philip Rivers drove the Chargers down for the winning score with 18 seconds left.

The Raiders haven’t played a prime-time game since then, being denied the showcase last year based on a run of seven straight seasons with at least 11 losses.

Jackson is moving practice to night time later this week, starting at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night under temporary lights to acclimate the players to the same starting time for the opener.

“I don’t know if it’s going to light up like Christmas, but I know one thing, we’re going to be able to see each other, I promise you that,” Jackson said. “Our organization is willing to do whatever we need to, whatever I think we need to do, to help us win a football game. And thanks to them, that’s what we’re going to do this week.”

Former coach Tom Cable tried that tactic for the opener two years ago without success. The players mostly shrugged off the change, saying they just follow orders.

“That’s what they got us scheduled for, so we just got to go out there and do it, no matter what,” cornerback Stanford Routt said. “Whatever helps us win. If that helps us win, there you go.”

Notes: The Raiders released RB Michael Bennett and re-signed S Matt Giordano, who was cut by the team on Saturday. … Suspended QB Terrelle Pryor threw passes on the field after the rest of the team had practised. Pryor can’t practice with his teammates until after the fifth game of the season. … WR Derek Hagan missed practice with what he called a minor injury but said he will be back Wednesday.

“It was so exciting to see them, I couldn’t stop from going around and shaking all their hands when they first got here because I’m so happy to see a player,” Jackson said. “I’m tired of seeing our coaches. I’m tired of seeing everybody else. I got to see my players, and now it’s truly about me giving them my vision and them going out and executing this plan.”

The first day of camp featured physicals, meetings and a reunion of sorts as players and coaches got back together for the first time since last season. The Raiders will begin practice on Thursday, although without any hitting the first two days under new NFL rules.

But the players should expect to hear plenty from Jackson, whose voice provided a soundtrack to practices last summer as he urged on his offense and challenged the defense at every opportunity in his first training camp with the Raiders.

“A lot of enthusiasm, a lot of charisma, that’s what he brings to the table,” safety Tyvon Branch said. “He has that spark, that energy, so it’s going to be a pretty intense training camp.”

That enthusiasm from Jackson helped Oakland more than double its scoring output from 2009 to last season. The Raiders finished sixth in the league in scoring with 410 points, the sixth-most points in franchise history.

That offensive resurgence helped Oakland sweep all six games in the division and end a string of seven straight losing seasons with an 8-8 record. But the Raiders still missed the playoffs and did not bring Tom Cable back, making Jackson the sixth coach in the past nine seasons.

“I am not interested in being good. I am interested in being great, and the only way I know to do that is challenge people,” Jackson said. “I get challenged each and every week, well why can’t everybody else get challenged each and every day. And that’s the name of the game. And that’s how we’re going to go about it.”

While camp has opened, the Raiders are still putting their roster together. Jackson expected all 50 players under contract to be in Napa before the first practice.

The Raiders have signed three of their draft picks and Jackson said the team is close to getting the five other draft picks signed before practice starts Thursday afternoon.

Third-round cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke and fourth-round running back Taiwan Jones signed undisclosed deals. Fifth-round receiver Denarius Moore got a $2.2 million, four-year deal, according to the Allegiant Athletic Agency that represents him.

Oakland also signed 14 undrafted free agents, but there are still plenty of training camp roster spots that won’t be filled until after free agents can sign starting Friday.

“You expect a little chaos with such a short time frame to do the free agency and everything like that,” linebacker Kamerion Wimbley said. “I’m just open for whatever and I expect whatever.”

Wimbley got his status settled before the lockout when he signed an $11.3 million franchise tender. He said his agent has begun discussions with the Raiders about a long-term deal, which would give the team more room under the salary cap this season.

Wimbley was one of eight potential free agents the Raiders signed before the lockout, giving them a head start this summer. Oakland has already locked up one of its free agents, agreeing to a $1.25 million, one-year deal with linebacker Jarvis Moss. ESPN reported that Oakland also reached a deal with long snapper Jon Condo.

There are still plenty of other free agents whose fates are unknown, most notably Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. With Stanford Routt getting a $31.5 million, three-year deal in February and Oakland drafting cornerbacks Chimdi Chekwa and DeMarcus Van Dyke in April, Asomugha is not expected back.

The Raiders also could be without last year’s starting free safety, Michael Huff, creating potential for big change in the secondary.

“I definitely hope those guys come back,” Branch said. “If not, I wish them the best. We’ve got to start building with what we have right now. That’s part of the game. You’ve got to use what you have and we have to start building right now.”

The biggest question will be whether the Raiders can retain free agent tight end Zach Miller, who has led the team in receiving each of the past three seasons. He had 60 catches for 685 yards and five touchdowns last season and was selected to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In an offseason in which the Oakland Raiders are prepared to lose cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, they also will lose left guard Robert Gallery.

After speaking with Raiders owner Al Davis, Gallery has decided to sign somewhere else whenever free agency begins.

“

I loved being a part of a group that helped bring the Raiders back to where they were in the past. It’s just that now it’s time to go someplace else.

” – Robert Gallery

A Raiders career that started in 2004, when Oakland made him the second overall pick and continued with Gallery starting 75 games for the team, now is over.

“With the end of the league year coming today, and the few conversations I’ve had with the Raiders and Mr. Davis, we’ve come to a mutual agreement that it’s time for me to move on with my career,” Gallery said Thursday from his home in the Oakland area. “I appreciate the start that they and Mr. Davis gave me and I truly have enjoyed my time wearing the silver and black. I wish them well, I thank the fans and I take away great memories of my time in Oakland.”

Raiders senior executive John Herrera told The Associated Press on Thursday that the decision was made because of the vast difference in contract proposals. Herrera says Gallery was seeking about $8 million a season while Oakland was willing to offer about $2.5 million.

Rick Smith, Gallery’s agent, says it was clear from talking to the Raiders that they wanted to give some of their young players a chance.

Like Asomugha, Gallery’s contract voided after this past season. After seven NFL seasons, he will be an unrestricted free agent. The 30-year-old Gallery knows that whenever football is played next, he will be playing it in a different place.

“I’m looking for a new start somewhere else, to experience another place, and to be able to accomplish some of the things I want to,” Gallery said. “It’s best for everyone.”

Gallery is more comfortable playing left guard, though he could play other positions along the offensive line. To try to replace Gallery, the Raiders are expected to turn to last year’s fourth-round pick Bruce Campbell, another favorite of Davis.

But each side will go its own way as Oakland will be losing another key player that helped make the Raiders respectable and relevant last season.

Although Gallery and Asomugha are set to leave Oakland, the Raiders have been one of the more aggressive teams in re-signing players this offseason.

Along with signing linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to his franchise tender at approximately $11.3 million, Oakland gave cornerback Stanford Routt a $31.5 million, three-year deal; handed defensive tackle Richard Seymour a $30 million, two-year contract with $22.5 million in guarantees; signed defensive tackle John Henderson to an $8 million, two-year deal and signed special teams standout and backup running back Rock Cartwright to an undisclosed contract.

“I’ll always remember being able to come out of the tunnel of that stadium, into the Black Hole,” Gallery said. “That was exhilarating and never got old. I loved being a part of a group that helped bring the Raiders back to where they were in the past. It’s just that now it’s time to go someplace else.”

Adam Schefter is ESPN’s NFL Insider. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

In an offseason in which the Oakland Raiders are prepared to lose cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, they also will lose left guard Robert Gallery.

After speaking with Raiders owner Al Davis, Gallery has decided to sign somewhere else whenever free agency begins.

“

I loved being a part of a group that helped bring the Raiders back to where they were in the past. It’s just that now it’s time to go someplace else.

” – Robert Gallery

A Raiders career that started in 2004, when Oakland made him the second overall pick and continued with Gallery starting 75 games for the team, now is over.

“With the end of the league year coming today, and the few conversations I’ve had with the Raiders and Mr. Davis, we’ve come to a mutual agreement that it’s time for me to move on with my career,” Gallery said Thursday from his home in the Oakland area. “I appreciate the start that they and Mr. Davis gave me and I truly have enjoyed my time wearing the silver and black. I wish them well, I thank the fans and I take away great memories of my time in Oakland.”

Raiders senior executive John Herrera told The Associated Press on Thursday that the decision was made because of the vast difference in contract proposals. Herrera says Gallery was seeking about $8 million a season while Oakland was willing to offer about $2.5 million.

Rick Smith, Gallery’s agent, says it was clear from talking to the Raiders that they wanted to give some of their young players a chance.

Like Asomugha, Gallery’s contract voided after this past season. After seven NFL seasons, he will be an unrestricted free agent. The 30-year-old Gallery knows that whenever football is played next, he will be playing it in a different place.

“I’m looking for a new start somewhere else, to experience another place, and to be able to accomplish some of the things I want to,” Gallery said. “It’s best for everyone.”

Gallery is more comfortable playing left guard, though he could play other positions along the offensive line. To try to replace Gallery, the Raiders are expected to turn to last year’s fourth-round pick Bruce Campbell, another favorite of Davis.

But each side will go its own way as Oakland will be losing another key player that helped make the Raiders respectable and relevant last season.

Although Gallery and Asomugha are set to leave Oakland, the Raiders have been one of the more aggressive teams in re-signing players this offseason.

Along with signing linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to his franchise tender at approximately $11.3 million, Oakland gave cornerback Stanford Routt a $31.5 million, three-year deal; handed defensive tackle Richard Seymour a $30 million, two-year contract with $22.5 million in guarantees; signed defensive tackle John Henderson to an $8 million, two-year deal and signed special teams standout and backup running back Rock Cartwright to an undisclosed contract.

“I’ll always remember being able to come out of the tunnel of that stadium, into the Black Hole,” Gallery said. “That was exhilarating and never got old. I loved being a part of a group that helped bring the Raiders back to where they were in the past. It’s just that now it’s time to go someplace else.”

Adam Schefter is ESPN’s NFL Insider. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders have officially hired longtime NFL assistant Al Saunders as their offensive coordinator.

The Raiders updated their coaching roster on their website Tuesday. The only newcomer on the list is Saunders, although there are still many other openings to fill, most notably defensive coordinator.

Among the coaches from last season’s team no longer listed on the site are offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett, linebackers coach Mike Haluchak, assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan, and passing game coordinator Ted Tollner.

Most of the other coaches from last season’s team are at the Senior Bowl in Alabama with new head coach Hue Jackson, who was hired to replace Tom Cable last week.

Saunders spent the past two seasons as an offensive consultant in Baltimore. He was on the same staff as Jackson in 2009. Jackson joined the Raiders this past season as offensive coordinator.

Saunders has been coaching in the NFL for nearly three decades. He went 17-22 in two-plus seasons as head coach for the San Diego Chargers from 1986-88 and has spent most of his career as a respected offensive assistant. He has interviewed in the past for openings in Oakland and finally got the job this time.

Saunders is already familiar with the top two quarterbacks on Oakland’s roster. He was offensive coordinator for two years in Washington with Jason Campbell and was the coordinator in St. Louis in 2008 when Bruce Gradkowski spent time with the Rams.

While Saunders is on board as the coordinator, Jackson will retain the primary play-calling duties in Oakland next season. Jackson helped oversee a vast improvement on offense this past year, as the Raiders finished sixth in the league in scoring with 410 points — more than doubling their total from 2009.

Along with the quarterbacks, Saunders will have a young group of skilled position players at his disposal. Running back Darren McFadden had a breakthrough season with 1,664 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns and teamed with Michael Bush on the league’s second-ranked rushing offense; tight end Zach Miller is going to the Pro Bowl after leading the team with 60 catches; speedy receivers Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey provide potential deep threats.

He spent eight seasons running offenses in Kansas City, Washington and St. Louis. His best success came with the Chiefs, who led the NFL with 380.9 yards per game and were second in scoring at 27.0 points per game during his five years running the offense from 2001-05.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders have officially hired longtime NFL assistant Al Saunders as their offensive coordinator.

The Raiders updated their coaching roster on their website Tuesday. The only newcomer on the list is Saunders, although there are still many other openings to fill, most notably defensive coordinator.

Among the coaches from last season’s team no longer listed on the site are offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett, linebackers coach Mike Haluchak, assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan, and passing game coordinator Ted Tollner.

Most of the other coaches from last season’s team are at the Senior Bowl in Alabama with new head coach Hue Jackson, who was hired to replace Tom Cable last week.

Saunders spent the past two seasons as an offensive consultant in Baltimore. He was on the same staff as Jackson in 2009. Jackson joined the Raiders this past season as offensive coordinator.

Saunders has been coaching in the NFL for nearly three decades. He went 17-22 in two-plus seasons as head coach for the San Diego Chargers from 1986-88 and has spent most of his career as a respected offensive assistant. He has interviewed in the past for openings in Oakland and finally got the job this time.

Saunders is already familiar with the top two quarterbacks on Oakland’s roster. He was offensive coordinator for two years in Washington with Jason Campbell and was the coordinator in St. Louis in 2008 when Bruce Gradkowski spent time with the Rams.

While Saunders is on board as the coordinator, Jackson will retain the primary play-calling duties in Oakland next season. Jackson helped oversee a vast improvement on offense this past year, as the Raiders finished sixth in the league in scoring with 410 points — more than doubling their total from 2009.

Along with the quarterbacks, Saunders will have a young group of skilled position players at his disposal. Running back Darren McFadden had a breakthrough season with 1,664 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns and teamed with Michael Bush on the league’s second-ranked rushing offense; tight end Zach Miller is going to the Pro Bowl after leading the team with 60 catches; speedy receivers Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey provide potential deep threats.

He spent eight seasons running offenses in Kansas City, Washington and St. Louis. His best success came with the Chiefs, who led the NFL with 380.9 yards per game and were second in scoring at 27.0 points per game during his five years running the offense from 2001-05.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders have officially hired longtime NFL assistant Al Saunders as their offensive co-ordinator.

The Raiders updated their coaching roster on their website Tuesday. The only newcomer on the list is Saunders, although there are still many other openings to fill, most notably defensive co-ordinator.

Among the coaches from last season’s team no longer listed on the site are offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett, linebackers coach Mike Haluchak, assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan, and passing game co-ordinator Ted Tollner.

Most of the other coaches from last season’s team are at the Senior Bowl in Alabama with new head coach Hue Jackson, who was hired to replace Tom Cable last week.

Saunders spent the past two seasons as an offensive consultant in Baltimore. He was on the same staff as Jackson in 2009. Jackson joined the Raiders this past season as offensive co-ordinator.

Saunders has been coaching in the NFL for nearly three decades. He went 17-22 in two-plus seasons as head coach for the San Diego Chargers from 1986-88 and has spent most of his career as a respected offensive assistant. He has interviewed in the past for openings in Oakland and finally got the job this time.

Saunders is already familiar with the top two quarterbacks on Oakland’s roster. He was offensive co-ordinator for two years in Washington with Jason Campbell(notes) and was the co-ordinator in St. Louis in 2008 when Bruce Gradkowski(notes) spent time with the Rams.

While Saunders is on board as the co-ordinator, Jackson will retain the primary play-calling duties in Oakland next season. Jackson helped oversee a vast improvement on offense this past year, as the Raiders finished sixth in the league in scoring with 410 points — more than doubling their total from 2009.

Along with the quarterbacks, Saunders will have a young group of skilled position players at his disposal. Running back Darren McFadden(notes) had a breakthrough season with 1,664 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns and teamed with Michael Bush(notes) on the league’s second-ranked rushing offense; tight end Zach Miller is going to the Pro Bowl after leading the team with 60 catches; speedy receivers Jacoby Ford(notes), Louis Murphy(notes) and Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes) provide potential deep threats.

He spent eight seasons running offenses in Kansas City, Washington and St. Louis. His best success came with the Chiefs, who led the NFL with 380.9 yards per game and were second in scoring at 27.0 points per game during his five years running the offense from 2001-05.

That may be a good idea, since the Raiders already have the necessary pieces to run the scheme. Usually, the most difficult part of moving from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense (or vice versa) is personnel. However, in the past two years Oakland has been collecting players who appear to be a perfect 3-4 fit. Oakland has been a 4-3 defense, but it did use the 3-4 some last season.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said he believes that a 3-4 defense — three defensive linemen and four linebackers opposed to four defensive linemen and three linebackers — is the best way to go because it creates more options for a defense. More teams are turning to a 3-4 and Williamson thinks Oakland would be wise to consider it.

“They have the personnel for it,” Williamson said. “I’ve long said they have the right guys for the 3-4. They’ve been adding 3-4 guys the past two seasons, so it would make sense. I think it would be beneficial.”

Let’s look at how the Raiders would look in the 3-4:

Defensive line: Williamson thinks the Raiders have three perfect fits for the 3-4: Richard Seymour, Lamarr Houston and Tommy Kelly. Williamson calls Seymour, who was a defensive tackle in Oakland in 2010, “the best 3-4 defensive end of this generation.” Williamson thinks Houston would be a fine 3-4 end because of his athleticism. Williamson doesn’t think Kelly is an ideal nose tackle, but he could get by there and could also play end.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Oakland drafted that classic 6-foot-2, 340-pound nose tackle,” Williamson said.

Williamson said he thinks young defensive Matt Shaughnessy is not a 3-4 player and “he would suffer the most by this move.”

Linebackers: Williamson could see Shaughnessy and Trevor Scott (who has played both end and linebacker) as pass linebackers in this scheme. He thinks starting linebacker Kamerion Wimbley would be a perfect 3-4 pass-rushing linebacker. Wimbley was a 3-4 player in Cleveland before he was traded to the Raiders last season. Williamson thought Wimbley, who had nine sacks for Oakland last season, had his best season in 2010 since his rookie season in 2006.

Williamson thinks Quentin Groves, who started as an outside linebacker last season, is a decent player, but he thinks Shaughnessy (if he makes the transition to 3-4) and Scott may be better options. Williamson thinks middle linebacker Rolando McClain would be a perfect 3-4 inside linebacker.

“He’s a bigger, stronger take-on player,” Williamson said. “I’d like him the 3-4.”

Williamson said no one currently on Oakland’s roster stands out as a clear starter at the other inside linebacker spot. But what Oakland has now is a very good start if it, indeed, does move to a 3-4.

The Raiders hired former Ravens assistant coach Al Saunders as their offensive coordinator, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.

Saunders was given permission to talk to the Raiders by Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who said Tuesday he would never want to deny a coach an opportunity.

“Obviously you never want to lose really good coaches,” Harbaugh said. “Al Saunders is a great coach and a great man. He’s tremendous and he’s been huge for us.”

Saunders has been an offensive consultant for Baltimore the past two seasons, working on the staff with new Raiders coach Hue Jackson in 2009. Jackson went to Oakland last year as offensive coordinator and was promoted to head coach in place of Tom Cable earlier this week.

Jackson said Tuesday at his introductory news conference that he will remain the primary play-caller in Oakland as head coach. He mentioned Saunders as someone he would like to interview for the coordinator job. Saunders has interviewed in the past for head coach and coordinator jobs in Oakland.

Saunders has been a coach for nearly three decades in the NFL. He went 17-22 in two-plus seasons as head coach for the San Diego Chargers from 1986 to ’88 and has spent most of his career as a respected offensive assistant.

He spent eight seasons running offenses in Kansas City, Washington and St. Louis. He spent two years with current Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell with the Redskins.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

By Steve Corkran, Contra Costa Times

The Oakland Raiders introduced Hue Jackson as their head coach Tuesday, though the process for his replacing Tom Cable began almost a year ago.

Jackson wasted little time praising “coach” Al Davis, who is the Raiders’ managing general partner, and saying all the things sure to endear himself to Davis and Raiders fans.

“We’re going to create an environment here for our players to do great, and that’s what we’re chasing,” Jackson said. “We’re chasing greatness. . . . My job is to do everything I can to take this team where we know we want to go, which is the Super Bowl.”

Jackson, 45, is the 17th coach in Raiders history — Art Shell served two stints. This marks Jackson’s first shot at showing what he can do as the leading man on a football team, either in college or the NFL. He has spent most of his coaching career as an offensive coordinator.

For Davis, this is his sixth coaching change since he traded Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 — Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Shell, Lane Kiffin, Cable and now Jackson.

Gruden is the only coach since 1994 with a winning record with the Raiders. Six others were fired after no more than two seasons. Davis declined to pick up Cable’s two-year, $5 million option.

“(Tuesday) is a big day for the Raiders because we have the opportunity to bring to you someone who’s made a tremendous impression on the organization and did a great deal for the organization this past year,” Davis said during a 100-minute news conference, which was followed by a nearly 30-minute informal session with Davis.

Jackson transformed the Raiders offense into the league’s sixth-highest-scoring unit last season as the offensive coordinator. The Raiders jumped from 31st in average yards per game to 10th under Jackson’s guidance.

Hiring a replacement offensive coordinator is among Jackson’s top priorities, he said, along with someone to replace defensive coordinator John Marshall. Longtime NFL offensive coordinator Al Saunders is someone Jackson intends to speak with about the vacancy.

However, Jackson said he intends to preside over the offense next season, for the most part.

“I’m going to be the primary play-caller,” Jackson said, “but we’re going to do everything we can to recruit the best staff for the Oakland Raiders.”

Davis said he interviewed three other candidates before settling upon Jackson, who interviewed for the 49ers vacancy before they hired Jim Harbaugh on Jan. 7. Davis refused to divulge the names of those interviewed, saying only that they were coaches he reached out to in the past.