Brian Billick
 | This article documents a current sporting event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports, scores, or statistics may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
| No. None Baltimore Ravens | |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| US college | BYU |
| NFL draft | 1977 / Round: 11 / Pick: 295 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Brian Harold Billick[1] (February 28, 1954) is a coach in the National Football League, most recently with the Baltimore Ravens from January 19, 1999to December 31, 2007.
Billick led the Ravens to a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, the franchise's only championship appearance, and has won the most games in team history.
Playing career
Billick, who played football and basketball at Redlands High School in Redlands, California had his No. 17 jersey retired by the school in March 2001.[2] He played both quarterback and safety in high school and holds the state record with 21 career interceptions.
After spending his freshman season as a linebacker at the United States Air Force Academy, Billick transferred to Brigham Young University and became a tight end. He received All-Western Athletic Conference and honorable mention All-America honors in 1976.
Billick was selected in the 11th round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers but was cut by the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, and never played in the NFL.
Game show contestant
After washing out of the NFL as a player, Billick decided to try his hand at game shows. The first time, he was a contestant on the game show Match Game (specifically the syndicated Match Game PM) in 1977. He appeared shortly after ending his short professional career as a player and joining his alma mater Redlands (Calif.) High School as a coach. He lost 5-0 causing host Gene Rayburn to quip, "Boy, I hope you signed that contract already. They might think twice after seeing this performance." Panelist Richard Dawson went even further, stating "Failed at football. Failed at Match Game. Where will you go now?".
He also later appeared on the short-lived revival of Jeopardy! in the 1978-79 season and on The Gong Show in 1980.
Coaching career
College
Billick worked as a graduate assistant at Brigham Young for one season (1978) before joining the 49ers as the assistant director of public relations for two years (1979-1980).
He returned to coaching with San Diego State University, serving as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator for five seasons (1981-1985). After being named the offensive coordinator of Utah State University, Billick improved the second-worst offense in Division I-A into a top-ten offense in only three seasons (1986-1988).
Billick was then hired as the assistant head coach and tight ends coach at Stanford by Dennis Green, serving both roles for three seasons (1989-91).
National Football League
Assistant Coach
When Green became the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings in 1991, he hired Billick as his tight ends coach. Three games into their second season, Billick was promoted to offensive coordinator and quickly began developing one of the most explosive offenses in the league.
The Vikings made the playoffs during six of the seven seasons (1992-1998) that Billick spent with the team, and set several offensive records in the process. In 1998, Minnesota set an NFL record for most points scored in a season (556) and set a team record with 41 touchdown passes.
Head Coach
Baltimore Ravens
Billick became the second coach in Ravens history on January 19, 1999, when he was hired to replace Ted Marchibroda. He has a 75-53 regular season record in eight seasons (1999-present) with the team, and is 5-3 in the playoffs.
Although Billick had the opportunity to interview for the head coaching job of the expansion Cleveland Browns and was rumored to be their top candidate, he chose to interview with the Ravens first.[3] He signed with Baltimore in under 24 hours after his initial interview.
In his first season with the Ravens, Billick led the team to its first non-losing record (8-8) in the franchise's brief four-year history.
The next season, Baltimore finished with a 12-4 record and earned its first playoff berth. Prior to reaching the playoffs, Billick forbade his players from using either the term "playoffs" or the term "Super Bowl," with the idea of keeping them focused on winning each game instead of on their more distant prize. Billick felt this approach would help them reach that prize, and went so far as to fine Tony Siragusa for violating this rule. In response, the players borrowed the term "Festivus" from the television series Seinfeld for the playoffs, and the term Festivus Maximus for the Super Bowl. When they reached the playoffs, Billick lifted this ban. The Ravens took advantage of their vaunted defense, which allowed an NFL record-low 165 points in the regular season, during the playoffs to advance to and win Super Bowl XXXV.
Billick led the Ravens to a 10-6 record and a victory over the Miami Dolphins in a 2001 wild card playoff game before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round. Baltimore finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs in 2002, but bounced back in 2003 with a 10-6 record and the franchise's first division title. The Ravens lost to the Titans, 20-17, in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
The Ravens missed the playoffs in 2004 (9-7) and 2005 (6-10) before bouncing back in the 2006 season. Billick fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel on October 17, 2006, assuming the role for the remainder of the season, as the Ravens earned a franchise best 13-3 record, won the AFC North and earned the first playoff bye in team history. Baltimore, however, lost to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Indianapolis Colts, 15-6, in the divisional round.
Dismissal from Ravens?
On December 31, 2007, Jay Glazer reported that Billick was to be fired from his position as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. [1]
Head Coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| BAL | 1999 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in AFC Central | - | - | - | - |
| BAL | 2000 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 2nd in AFC Central | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | Beat New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV |
| BAL | 2001 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in AFC Central | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers in Divisional Round. |
| BAL | 2002 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in AFC North | - | - | - | - |
| BAL | 2003 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Tennessee Titans in Wild Card Round. |
| BAL | 2004 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in AFC North | - | - | - | - |
| BAL | 2005 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3rd in AFC North | - | - | - | - |
| BAL | 2006 | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 1st in AFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Indianapolis Colts in Divisional Round. |
| BAL | 2007 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ravens' Total | 80 | 64 | 0 | .556 | 5 | 3 | .625 | 1 Super Bowl | ||
| Total | 80 | 64 | 0 | .556 | 5 | 3 | .625 | 1 Super Bowl | ||
Assistant coaches under Brian Billick that became head coaches in the NFL:
- Jack Del Rio Jacksonville Jaguars
- Marvin Lewis Cincinnati Bengals
- Mike Nolan San Francisco 49ers
Miscellaneous
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (December 2007) |
- Although he graduated from Brigham Young University, Billick is not a Mormon, much like fellow BYU alum Jim McMahon.[4]
- Brian is registered as a Republican in Maryland. In the book "Next Man Up" it is mentioned that he voted for President George W. Bush in 2004. The book also says that one of his heroes is President Ronald Reagan.
- Was selected to speak in May 2007 at the Johns Hopkins University undergraduate diploma ceremony.
- Is known for his uncanny resemblance to 7th Heaven star Stephen Collins.
- When eliminated from the playoffs, Billick has been used as a studio analyst by the ABC Sports coverage of the Wild Card round.
References
- ^ "Billick on Pro-Football-Reference". rbref.com. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ Brian Billick profile, Baltimore Ravens. Accessed October 18, 2007. "Billick earned 3 letters in both football and basketball at Redlands HS"
- ^ "Chris Palmer signs with Browns", URL retrieved 13 February 2007
- ^ "Three NFL head coaches linked by BYU, faith", URL retrieved 8 January 2007