Dennis Allen latest candidate linked to Giants' defensive coordinator job

Former Oakland Riders head coach Dennis Allen is the latest candidate to be connected to the New York Giants search for a new defensive coordinator. The Daily News reported that the Giants are "interested in talking" to Allen, who went 8-28 as head coach in Oakland and was fired four games into the 2014 season.

Allen, 42, was defensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos in 2011 before getting the head-coaching job with the Raiders.

Kyle Montgomery, editor of SB Nation's Broncos web site, Mile High Report, said via Twitter that Allen would "be great" as defensive coordinator with the Giants. Montgomery, in fact, admitted he is hoping Allen ends up back in Denver, where the entire coaching staff was let go on Monday.

The folks in Oakland are not nearly as fond of Allen, understandable after back-to-back 4-12 seasons and an 0-4 start in 2014 that got him canned. In a comparison of Allen to current Raiders head-coaching candidate Jack Del Rio, SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride's Levi Damien had some disparaging things to say about Oakland's former head coach.

• Damien said Allen had been "a glorified position coach" in Denver while working with John Fox.
• Damien said Allen's "personnel decisions were highly questionable, bordering on just plain terrible," referring to assistant coaching hires.
• Damien said Allen "never had much respect for the Raiders history and it wasn't long before those within the Raiders organization had begun losing respect for him." He also added that by this season Allen had "lost the respect of his players."

How much of what Damien writes is true and how much is simply bitterness from three awful seasons in a row is hard to judge. I will let you read into it whatever you will.

Thoughts On The Search

Do you see a pattern developing in the type of people Tom Coughlin is seeking to interview for the job? I do.

Think about it for a minute. Raheem Morris, a young, energetic coach who reportedly relates well to players and has something to prove after a failure as head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Allen, still a young coach with something to prove after his flop in Oakland. Pepper Johnson, a motivator who has been an overlooked assistant for a long time now and is eager to prove to he can run his own defense. Steve Spagnuolo, a fiery, energetic, aggressive coach with much to prove after failed stints as a head coach with the St. Louis Rams and as defensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints. Interestingly, soon-to-be former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is reportedly not on Coughlin's list.

When Coughlin decided to replace Perry Fewell he said he was looking for "invigoration" and to "stimulate our defensive team."

He appears to be going about it by looking for a coach who can motivate players, and who has something to prove himself.