Linebackers Coach

A YEAR AGO, Ravens coach Brian Billick said he wouldn't let a truck back up to the Owings Mills complex and haul away several of his assistant defensive coaches. The truck is warming up for a possible return visit in 2003. Six NFL head coaches have been fired or have resigned since the season started, including the bizarre resignation of Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier yesterday. There could be more soon. Fortunately for Ravens defensive assistants Donnie Henderson, 46, and Rex Ryan, 41, the openings could lead to jobs as defensive coordinators.

• COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Georgia coach Mark Richt fired defensive coordinator Willie Martinez , linebackers coach John Jancek and defensive ends coach Jon Fabris , effective after the team's bowl game. ... Colt McCoy has a chance to repeat as the Walter Camp Football Foundation's player of the year. The Texas QB was joined a finalist by Florida's Tim Tebow , Houston's Case Keenum , Alabama's Mark Ingram and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh . ... Former Pittsburgh coach Foge Fazio , who later was a defensive coordinator for the NFL's Vikings and Browns, died following a lengthy battle with leukemia.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with some reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine. Running it back: John Harbaugh told 105.7 The Fan on Wednesday that the Ravens are " going to win championships with Joe Flacco . " ... Superman showed up in Sarasota (OK, fine, it was just Vlad Guerrero ). ... Ravens outside linebacker Sergio Kindle is now working out four times a week . ... Hard-liners are derailing the NFL's CBA negotiations . ... One day after former Miami coach Randy Shannon declined an offer, Maryland promoted inside linebackers coach Todd Bradford to defensive coordinator.

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.

Pro soccer MISL standings Eastern Division W L Pct. GB Philadelphia 8 5 .615 - Cleveland 4 6 .400 2 1/2 Blast 5 8 .385 3 Central Division W L Pct. GB Milwaukee 9 4 .692 - St. Louis 8 5 .615 1 Chicago 6 8 .429 3 1/2 Western Division W L Pct. GB Kansas City 5 3 .625 - San Diego 4 6 .400 2 Monterrey 1 5 .167 3 Today's game Philadelphia at Blast, 6:05 p.m. Moves Baseball ROYALS: Agreed to one-year contract with free-agent P Jose Lima, who...

After the Ravens made their biggest decision by hiring a new head coach, John Harbaugh now has his own hiring to do. Harbaugh has started the search for a coaching staff, a pivotal process, especially for a rookie head coach. It is believed that the front-runners are Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur for offensive coordinator and Rex Ryan for defensive coordinator. "There are a lot of good football coaches inside this building right now, and there are a lot of really good football coaches outside this building who want to coach for the Baltimore Ravens," Harbaugh said.

Auto racingFormula One -- Simtek Grand Prix team signed Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger for at least the first five races of the season.NASCAR -- Driver Bobby Hillin Jr. resigned from the Winston Cup team owned by Junie Donlavey.BaseballNew York Mets -- Sent SS Tito Navarro, SS Aaron Ledesma and Joe Vitko to their minor-league camp for reassignment.New York Yankees -- Sent SS Derek Jeter and OF Jason Robertson to their minor-league camp for reassignment.San Francisco Giants -- Assigned P Kurt Peltzer, P Steve Soderstrom, C Rob Taylor, C Dan Fernandez and OF Chris Singleton to the minors.

Ravens linebackers coach Mike Singletary settled into his new position yesterday and made one thing perfectly clear. His decision to coach 10 years after the end of his 12-year Hall of Fame career as a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears is no experiment. "An experiment is when you try something. I'm not trying to coach; I'm going to coach," Singletary said. "An experiment is when you come to Baltimore and leave your home there just in case things don't work the way you think. We sold our home in four days.

It appears as though Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is finally going to become an NFL head coach, either with the New York Jets, the St. Louis Rams or somebody. When an NFL owner comes to town and spends five hours in an interview, as Jets owner Woody Johnson did with Ryan on Sunday, then it's pretty serious business, and now it becomes only a matter of time. But Ryan's loss could have major ramifications for the Ravens. Throughout the franchise's time in Baltimore, there have been two constants.

It's 11 p.m. when Dean Pees arrives at his Reisterstown home, after 16 hours of hatching game plans as the Ravens' new defensive coordinator. Tired? You bet. Sleep? Not yet. Pees, 63, heads for the study, sits at the digital piano, dims the lights and tickles the ivories. The music - mostly self-penned, easy-listening stuff - could calm a manic Ray Lewis. Not Pees. Each note fires his football imagination. "Oftentimes, this is when he does his best thinking and scheming of defenses," said Melody Pees, his wife.