SMART: Raiders owner Mark Davis hold out for complete overhaul as raiders seeks for new project….

This is the first major hire for new Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, who had the interim tag removed Jan. 19.

The Las Vegas Raiders are hiring former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury to be their offensive coordinator.

HENDERSON, Nevada Kliff Kingsbury, a former coach of the Arizona Cardinals, will join the Las Vegas Raiders as their offensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday night.

The individual mentioned this subject under anonymity because the agreement hasn’t been signed.

Antonio Pierce, the new Raiders coach, made his first significant hiring on January 19 after being released from the interim tag. Kingsbury will be in charge of attempting to turn around an offense for Las Vegas that ranks 23rd in scoring (19.5-point average) and 27th in yards per game (289.5) this season.

The Raiders also will have a decision to make at quarterback. Rookie Aidan O’Connell went 5-4 after being handed the job, but questions remain whether he has the ability to lead the Raiders into and deep in the playoffs.

”There hasn’t been a lot of years I’ve been the unquestioned starter going in, so I’m used to competing,” O’Connell said last week.

The Raiders pick 13th in this year’s quarterback-deep draft, but the top names likely will be gone by the time Las Vegas’ spot comes up.

Kingsbury, 44, spent this past season at USC as an offensive analyst working with quarterback Caleb Williams, who many project will be drafted first overall. Before that, Kingsbury went 28-37-1 over four seasons as the Cardinals’ coach.