After leaving the NFL to join the Stanford football coaching staff in 2010, co-defensive coordinator Jason Tarver is headed back to the NFL—this time, as the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders.
Tarver, who coached for the San Francisco 49ers for 10 years before joining head coach David Shaw’s staff last season, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to return to the NFL.
Tarver joins the staff of new head coach Dennis Allen, who took over the Raiders’ head job after spending last season as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator. Allen had the authority to handpick his own staff and, after former defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan wasn’t retained by the Raiders, he didn’t have to look very far to find his new defensive coordinator.
Tarver’s tutelage helped spearhead an impressive Cardinal defense this season—Stanford’s defense finished the season ranked either first or second in the Pac-12 in eight categories, including first in total defense and rushing defense.
Even with his impressive credentials, though, Tarver has his work cut out for him across the Bay. The Raiders are certainly a team in transition, with the death of longtime owner Al Davis last fall and the firing of head coach Hue Jackson and his staff after finishing last season with an 8-8 record—and that doesn’t even begin to sum up their on-field problems.
The Raiders were not only the most-penalized team in NFL history, but also the NFL’s fourth-worst defense last season. The Raiders gave up franchise worsts in touchdown passes allowed, yards per carry, yards passing and total yards. Additionally, the Raiders gave up the third-most points in team history, all of which led to the major house cleaning in Oakland.
The move across the Bay means that Tarver will have spent essentially his entire life coaching in the Bay Area. The 37-year-old graduated high school in nearby Pleasanton, attended Santa Clara University for college and had his first coaching job at West Valley College in Saratoga before spending a decade with the Niners.
With Tarver departing for the Raiders, Shaw and the Cardinal will now need to replace three coaches on staff after special teams coach and recruiting coordinator Brian Polian’s departure for Texas A&M and the death of defensive assistant Chester McGlockton.