The Baltimore Ravens announced Friday afternoon that the organization hired current linebackers coach Dean Pees as the teams new defensive coordinator. He replaces Chuck Pagano, who became the Indianapolis Colts’ head coach after one year as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator.
Head Coach John Harbaugh held a press conference at the teams facility addressing the coaching positions. “The tradition of this defense will continue and it will flourish and it will get even better,” said Harbaugh.
It’s an incredible opportunity to be a defensive coordinator for anybody in this league, but it’s especially humbling to be one for the Ravens,” said Pees. “I’m not going to be the same as Chuck Pagano. You got to be who you are.”
Pees, who has defensive coordinator experience coached the New England Patriots defense from 2006-2009. During that time, the Patriots ranked in the NFL’s top 10 each season in points allowed per game. In 2006, Pees’ defense set a New England franchise-record for points allowed per game (14.8). It was the second lowest total in the NFL. In 2007, the Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season, and the defense allowed the fewest yards by a New England defense in 28 years. They were second in the league with 47 sacks.
In other coaching news the Ravens retained current offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Cameron, the Ravens coordinator for the past four years contract was set to expire this upcoming offseason. The Ravens offense and especially Cameron were under fire in the 2011 season for their “vanilla” play calling not just from fans but their teammates. Cam has been our offensive coordinator, will continue to be our offensive coordinator,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “I think our coaches did a tremendous job this year.”
Under Cameron in 2011, the Ravens finished the season ranked 15th in total yards, 19th in passing and 10th in rushing. They finished fourth in the AFC in scoring. “It was a forgone conclusion to me,” Harbaugh said about Cameron returning. “If you look at the way our offense played this year and that job our players did on offense and our coaches did, I was excited about it.”
Baltimore is uncertain whether they will hire a quarterback coach to ease the strain on both Cameron and quarterback Joe Flacco.
Under Cameron in 2011, the Ravens finished the season ranked 15th in total yards, 19th in passing and 10th in rushing. They finished fourth in the AFC in scoring. “It was a good year,” Harbaugh said. “We turned a lot of things over as an offense.”