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Sun Devils to hire USC staffer Chris Claiborne as its linebacker’s coach

(wearesc.com photo)
(wearesc.com photo)

Arizona State’s Pro Model and a heavier emphasis on recruiting prowess has been evident in many of their coaching hiring decisions under Herm Edwards and the last piece of their coaching addition puzzle reflects that once again.


USC’s Offensive Quality Control Analyst Chris Claiborne, who was a decorated college player for the Trojans as well as a first-round pick in the NFL draft and played 11 years in the league, will join the Sun Devils’ staff as its linebacker’s coach.


The hire was made in light of Antonio’s Pierce promotion from linebacker’s coach and co-defensive coordinator to ASU’s sole defensive coordinator. This was a move that made in concert with Marvin Lewis moving from co-defensive coordinator to Special Assistant to the Head Coach.


The official announcement by Arizona State Chris Claiborne’s hire is expected in the next few days.


Claiborne, who is a USC Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, was hired by his alma mater last May as a quality control analyst under head coach Clay Helton. Prior to that career move, the former USC inside linebacker great was the head coach at Calabasas (Calif.) High School during the 2018-19 season where he compiled a 17-6 mark and coached freshman ASU wide receiver, Johnny Wilson. Calabasas won the Marmonte League title in 2019 and advanced to the CIF Division 1 playoffs. He also served as defensive coordinator at Calabasas in 2014 and 2015, which was preceded by stops at other notable prep powerhouses in Southern California, such as Corona (Calif.) High, Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village (Calif.) and Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High.


Before his high school career, he started a 7-on-7 team, Frat Boyz in 2012, and privately trained players in the Southern California area and ran youth football camps.


Claiborne, a three-year (1996-98) starter for the Trojans, In 1998 the season he served as team captain, he became USC's first winner of the Butkus Award as well as being named a unanimous All-American and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. That season, Claiborne posted 120 tackles, 16 pass deflections and 6 interceptions (all team highs). His formidable college career also includes being named Freshman All-American first team in 1996 and getting the nod on the All-Pac-10 first team as a 1997 sophomore.


Claiborne, who declared for the NFL after his junior year, was selected by the Detroit Lions as the ninth pick of the 1999 NFL draft and played there for eight seasons (1999-2002). His other NFL stops included the Minnesota Vikings (2003-04), St. Louis Rams (2005), and New York Giants (2006). The latter stop is where he crossed paths with Pierce, who was instrumental in hiring his successor in Tempe. Claiborne’s 12-year pro career at linebacker is virtually unparalleled for this position in the college football landscape and only further enhances the Pro Model implemented by Arizona State with the hire of Herm Edwards prior to the 2018 season.


Much like the hires last year of Prentice Gill and Chris Hawkins, and before that the hiring of Pierce, Claiborne brings vast knowledge of the Southern California high school football, which is the basis for the Sun Devils’ recruiting classes. That quartet of coaches, along with the recent hires of Adam Breneman as tight ends coach and Klayton Adams as offensive line coach gives ASU at the very least its best recruiting staff this century.


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