The move to interim head coach Antonio Pierce had a positive impact on the Raiders this year, but no one benefited from the promotion of Pierce (and firing of Josh McDaniels) more than third-year edge rusher Malcolm Koonce.
“I think Malcolm Koonce took the biggest leap forward of anyone in the back half of the season,” Yahoo Sports and Fox Radio host Jason Fitz said on Raider Nation Radio’s The Morning Tailgate this week. “Koonce has developed… his moves, his ability to get around, [his] shiftiness if you will, all of that has been a huge portion of his development, and I credit the coaches for that.”
After doing a little digging on Koonce’s season, it turns out his transformation after week 8 (McDaniels’ final game with the Raiders) was a full story of it’s own – a tale of seasons for the former third-round pick out of Buffalo (the same school that gave the Raiders Khalil Mack).
Sacks are the obvious metric that everyone follows with edge rushers, and Koonce didn’t record a single sack in 8 games under McDaniels this season.
In 9 games with Pierce as the interim coach, Koonce recorded 8 sacks.
Even when he wasn’t getting sacks in the second half of the season, Koonce was putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Pro Football Focus credited Koonce with 14 pressures under McDaniels (8 games) and 38 pressures under Pierce (9 games).
There were a lot of factors that went into Koonce’s resurgence under Pierce (probably a lot that we don’t even know), but one of the most obvious adjustments that defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was able to make under Pierce was the matter of Koonce’s time on the field.
Under McDaniels, Koonce only played 23.5 snaps per game, with 30 snaps being his highest single-game snap total. With Pierce, Koonce averaged 34.7 snaps per game, and he averaged 41 snaps per game in the final five games of the season.
Seven times this season Pro Football Focus gave Koonce a game grade of 70.0 or higher. Six of those games came after Pierce was promoted, and three of those games Koonce received games grades better than 91.0
For reference, Maxx Crosby had four games on the season with an overall grade better than 90.
And on a related note… it might soon be time to look into signing Koonce to a deal beyond next season… and his head coach, too.
twitter: @raidersbeat
I am so happy for malcom koonce, just shows you what a reject mcdaniels is. The guy dupped and fleeced the Raiders. Look 8 sacks for 9 weeks what a compliment bookend for Crosby. Crosby and koonce will rip it up this year. Mark, don’t let champ or Antonio leave. This is starting to be something really special. No vrabel or billychick or harbaugh. CB&AP…nothing else
As they say Game know Game, a great adjustment and right move … AP Defense balled out totally agree with you.
CB&AP if hopefully retained need to trade up and get Daniels. We could have had CJ stroud mcstupid and zigzag said no he isn’t worth it. FYI he’s playing on Saturday.
HUZZAH!!!
TOTALLY AGREE.
With out a doubt Pierce turned the whole around from his style bousted moral and gained respect
Nothing other than AP and CB will do. Nothing. We don’t need 72 year old coaches. Not either of them. I want a fresh young coach that will give us 25 years. How does that sound. Ding🔔 i know antonio pierce. 45 has experience and played for 10 years as a green dot captain on a super bowl winning team.