Port Angeles-raised Michalczik bolts Huskies to join Oakland Raiders staff

OAKLAND, Calif. — Former Port Angeles High School football standout Jim Michalczik is no longer a Washington Husky.

Michalczik joined the Oakland Raiders as the offensive line coach Monday, according to the Raiders’ Web site, raiders.com.

The former Roughrider was one of the first hires of new Washington football head coach Steve Sarkisian about two months ago.

Sarkisian hired Michalczik as his offensive coordinator. Michalczik’s main job was to coach the running backs because Sarkisian would be calling the offensive plays on game days.

Michalczik also was expected to play a key role in recruiting in Washington, wrote Molly Yanity, who broke the story Monday afternoon for Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The former high school tight end has become an offensive expert, playing on the offensive line at Washington State and a short professional stint, and he has helped coach offense in 18 seasons of college coaching experience, including the past seven years at the California Golden Bears.

In 2008 he was assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at California, helping leading the Bears to a 9-4 overall record and a win over Miami in the Emerald Bowl.

Under Michalczik’s guidance, Bears center Alex Mack won two consecutive Morris trophies, given to the top offensive and defensive linemen in the Pac-10.

While at Cal, he coached seven first-team all-conference offensive line selections. In addition, the school produced seven 1,000-yard rushers, including one 2,000-yard rusher, in his seven seasons.

Most recently, Michalczik mentored Jahvid Best, who led the Pac-10 in 2008 with 1,580 rushing yards.

In previous jobs, he coached the offensive line, tight ends and special teams at Oregon State for three years, offensive line at Montana State for seven seasons, and was the defensive line coach at Miami for head coach Dennis Erickson.

Michalczik earned three letters as an offensive guard for Washington State, earning honorable mention All Pac-10 and honorable mention All-America from The Sporting News as a senior.

He signed a free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals after completing his college career.

Sarkisian made Michalczik the highest-paid Huskies assistant with a three-year deal for $350,000 per year, Yanity wrote. That was surpassed when Sarkisian hired Nick Holt for $700,000 per season as defensive coordinator.

Michalczik had not signed a contract but did sign a memorandum of understanding. That memo did not contain provisions for a buyout, Yanity wrote.

Michalczik was not available for comment.

More in Sports

Jay Cline(2)/Peninsula College Athletics 
Peninsula’s Sam Tekeste steps through a pair of Shoreline defenders on his way to the rim during the Pirates’ 75-63 win over the Dolphins on Wednesday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Pirate men stay alive in playoff chase

PORT ANGELES —The Peninsula Pirate men controlled their contest with the Shoreline… Continue reading

Peninsula’s Malia Garcia dribbles through the lane during the Pirates’ 94-9 win over Shoreline at home Wednesday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Pirate women dominate Dolphins

By limiting the minutes of its starters, Peninsula College… Continue reading

Port Angeles boys head coach Kevin Ruble, right, and volunteer assistant Bryant Hoch watch during pregame Tuesday in Port Angeles before the Roughriders took on defending state champion Bremerton. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
BOYS PREP ROUNDUP: Defending champs Bremerton cruises past PA

Sequim, Forks, East Jefferson all victorious

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Riders, Spartans seal league titles

4th straight league championship for Forks girls

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL: PA, Sequim both in state tournament this weekend

In their inaugural seasons of girls flag football, both Sequim and Port… Continue reading

Sammie Sullivan of Kingston (143) leads the pack, including Tanya Woodward of Forks (638)  at the starting line of the 2025 Elwha Bridge Run, which returns Saturday. (Run the Peninsula)
RUN THE PENINSULA (Updated): Elwha Bridge Run returns Saturday

The Run the Peninsula series returns this weekend with… Continue reading

Tom Garrick celebrated a hole-in-one at Cedars at Dungeness on Jan. 28. (Cedars at Dungeness)
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Hole-in-one at Cedars at Dungeness and OJBR sign-ups

The Cedars at Dungeness reported its first hole-in-one of the… Continue reading

The Klahhane Gymnastics Xcel gold team of, from left, Emily Bair, Abigail Odland, Lorelei Sanders and Zayleigh McCullem finished first at the Freedom Invitational Gymnastics Meet at the Kitsap Pavilion last week. (Klahhane Gymnastics)
KLAHHANE GYMNASTICS: Xcel gold first at Freedom Invite

Klahhane Gymnastics Xcel teams delivered an outstanding weekend of competition… Continue reading

Liam Sprague, Crescent basketball.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Liam Sprague, Crescent basketball

Crescent basketball player Liam Sprague finished the season with a flourish, showing… Continue reading

GIRLS BOWLING: Port Angeles’ Franich, Van Gordon qualify for state

The Port Angeles girls bowling team will send a pair… Continue reading

WRESTLING ROUNDUP: Forks’ Jade Blair wins her fifth tournament this season

Forks’ Jade Blair won another wrestling tournament, taking first in… Continue reading

Forks' Bailey Johnson brings the ball up the floor against North Beach on Friday in Forks with teammate Skye Hestand. Johnson, despite a broken wrist, scored 25 points in a 67-25 victory. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP ROUNDUP: Forks girls win to stay in first place

Crescent’s Liam Sprague scores 42 in victory