“Randy Hanson thought he was the smartest guy in the world.”

After Hanson reportedly made a derogatory remark in a coach’s meeting following the team’s 41-14 defeat to the Denver Broncos in the ’08 season opener, Kiffin suspended him for five days without Davis’ knowledge.
Following the season, Davis retained Cable as head coach but purged defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and the rest of the team’s defensive assistants – except for Hanson, who remained on the staff with a new title.
According to several sources, Hanson was seen as a Davis favorite and confidante, and thus was resented by numerous players and coaches, particularly Cable.
“Randy Hanson thought he was the smartest guy in the world,” one former Raiders player says. “In our first game [in ’07], we went up against [offensive coordinator] Mike Martz and the Lions, and he went around bragging that he had ‘cracked the code.’ That game [a 36-21 Detroit victory] was a joke – we were out there guessing and getting our asses kicked. In the fourth quarter Martz didn’t call a single play that Randy Hanson had ever seen. Yeah, he sure ‘cracked that code.’ ”