Tag: Frank Okam

Raiders to hire Frank Okam as defensive line coach

Former Panthers DL coach Frank Okam takes same position with Raiders

Another assistant is being added to the Raiders coaching staff. He is Frank Okam who spent last season in the same position with the Carolina Panthers.

Okam only has one season under his belt as an NFL defensive line coach and just two in the NFL coaching ranks. He had been promoted last season by the Panthers after serving as assistant defensive line coach in 2020.

Prior to his two years in Carolina, Okam spent four years coaching defensive lines in the college ranks; first at Rice (2016-17) and then Baylor (2018-19).

Just two years prior to that he was playing in the NFL. So, the 36-year-old has moved up the ranks pretty quickly. Quite a change at that position from the 72-year-old Rod Marinelli.

For what it’s worth, the Panthers put up 39 sacks last season — four more than the Raiders. They were also 8th in the league in yards pre rush allowed.

Okam joins Patrick Graham’s defensive staff along with DB coach Chris Ash, Defensive passing game coordinator Jason Simmons, and senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan.

Panthers fire trio of coaches on Tuesday

With Matt Rhule’s job seemingly still not safe, the Panthers fired three assistant coaches on Tuesday.

Well, it looks like the Carolina Panthers will have more than just the offensive coordinator position to fill.

As reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Tuesday morning, the team fired a trio of coaches off the heels of “Black Monday.” That now departed bunch includes special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, offensive line coach Pat Meyer and defensive line coach Frank Okam.

Blackburn, dating back to the Ron Rivera regime, has served as the Panthers’ special teams coordinator for the past four seasons. He was promoted to the post back in 2018 after acting as an assistant in 2016 and 2017. The current campaign saw Carolina allow the fourth-most yards per kickoff return (26.5) and average third-fewest yards per punt attempt (42.5)

Meyer and Okam, who were brought on by head coach Matt Rhule, are now gone after both spent the past two years with the team. The Panthers’ offensive line, which has been of particular note, relinquished the fifth-most sacks in the league in 2021 (52).

Including the in-season firing of former offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Rhule has now parted ways with four different coaches on his staff this season.

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Panthers add Terrance Knighton to coaching staff, promote Frank Okam

Pot Roast has a Matt Rhule connection from Temple, so naturally he’s joining the Carolina Panthers’ coaching staff.

Pot Roast has a Matt Rhule connection from Temple, so naturally he’s joining the Carolina Panthers’ coaching staff.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Terrance Knighton has been hired as a coaching assistant.

Knighton had a strong run in the NFL from 2009-2015, playing defensive tackle for the Jaguars, Broncos and Washington a total of 108 games. Since then, he’s been working as a coach.

In related news, David Newton at ESPN is reporting that Frank Okam has been promoted to defensive line coach, replacing the void left by Mike Phair’s exit.

The Panthers have now made these changes official, via the team website. They also announced they’ve hired Don Johnson as a pass rush specialist and Garrett McGuire as a coaching assistant.

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Frank Okam A Candidate For Texas Staff Chooses NFL

Former Defensive Tackle won’t be returning to his alma mater at Texas to join the Longhorns staff, choosing the NFL instead.

The Texas Longhorns coaching staff is still missing a piece as the hunt for a defensive line assistant continues on . Current assistant Oscar Giles is expected to coach the defensive ends in 2020. Giles played for Texas from 1987-1990 and he will be entering his third season at his alma mater. This is his third stint with Texas, the first being a graduate assistant in 1999.

The thought process is that Giles would move over to defensive ends leaving a vacancy at defensive tackle assistant coach. Another former Longhorn had been linked to the job and even interviewed. Frank Okam who spent 2004-2007 with Texas and he was part of the National Championship team. Okam is reportedly heading to the NFL instead to join Matt Rhule.

Okam started his coaching career with the Rice Owls following his five-year NFL career. He would leave Rice following the 2017 season to join Rhule at Baylor, now he will follow him to the NFL. This leaving the Texas Longhorns and head coach Tom Herman still on the hunt for a defensive line assistant.