In his 36th season of coaching and 13th teaching at the NFL level in 2013, Fred Pagac will continue to mentor the club’s LBs. The Vikings most veteran coach has helped several Vikings to career-bests in his tenure with the team, including Chad Greenway earning 2nd-Team All-Pro honors in 2012 and 2 straight Pro Bowl berths in 2011 and ‘12.
The 2012 Vikings LBs played a big part in the defense jumping to #16 in the NFL in total defense and holding 6 opponents to 14-or-fewer points. The strength of the defense down the stretch keyed the club winning the final 4 regular season games to go 10-6 and earn a Wild Card playoff berth, far exceeding outside expectations for the team.
Greenway led the team in 2012 with a career-best 191 tackles, while fellow LBs Jasper Brinkley and Erin Henderson also notched career-highs with 117 and 112 tackles respectively. Greenway notched 2nd-Team All-Pro honors from Associated Press, the 1st Vikings LB since Matt Blair in 1980 to earn All-Pro acclaim. He has led the club in tackles for the 5th straight season, ranking only 2nd in team history behind Scott Studwell’s 6.
Pagac led the Vikings’ LBs for 5 seasons (2006-10) before taking over Defensive Coordinator duties for the 2011 season. During his 1st stint with the LBs the Vikings defense ranked in the top 10 of the NFL in total defense 4 times and 3 straight from 2008-10. The 2011 Vikings featured some impressive individual performances on defense, but were unable to achieve team success. Jared Allen broke the Vikings single-season sack record and came within grasp of the NFL record with a 22.0-sack assault on opposing offenses. Allen was honored as a 1st-Team Associated Press All-Pro and earned his 4th Pro Bowl berth. Chad Greenway set a new career-high with 174 tackles to lead the team in tackles for the 4th straight season and shattered his previous career-high of 150 tackles. Greenway was selected to his 1st Pro Bowl following the season.
The 2011 Vikings secondary was hampered by injuries and inexperience throughout the season but the defense did get starting performances from rookie S Mistral Raymond and fellow rookie DT Christian Ballard. In his 1st season as a full-time starter, DE Brian Robison held down the LDE spot opposite Allen and responded with 8.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.
Pagac welcomed back MLB and defensive captain E.J. Henderson for the start of the 2010 season after his signal caller was sidelined late in the 2009 season with a broken femur. Henderson flourished under the direction of Pagac and highlighted his remarkable comeback with a berth to the 2010 Pro Bowl. Henderson became the first player under Pagac’s tutelage to earn Pro Bowl honors and he was the 1st Vikings LB to be honored since Ed McDaniel in 1998.
Henderson snared 3 INTs which tied him for most among NFL LBs along with the Vikings team lead, tying safety Husain Abdullah. While Henderson earned a trip to the Pro Bowl, Greenway was leading the LB corps in tackles for the 3rd straight season. Greenway finished the season ranked 1st in the NFC in tackles and 4th in the NFL with 142 (according to league stats). Greenway led the team in tackles for loss with 10 while Henderson was 4th with 7.
Highlighted by a late-season upset win at Philadelphia, Pagac unleashed a blitz-heavy attack against the Eagles that rattled MVP-candidate QB Michael Vick and coralled the shifty QB for 6 sacks, snared an INT and returned a Vick fumble for a TD by CB Antoine Winfield, who was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the game.
The Vikings defensive unit finished the season ranked 8th in the NFL in total yards allowed per game (312.6) and 1st downs allowed per game (17.25). Known as a run-stuffing defense, the Vikings’ unit ranked 9th best in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (102.1) and rushing yards per attempt (3.9). The defense finished the season 10th in the league in passing yards allowed per game (210.4).
During Pagac’s coaching career he has built a reputation for helping players achieve at their highest levels and develop young talent within the defensive system. The 2009 LB unit was equally strong against the run and pass, helping the Vikings rank #6 in the NFL in total defense and #2 against the run after leading the NFL in run defense the previous 3 seasons. The #6 mark was a repeat of the 2008 defensive ranking and was the 1st time since 1993-94.
Pagac’s crew in 2009 had to deal with adversity along with prosperity. Greenway led the team in tackles for the 2nd straight season and hauled in a career-best 3 INTs to raise his stature as one of the NFL’s emerging defensive players. Fellow OLB Ben Leber led the Vikings with 9 passes defensed and added 2.5 sacks. Henderson was lost for the final 4 games of the regular season and the playoffs to a broken leg and rookie 5th-round draft pick Jasper Brinkley was pressed into duty.
The rapid development Brinkley showed helped keep the defense on track, highlighted by the dominant performances in the NFC Divisional Playoff vs. Dallas and the NFC Championship game at New Orleans. The Vikings defense faced the #1 (Saints) and #2 (Cowboys) offenses in the NFL during the playoffs and held the teams in check, limiting the teams a 3rd-down conversion rate of 24% (6-of-25) and allowed 248 and 257 total net yards to teams who averaged 399.4 and 403.8 respectively.
The 2008 Vikings LBs overcame adversity to solidify a defensive unit that finished the season ranked #6 in the NFL in total defense and #1 in rushing defense for the 3rd straight season, becoming the 1st team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to lead the League in rush defense 3 straight seasons. The unit had to overcome the loss Henderson to a season-ending injury in the 4th game. Greenway led the team in tackles with 150 and emerged as a blitz threat, notching 5.5 sacks, the 4th-most by a Vikings LB in team history.
When Henderson was lost for the season Pagac had to prepare undrafted 2nd-year man David Herron to step into the void as the team searched for a replacement, which was former Vikings starter Napoleon Harris. When Harris picked up a fumble and went 27 yards for a TD it marked the 4th score a Vikings LB has produced in the 3 seasons Pagac has coached the position.
In 2007 Henderson led the team with a career-high 155 tackles in his 1st season playing MLB since 2004. He added a career-best 4.5 sacks and led the team with a career-high 14 tackles for loss while earning Pro Bowl alternate honors. Greenway, who missed his 2006 rookie season with a knee injury, came back in 2007 to rank 2nd on the team with 130 tackles, lead the NFL with 4 fumble recoveries and have a pair of interceptions, including scoring his 1st career TD.
The 2006 Vikings finished #8 in NFL total defense and #1 against the run for only the 3rd time in team history. The team had not cracked the top 10 in total defense since 1994 but the Vikings defense became a calling card as the team set a franchise record and posted the 2nd-lowest rushing yards allowed by an NFL team since the 1970 merger at 985 yards, an average of 61.6 per game. The Vikings LBs played a key role in the defensive dynamic by accounting for 9.5 sacks, 6 INTs and 2 TDs. Henderson led the team in tackles with 142 and posted with 3.0 sacks and 2 INTs under Pagac’s watch, including a 45-yard TD on his 1st career INT. Leber made his impact on the team felt in his 1st season with the team with 3.0 sacks, an INT and scored a TD on a fumble recovery.
Pagac coached LBs for the Kansas City Chiefs for 2 seasons (2004-05) and with the Oakland Raiders for 3 seasons (2001-03) before coming to the Vikings. Prior to entering the professional ranks, Pagac spent 23 years on the coaching staff at Ohio State, where he aided in the development of several top players.
Under Pagac’s direction in 2005, Chiefs 3rd-year LB Kawika Mitchell led the team with a career-high 135 tackles and 14 passes defensed as he started all 16 games at MLB for the 1st time in his career. Pagac also tutored rookie LB Derrick Johnson, who finished 3rd on the team with 110 tackles and added 2.0 sacks and 9 passes defensed on his way to being named the club’s Mack Lee Hill Award winner, which is given to KC’s top rookie. Johnson became the 1st rookie LB in Chiefs history to start all 16 games since LB Dino Hackett accomplished the feat in 1986. The Chiefs defense finished 7th in the NFL against the run in ’05, and 6th in the NFL with 31 takeaways.
In 2004, 3rd-year LB Scott Fujita led the Chiefs for the 2nd consecutive season in tackles with 112. Kawika Mitchell bounced back from an early-season ankle injury to start 12 games and finished 2nd on the team with 85 tackles. The Chiefs defense finished 12th in the NFL against the run.
In 2002, Pagac helped the Raiders defense to a #11 overall NFL ranking and a #3 ranking against the run as Oakland won the AFC and faced Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII. Pagac tutored Napoleon Harris as he was named to Pro Football Weekly’s All-Rookie team and finished 3rd on the team in tackles. In 2001, MLB and former Viking Greg Biekert led the Raiders with 108 tackles and tied a career high with 3.0 sacks.
From 1978-2000, Pagac coached at his alma mater, Ohio State, and worked with 10 Buckeyes defensive performers who earned All-America honors, including Vikings CB Antoine Winfield. Winfield was a 2-time All-America pick and won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back in 1998. Pagac also tutored future Pro Bowl LBs Chris Spielman, Pepper Johnson and Mike Vrabel, as well as CB Shawn Springs, LB Na’ill Diggs, S Mike Doss, and CB Nate Clements. Andy Katzenmoyer won All-America accolades in 1997 and won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top LB. During Pagac’s 23 years on the Ohio State coaching staff, the Buckeyes played in 20 bowl games. As a player and coach, Pagac was part of 6 Rose Bowls with the Buckeyes.
Pagac was assistant head coach to John Cooper in 2000 in his final season at OSU. From 1996-99, Pagac served as defensive coordinator. In 1998, the Buckeyes led the nation in rushing defense, ranked 2nd in pass defense, and were 4th overall. Pagac was among 5 finalists for the Frank Broyles Award as the NCAA’s top assistant in ‘98.
In ’97, Ohio State allowed 170 points to rank 2nd in the nation in scoring defense. That season the Buckeyes also ranked 2nd in the nation in pass defense. In 1996, Ohio State was 1st in the country in pass defense and ranked 2nd in scoring defense, allowing just 131 points, which was the fewest surrendered by Ohio State since 1979.
Prior to being named defensive coordinator in 1996, Pagac tutored Ohio State’s LBs for 14 seasons (1982-95). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under the legendary Woody Hayes in 1978 before joining the staff on a full-time basis under Earle Bruce in 1982.
Pagac entered the NFL as a TE with Chicago in 1974 as a rookie free agent, where he was honored with the club’s prestigious Brian Piccolo Award. Pagac also played 13 games for Tampa Bay in their 1976 inaugural season.
Pagac was a 3-year starter at TE for Ohio State from 1971-73. He was part of Buckeyes teams that compiled an impressive 25-6-2 record over his playing career, including a 19-3 mark in the Big Ten. During his senior season in ’73, the Buckeyes posted a 10-0-1 record and finished 2nd in the final AP poll.
Pagac was born in Richeyville, PA. He and his wife, Bernie, have a daughter, Jennifer, and a son, Fred, Jr., who played LB at Ohio State and with the Frankfurt Galaxy.
