Last year at this time, Greg Mattison was the defensive line coach for the Florida Gators and was busy putting down rumors that he was headed to the NFL after Signing Day to prospects like Omar Hunter. Oddly enough, Mattison ended up with Ravens a few days after Signing Day anyway. Weird huh? Anyway, now after just one season as the defensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens, the former Irish defensive coordinator has been promoted to the same position with the Ravens.
That’s right. Greg Mattison is now running one of the best defenses in the NFL. That’s quite an ascension in just twelve months time. Mattison has been entrusted to run the Ravens nasty defense after just one season of NFL coaching experience. If the Ravens are able to resign their free agent linebackers – Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and Terrell Suggs; Mattison will have some of the best talent in the NFL to work with. If they are unable to, Mattison is going to be in a very tight spot.
Interestingly enough, all three of the Ravens previous defensive coordinators have went on to be head coaches in the NFL – Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan, and Rex Ryan. Could Mattison be the next in line? Greg Mattison, NFL Head Coach? Who’d have thunk it?
Greg Mattison was a great defensive coordinator. Never liking Michigan, I did like what he did when he was there, and he brought not just talent but a love for Notre Dame with him when he came to the Irish. Remember, Davie never had a solid offense so the defenses usually got gassed late in the 3rd quarter. Sound familiar?
I was unhappy when Mattison went to the Gators but you can understand with Meyer going there and with the fiasco in South Bend at the time.
I’ve heard Mattison speak and I like what the guy is about. I don’t think he’s a head coach in the NFL. He may be college material.
Another former ND coordinator is on the staff of the Baltimore Ravens. Jerry Rosburg, former linebackers and special teams coach for the Irish, runs the Ravens special teams. Annually Jerry runs one of the best special teams in the NFL and his success was evident at ND with the likes of Joey Gatherral and Julius Jones returning kick frequently.
Frankie – as always a great post. One thing that I have noticed is that several times you have used “have went on”
when, I believe, the correct tense usage would be “have GONE on”. Hope this doesn’t come off as priggish, but Frank O’Malley wouldn’t let us get away with it….
Please keep up the informative work.