Clarence Brooks

Clarence Brooks was retained by the Ravens as Defensive Line coach on January 28, 2008.

Clarence Brooks has 3 decades of coaching experience on both the NFL and collegiate levels, including a combined 15 years as the defensive line coach with Baltimore, Miami, Cleveland and Chicago. The Ravens led the NFL as the No. 1-ranked defense in the league, 2nd against the rush and 6th against the pass in 2006. Nineteen of the 60 sacks Baltimore posted were delivered by the D-line. Fourteen of those 60 sacks were recorded against the Steelers in 2 wins that swept Pittsburgh (58-7), a franchise 1st-time ever sweep of Baltimore's AFC North rivals.

OVERVIEW: "C.B." entered his 3rd year with the Ravens in 2007...Was hired as the Ravens' D-Line coach and successor to Rex Ryan following Ryan's appointment to defensive coordinator...Under Brooks as Miami's DL coach,  the Dolphins' defense recorded at least 44 sacks 3 times and averaged nearly 3 sacks a game over a 4-year span...The Dolphins finished in the top 5 in run defense 2 years straight (2002-03) and allowed an average of only 90.8 yards per game in 2003...At the U. of Arizona, Brooks had a hand in "Desert Swarm" –  the Wildcats' defense (1990-91).

2005-06: (with Baltimore)

2006:The defense ranked 1st in points allowed (201), including just 64 (9.1 ppg) in the final 7 games, while 26 teams allowed 300 or more points for the season; 1st in total defense (264.1 yards); 1st inside the 20 (33.3% TDs allowed); fewest 3rd downs converted (28.8%) and fewest 1st downs permitted (236); 1st in takeaway/giveaway ratio (+17), 2nd in takeaways (40 to Chicago's 44); 1st in INTs (28, including 5 for TDs); and 2nd in sacks (60 to San Diego's 61)...Swarming "D" swept the Steelers for the 1st time in franchise history, posting 58-7 points in a 2- game sweep, including a 27-0 shutout (11/26) at home and a 31-7 Christmas Eve score at Heinz Field...Stunning QB Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, the Ravens posted 14 sacks in 2 games, and held Pittsburgh to a total of 84 combined rushing yards in the 2 games...Pro Bowl  DT Trevor Pryce registered 13 sacks – including 6.5 in the last 6 games – and a team-best 73 QB hits (next closest was OLB Terrell Suggs with 45) to lead the Ravens' strong pass rush...NT Kelly Gregg started all 16 games for the 3rd time in his career and led the DL with 101 tackles (3rd-career 100-tackle season)...Gregg returned a fumble vs. Oak. a career- and franchise- long 59 yards...Rookie DT Haloti Ngata (D1, ‘06), who started all 16 games, snagged the 1st INT of his NFL career at Tampa (9/10) off of a LB Bart Scott deflection and returned the football 60 yards...Ngata was named to the NFL's All-Rookie Team.

2005:The defense excelled in 2005, finishing 2nd overall in the AFC and 5th in the NFL...Opponents starting RBs were held to under 100 yards 12 times and under 65 yards 8 times...The 4.56 yards allowed per play was 3rd in the NFL...Baltimore allowed the 4th-fewest 1st downs in the AFC (17.7 per game)...Baltimore's pass defense was stout, allowing just 185.3 yards per game, good for  No. 4 in the AFC and No. 8 in the NFL...Baltimore finished as the AFC's top-ranked defense and No. 2 in the NFL in yards per pass play (5.63)...The 5.63 yards allowed per pass play was tops in the AFC and 2nd in the NFL...Ravens defense allowed just 284.7 yards per contest, and the best effort came against the Jets (10/2), giving up only 152 yards on 48 attempts...Ravens defense finished 3rd in the AFC in 3rd-down efficiency, allowing opponents to convert on just 36.1% of their opportunities...Baltimore allowed 4.56 yards per play, closing the year behind the Steelers (4.55), ranking 2nd in the AFC and 3rd in the NFL.

2000-04: (with Miami)

2004: Dolphins recorded 36 sacks, including 28 by the DL...DE-Jason Taylor led team with 9.5 sacks and earned his 3rd Pro Bowl selection...With the DL pressure up front, the Dolphins ranked 2nd in the NFL's passing yards per game (162 yards) and tied for 2nd in the NFL in points allowed per game...Miami also executed the 2nd-most 3-and-out series (58) in the league.

2003: DE Adewale Ogunleye led the AFC with 15 sacks and combined with Taylor's 13 (2nd in the AFC), Miami had the top sack tandem in the NFL...Ogunleye was named as a starter for the Pro Bowl, the 4th different Dolphins lineman to earn this honor under Brooks...The defense allowed a run average of only 90.8 yards per game.

2002:Miami was 2nd in the AFC and tied for 4th in the NFL with 47 sacks, the 3rd-highest total in club history...Defensive line accounted for 41.5 of the total, including 18.5 by Taylor and 9.5 by Ogunleye, making them the most productive sack tandem in the NFL...Taylor's total led the league and tied a franchise single-season record...He was named a starter to the AFC Pro Bowl squad...The Dolphins tied for 5th in the NFL in run defense (97.1 yards per game), due in large part to the tackle tandem of Tim Bowens and Larry Chester.

2000: DEs Trace Armstrong and Taylor combined for 31 sacks, ranking them as the most productive sack tandem in Dolphins history and the top duo in the NFL...Armstrong's 16.5 sacks led the AFC and were tied for 2nd in the NFL, while Taylor's total of 14.5 was 2nd in the conference and 5th in the league. Both were named as starters to the AFC Pro Bowl squad, the 1st time that teammates have been chosen to start at DE in the Pro Bowl since the 1992 season (1993 Pro Bowl) when Philadelphia's DEs Reggie White and Clyde Simmons were picked.

1999: (with Cleveland) Defensive line coach.

1993-98: (with Chicago) The team averaged 34.2 sacks per year.

1995: Ranked 5th against the pass in rushing yards (90.1 per game).

1993: Ranked 4th in the NFL in total yards allowed (290.8 yards per game) and 3rd in passing yards (176.1 per game).

1994: Ranked 5th in the league in passing yards.

1990-92: (with University of Arizona) DL coach, where he worked with former Ravens DBs coach Johnnie Lynn, and was instrumental in their "Desert Swarm" defense (1990-91).

1981-89: (with Syracuse) Tutored OLBs for the 1st 6 years...Named DL coach for final 3 seasons...During the summer of 1989, Brooks worked in the Dallas Cowboys' training camp as part of the team's minority coaching fellowship program.

1976-80: (with Massachusetts) 1st full-time coaching post came in 1976, overseeing the DEs.

COLLEGE: Was an offensive guard at the University of Massachusetts from 1970-72 and the team captain in his final season...Earned All-Conference and All-East honors on the offensive line...Has a bachelor's degree in sociology.

PERSONAL:  Clarence and his wife, Justa, have a son, Jason, and a daughter, Adrienne...The family lives in Owings Mills, MD.

COACHING BACKGROUND: 1976-80 (Massachusetts); 1981-89 (Syracuse); 1990-92 (University of Arizona);  1993-98 (Chicago Bears); 1999 (Cleveland Browns); 2000-04 (Miami Dolphins); 2005-07 (Baltimore Ravens)