The majority of Ravens head coach John Harbaugh?s career has been linked to his work with special teams.
After hiring his offensive and defensive coordinators the first week on the job, Harbaugh finally got to tap into his expertise by naming Jerry Rosburg as special teams coordinator on Wednesday.
“Jerry and I go back 20 years, at least,” Harbaugh said at a news conference Wednesday before introducing his longtime friend, whom he worked with at the University of Cincinnati in 1994. “We think the same way on special teams and as coaches. Jerry?s a football coach and he?s proven a lot in this league.”
Harbaugh spent nine of his 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles as special teams coach, but Rosburg said he does not feel intimidated working for him.
“I don?t think its pressure, frankly,” Rosburg said of working for Harbaugh, who was the NFL?s Special Teams Coach of theYear in 2001. “I think it?s really a bonus. Believe me, I don?t believe I have all the answers. There are all kinds of ways of doing things, and I think having John in the office down the hall is going to be a great resource.”
Rosburg spent this past season as special teams coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons after spending the previous five with the Cleveland Browns. He helped launch the career of Pro Bowler Josh Cribbs in Cleveland, which consistently fielded some of the league?s best special teams units.
“We?re going to be very aggressive,” Rosburg said. “We like to score. We like to make big plays and we?re not a team that is necessarily going to try and outscheme people. My base belief is that is much better to be easy to ready and hard to beat than hard to read.”
Ravens Notes
» Running back Willis McGahee was named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster, replacing the injured LaDainian Tomlinson. The first-time honoree becomes the fourth Raven selected in the Pro Bowl, joining Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden, who had to withdraw from the game due to foot injuries.
» Harbaugh announced he retained Vic Fangio as special assistant to the head coach, Mark Carrier as secondary coach and Wade Harman as tight ends coach.
» A representative from the NFL Players Association confirmed free agency begins Feb. 29.
