Oilers Ask Permission to Talk With Raider Assistant Coach

Is Mike Shanahan’s top lieutenant up for grabs?

A Raider official confirmed Wednesday that the Houston Oilers have asked permission to talk with Raider assistant Alex Gibbs about an assistant position at Houston.

However, the official said that the club probably would deny permission, a suggestion that Gibbs is happy where he is. Gibbs could not be reached for comment.

Gibbs is the lone remaining assistant who came to the Raiders from the Denver Broncos with Shanahan. There have been reports during the recent shake-up that Gibbs’ own position might be tenuous, that he preferred coaching the offensive line alone rather than in tandem with Art Shell.

The Raiders hired defensive line coach Bill Urbanik of the Cincinnati Bengals to replace the recently departed Earl Leggett.

Urbanik, 42, spent five seasons with the Bengals and takes over a unit that has been almost entirely scouted, recommended and coached by Leggett. Leggett resigned on his own, after a pressure-packed season in which he received a lot of heat, and is now coaching for the Broncos.