Baltimore Ravens' Coaches Under The Gun

The defensive coordinator position of the Baltimore Ravens is one of majesty. 

Over the years, the Baltimore defense has been so successful that it has earned a head coaching job for three former defensive coordinators—Mike Nolan, Marvin Lewis and now Rex Ryan. Even Jack Del Rio, linebackers coach for the Super Bowl Ravens, used the success of that record-setting defense to begin his coaching career. 

The talented coordinators have been a godsend as the Ravens, more than any organization, lean on their defense, having maintained a competitive squad since their inception despite consistently fielding a sub-par offense. And now, with the departure of Ryan, all eyes are on Greg Mattison.

Mattison, the freshly introduced defensive coordinator of the Ravens, will attempt to do what several impressive men have done before him. To the surprise and discomfort of many Ravens fans, this will only be Mattison's second year as an NFL coach after spending last year as the Ravens' linebackers coach. 

Mattison does, however, have 11 strong years of coordinator experience at the college level, most recently with the Florida Gators. 

“I believe strongly that you have to be aggressive, that you have to be an attacking defense,” Mattison recently told reporters. “Obviously that's been the M.O. of the defense [in Baltimore] for years. In looking at what we do defensively, we don't plan on changing a great deal. It's not broken by any means.” 

That would be an understatement.  

In his new job, Mattison will have the uncomfortable role of caretaker, trying to preserve a defense that hardly has room for improvement.  Since their fourth season in 1999, the Ravens' defense has allowed the fewest points per game (17.1), fewest rushing yards per game (87.3), most takeaways (337), most shutouts (nine), most interceptions (212), most interceptions returned for touchdowns (29) and has the best third-down conversion defense at 33.9 percent.

Ravens fans are hoping Mattison won't change a thing.

This is somewhat unfortunate for the newcomer, who left college football to leave his mark on an NFL team. Most coaches make the jump from the collegiate to the professional level with the belief they can improve upon the mundane.  In Baltimore, however, defensive coaches have quickly learned the art of imitation. In this case, Mattison is well advised to maintain the status quo.  

Taking over at Mattison's old position will be Vic Fangio, an over-qualified linebackers coach who served as defensive coordinator for three teams over 11 seasons.  Fangio was first a consultant for the Ravens, breaking down tape and scouting other teams, then in 2007, he signed on as special assistant to the head coach.  

Now back in full-time coaching, Fangio will be responsible for what has historically been the strongest part of a dominant defense. He will coach a future Hall of Famer in Ray Lewis as well as a young group of enthusiastic linebackers. With a dominating personality and role as team leader, it can be easy to imagine Lewis becoming more of a player/coach, leaving Fangio as coach in name only. 

The younger linebackers will look first to Lewis, a living legend who has dominated the league for over a decade.  Fangio will need to figure out how he can further motivate a man whose pre-game antics excite 71,000 fans at M&T Bank Stadium or what new tricks to teach a Super Bowl MVP who has been selected to the Pro-Bowl eight times. 

If Fangio cannot convince the well-studied Lewis that there is still more to learn, then he will run the risk of becoming irrelevant.

On the offensive side, there is no coach with a greater challenge than wide receivers coach, Jim Hostler. While head coach Jon Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will get all the credit if the offense succeeds, Hostler will have the unenviable job of convincing the wide receivers that they can be great. 

Either hobbled by injury or still unproven, the Ravens' receivers are getting all the attention this offseason with the emergence of Joe Flacco as a franchise quarterback in Baltimore and the worry that he has no one to throw to. The coaching staff, however, believes the offense can compete through the air with players currently on the roster. 

Baltimore could not have asked for a more experienced man to make that belief a reality. Hostler has coached wide receivers and quarterbacks in New Orleans, New York (Jets) and then in San Francisco before coming to work last year with Harbaugh's receivers.  

Among other chores, Hostler will need to show Mark Clayton he can be as successful in the NFL as he was in college, untangle the potential of Kelley Washington and Demetrius Williams and keep Derrick Mason off the disabled list. 

Over the years he has developed the likes of Santana Moss, Wayne Chrebet, Justin McCareins, and Donte Stallworth. The Ravens hope this year he will add another name to that impressive list.