Gruden, Carr each get piece missing from career puzzles

TALAMEDA, Calif. is this theory floating around the Raiders that one gigantic contract was offered to precipitate the signing of another, that owner Mark Davis awarded quarterback Derek Carr a nine-figure deal last offseason with the intention of eventually offering another to the man he wanted to coach him.

That the union of Carr to Jon Gruden, in the mind of the guy who is paying each an exorbitant amount of money, has been brewing for some time.

True or not, the theory became reality Tuesday.

Now, it’s on Carr to keep up.

“Someone said I was insane,” Gruden said as he was introduced at a news conference at the team’s headquarters. “That’s probably right.”

He not only received a record contract of 10 years for $100 million to return to a silver and black franchise for which he obviously holds an impassioned attachment, but also inherited the best and most promising quarterback of his career as a head coach.

Which says something, given Gruden won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay.

But while Brad Johnson owns a ring for that XXXVII triumph over the Raiders, and Rich Gannon was an MVP in losing to his former coach in that season’s final game, neither quarterback at the time was as young or talented as Carr.

Jeff George. Donald Hollis. Wade Wilson. Jeff Garcia. Chris Simms. Brian Griese. Luke Mccown.

Tim Rattay.

Bruce Gradkowski!

In 11 seasons as an NFL

GRANEY

of urgency to the meeting with the Falcons (6-9, 0-3).

“Their chemistry’s still good,” Menzies said. “They’re still good together off the floor and on the court. We lost a couple of games. People are always going to look for blemishes when you lose games, but those blemishes were there when we won games. We’re still a young team that hasn’t played together before. It’s not surprising that you’re going to have some bumps in the road.”

One of the bumps is Jovan Mooring’s shooting slump.

He made 48.2 percent of his shots and averaged 16.7 points in 11 nonconference victories. In the two nonconference losses and three Mountain West games, Mooring shot 18.5 percent and averaged 7.4 points.

“Good offensive players go through some slumps,” Menzies said. “He’s had a little bit of a slump, but I think guys like that have got to get in the gym and get up extra shots and just have great practices. He doesn’t lack for confidence, but sometimes you need those reps of seeing that ball drop through the net, so he’s been doing a little extra work to make sure he reminds (himself ) of the talent that he has.”

Maybe Mooring breaks out against Air Force, and maybe the Rebels play with energy the entire game.

“The guys really don’t understand the level of intensity that exists in conference,” Menzies said. “Of all the teams, UNLV will always have a target on its back, and they can’t take possessions off and they can’t show up to games without the right level of concentration and intensity and passion. If you start the game that way, it may end up costing the game.”

That was the case Saturday against Utah State in which UNLV trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half.

Do the players now understand the energy required for conference play?

“I’ll tell you after Wednesday,” Menzies said.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.