Linebackers Coach

The Washington Redskins say the team's new linebackers coach will be Lou Spanos, who spent the past 15 seasons as a defensive assistant with Pittsburgh. The Redskins also said Saturday that Kirk Olivadotti will move from that position to become the team's defensive assistant. He has been with the team since 2000, serving in several coaching capacities. Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan says Spanos has been a "vital part" of the Steelers' successful defense. Spanos has been with the team for its appearances in three Super Bowls.

As expected, former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is taking a few coaches with him to Indianapolis. Pagano, who was hired as the Colts' head coach just four days after the Ravens' season-ending loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, has hired Marwan Maalouf as his special teams coach and Roy Anderson as his safeties coach. Maalouf spent the past four seasons as the Ravens' assistant special teams coach while Anderson officially joined the team's coaching staff as a defensive assistant in April 2009.

The Ravens will have a vacancy to fill on their coaching staff. Mike Smith, the team's first-year linebackers coach, was hired yesterday as the defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars, a league source said. An announcement is expected today. Smith rejoins newly hired Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, who was the Ravens' linebackers coach from 1999 to 2001, when Smith, 43, was the team's defensive assistant. Smith joined the Ravens after 12 seasons at Tennessee Tech. Former Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis is scheduled to name his coaching staff for the Cincinnati Bengals today and will not take any current Ravens assistants.

The Ravens announced this morning that coach John Harbaugh will hold an 11 a.m. news conference to discuss his coaching staff in the wake of former defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano's leaving to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. It's unknown whether Harbaugh will announce any changes or simply address the process of filling his coaching staff. However, all indications are that Dean Pees, the Ravens' linebackers coach the past two seasons, will be promoted to defensive coordinator and Cam Cameron, the offensive coordinator the past four seasons, will remain in his current position.

SAN DIEGO - The Chicago Bears' loss is the Ravens' Hall of Fame gain. Turned down by his former team, Mike Singletary joined the staff of the Ravens yesterday for his first coaching job. He signed a three-year contract to become the team's linebackers coach and will tutor perennial All-Pro Ray Lewis. Singletary, 44, talked to Bears coach Dick Jauron twice about beginning his coaching career in Chicago, where the Hall of Fame middle linebacker played from 1981 to 1992. But the Bears passed on Singletary because they refused to move linebackers coach Gary Moeller to their vacant defensive line opening.

As expected, former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is taking a few coaches with him to Indianapolis. Pagano, who was hired as the Colts' head coach just four days after the Ravens' season-ending loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, has hired Marwan Maalouf as his special teams coach and Roy Anderson as his safeties coach. Maalouf spent the past four seasons as the Ravens' assistant special teams coach while Anderson officially joined the team's coaching staff as a defensive assistant in April 2009.

SAN DIEGO - Mike Singletary could be named the Ravens' linebackers coach by next week, an NFL source said yesterday. The Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker is in Baltimore and has been offered the job by Ravens coach Brian Billick. Singletary has been contacted by a couple of teams about becoming an assistant coach but is deciding between the Ravens and Detroit Lions, the source added. Singletary's wife is from Detroit, but he apparently is leaning toward joining the Ravens. Singletary, who retired in 1992, has no coaching experience, but he had a reputation for great attention to detail as one of the game's best linebackers.

Baseball Mariners: Signed 2B Carlos Baerga to minor-league contract with invitation to spring training. Mets: Designated IF Desi Relaford for assignment to make room on 40-man roster for P Rick Croushore. Phillies: Agreed to $1.7 million, two-year contract with P Chris Brock after they had exchanged arbitration figures of $845,000 and $610,000 Thursday. Red Sox: Signed IF Craig Grebeck to minor-league contract with invitation to spring training. Basketball Knicks: Activated C Felton Spencer.

Baseball Dodgers: Named Sam Fernandez senior vice president and general counsel. Mets: Agreed to terms with OF Juan Lebron and P Dicky Gonzalez. Pirates: Agreed to terms with P Mark Leiter, P Danilo Leon, P Josias Manzanillo and P Dave Stevens on minor-league contracts. Tigers: Extended the contract of broadcaster Ernie Harwell through 2001. Basketball Celtics: Placed G Doug Overton on the injured list with a sprained right ankle. Knicks: Placed F Marcus Camby on the injured list.

Angels: Assigned P Mike Freehill outright to Triple-A Vancouver.Cardinals: Signed P Armando Almanza, P Mike Busby, P Rich Croushore, P Rick Heiserman, P Curtis King, P Sean Lowe, P Brady Raggio, IF Luis Ordaz, IF Placido Polanco, 1B Chris Richard, OF Scarborough Green and OF Juan Munoz to one-year contracts.Expos: Agreed to terms with former Orioles P Shawn Boskie, P Mike Campbell and OF Chuck Carr on minor-league contracts and invited them to spring training.Mariners: Agreed to terms with P Bob Wells on one-year, $450,000 contract.

On a day where Chuck Pagano was introduced as the new head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens remained mum on the status of their own coaching staff Thursday. However, all indications are that linebackers coach Dean Pees remains the clear front-runner to succeed Pagano as the Ravens' defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will stay in his current position. Coach John Harbaugh called a news conference for 11 a.m. Friday to discuss his coaching staff, ahead of owner Steve Bisciotti and the organization's top decision-makers' annual State of the Ravens address next week.

Dean Pees is the first to admit that he's been pretty spoiled over a 39-year coaching career. In his first job, as the defensive coordinator at the University of Findlay in Ohio, Pees celebrated a Division II national championship. He's coached under Lou Holtz, Nick Saban, Bill Belichick and now John Harbaugh. In eight seasons as an NFL assistant, Pees hasn't had to deal with anything worse than a 10-6 regular season. Pees' latest opportunity - one that Harbaugh and some of his players said couldn't have been any more deserving - came Friday when the Ravens handed Pees the key to their vaunted defense, and empowered him with the task of making sure the group's tradition of dominance continues.

As the Ravens said goodbye to one coach Wednesday, they appeared ready to promote one from within and possibly retain a controversial one for the 2012 season. The Indianapolis Colts hired Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to become their new head coach Wednesday morning, and the front runner to replace Pagano is linebackers coach Dean Pees . Meanwhile, according to a league source, Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron called the offensive assistants Wednesday morning and gave them instructions for the upcoming weeks, a sign that he will return next season.

The hiring of Brian Stewart as Maryland's defensive coordinator is a move that is being celebrated on a number of fronts. It signifies a return to the attacking style and the 3-4 formation the Terps played under Don Brown, whose sudden departure last spring left new coach Randy Edsall scrambling for a replacement. Edsall wound up promoting linebackers coach Todd Bradford, whose 4-3 scheme turned All-ACC safety Kenny Tate into a linebacker and contributed to Maryland's finishing 108th in the country in overall defense after being ranked 39th under Brown in 2010.

Maryland has completed a negotiated buyout of defensive coordinator Todd Bradford's contract -- clearing the way for the school to hire a replacement. The Sun reported Dec. 22 that Bradford -- whose defense  ranked last in the Atlantic Coast Conference, surrendering an average of 34.2 points and 457.2 yards per game -- was likely out. The school has now reached a buyout agreement with Bradford. The terms are not yet public. "We appreciate Todd's efforts this past season and wish him well in his future endeavors," Maryland coach Randy Edsall said in a news release.

North Florida Christian School defensive coordinator Jonathan Mauk sat down with star middle linebacker Dallas Griffiths before the 2011 season to formulate a list of goals for the year. Atop the list was a particularly lofty mark that the 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior wanted to reach: 200 tackles. “We knew it wouldn't be easy,” Mauk said. “He averaged like 15 tackles a game. So that's great, but … he got hurt in one game and only played in eight regular-season games.

BaseballNew York Mets -- Agreed to Class AAA contracts with P Mel Stottlemyre Jr., P Mike Birkbeck, P Tom Filer and IF Steve Springer.San Francisco Giants -- Signed OF Cory Snyder to a minor-league contract.CollegesNB Colgate -- Named former Redskin Mark Murphy athletic director.FootballCincinnati Bengals -- Named Mike Haluchak linebackers coach, Bob Karmelowicz defensive line coach and Mike Pope tight ends coach.New York Jets -- Named Walt Harris, coach at the University of the Pacific, quarterbacks coach.

Ravens secondary coach Donnie Henderson interviewed for the defensive coordinator position with the New York Jets yesterday. Henderson became the second person to meet with Jets officials, following former New York Giants defensive coordinator Johnnie Lynn. Former Buffalo Bills coach Gregg Williams was considered the front-runner, but he accepted the offer to become defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins on Wednesday. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, Philadelphia Eagles linebackers coach Ron Rivera, Tennessee Titans linebackers coach Gunther Cunningham and possibly former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis likely will interview with the Jets over the coming weeks.

Maryland announced the hiring Thursday of former New Mexico coach Mike Locksley as offensive coordinator, then switched its focus to the defense where the evaluation of coach Randy Edsall's staff may well lead to the team hiring a new defensive coordinator, according to multiple sources. Under Todd Bradford, Maryland ranked last in the Atlantic Coast Conference in defense, surrendering an average of 34.2 points and 457.2 yards per game. Bradford, in his first season with the Terps, was a replacement for Don Brown, who had served as defensive coordinator under former coach Ralph Friedgen.

With a career-best 13 sacks, an NFL-high six forced fumbles and two interceptions, Terrell Suggs is in the midst of creating quite a resume for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. But the Ravens outside linebacker has shrugged off questions about 2011 being his best season as he has shrugged off opposing blockers' attempts to get their hands on him and grab his jersey. He did it again Wednesday. “How many of those do I got?” Suggs rhetorically asked, pointing to a banner of the Lombardi Trophy hanging inside the team's indoor practice facility in Owings Mills.