ExtremeRavens Posted yesterday at 01:00 PM Posted yesterday at 01:00 PM Maryland football has its new defensive coordinator. After Jacksonville State announced that it had hired coach Brian Williams to lead its defense, the Terps are filling their vacancy with former Ravens linebackers coach Ted Monachino. Monachino, 58, had been at North Carolina the past two seasons, serving as a senior defensive analyst in 2023 and defensive line coach last fall. But the Missouri graduate who has worked for the Jaguars, Colts, Bears and Falcons in various defensive coaching roles on and off since 2006 is known locally for his time with the Ravens. From 2010 to 2015, Monachino was the outside linebackers coach who contributed to the Ravens’ march to their second Super Bowl title to conclude the 2012 season. Under his tutelage, Terrell Suggs was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro in 2011 and went to the Pro Bowl in 2010, 2011 and 2013, and Elvis Dumervil was recognized as a first-team All-Pro in 2014 and earned invitations to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2015. Monachino also coached Suggs in college at Arizona State, where the defensive star set an NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks in 2002. After the 2015 season, Monachino left for Indianapolis to rejoin former Ravens defensive coordinator and then-Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who returned to Baltimore this year as senior secondary coach. Monachino succeeds Williams, who shared leadership of the defense last fall with Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, the team’s co-defensive coordinator, associate head coach for defense and cornerbacks coach. But the unit finished the year ranked last in the 18-team Big Ten in total sacks (14), second to last in points per game (30.4), third to last in total yards per game (378.1) and total passing yards per game (241.3), and tied for fourth to last in total takeaways (15). The disappointing performances developed despite the return of seven of 11 starters, including linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II and defensive end Quashon Fuller. The unit also welcomed back six of its top nine tacklers and five players who combined to intercept 10 of the 17 passes in 2023. In 2023 under Williams’ tutelage, Maryland held opponents to 22.5 points per game, its best mark since the 2010 squad allowed 22.2 points per game. The defense also intercepted 17 passes, which was tied for fourth at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level and second in the Big Ten to Michigan, which won the national title. That season culminated with six defensive players earning All-Big Ten honors, which was the most in a single season since 2014. Cornerbacks Tarheeb Still (second team) and Ja’Quan Sheppard (honorable mention), linebackers Hyppolite (third team) and Jaishawn Barham (honorable mention), Fuller (honorable mention) and safety Beau Brade (honorable mention) were recognized by the league. The Terps will attempt to bounce back from last year’s disappointing overall record of 4-8 and Big Ten mark of 1-8 with two new coordinators on coach Mike Locksley’s staff. In addition to Monachino, the program hired Pep Hamilton to replace Josh Gattis as offensive coordinator. Hamilton — who has spent time with seven NFL teams, including as offensive coordinator of the Texans in 2022 — will be reunited with his son Jackson Hamilton, an incoming freshman quarterback. Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun. View the full article Quote
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