Former standout Clemson lineman Brentson Buckner joins Jaguars coaching staff

Former standout Clemson defender Brentson Buckner was announced as the new Jaguars' defensive line coach on Thursday.

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Feb 17 15:38:18 GMT-04:00 2022

Former Clemson defensive lineman Brentson Buckner was formally announced as the new defensive line coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday.

Check out his Jaguars profile below:

Brentson Buckner enters his first season as the Jaguars defensive line coach. Buckner spent the last two seasons in Arizona as the Cardinals' defense line coach after previous stops with the Raiders, Buccaneers, Cardinals and Steelers. He brings eight years of NFL coaching experience and 12 years of NFL playing experience as a defensive lineman.

In 2021, Buckner's unit that comprised of defensive linemen Zach Allen, J.J. Watt, Michael Dogbe, Corey Peters and Jordan Phillips allowed the third-fewest rushing TDs (10) in the NFL. The Cardinals defense also finished the season with the 11th-most tackles for loss in the NFL (76).

In 2020, the Cardinals had an NFL-high 18 players who recorded at least 1.0 sacks in 2020 and an NFL-leading 12 players who had 2.0-plus sacks. As a team, Arizona finished the season with 48.0 sacks, the fourth-most in the league. In addition, the Cardinals finished the year ranked fourth in tackles for loss and seventh in the league in rushing TDs allowed (13).

Prior to his time in Arizona, Buckner spent one season with the Raiders in 2019, when he helped Oakland increase its sack total to 32 from 13 a year before and finished eighth in the NFL against the run after finishing 30th in 2018. Buckner also tutored rookie defensive linemen Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell with the Raiders. Crosby had 10.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and four passes defensed while Ferrell had 4.5 sacks and five passes defensed.

Prior to his time with the Raiders, Buckner spent the 2018 season with Tampa Bay as the defensive line coach and helped them improve from 22 sacks in 2017 to 38 sacks in 2018. DE Jason Pierre-Paul had a team-leading 12.5 sacks, DE Carl Nassib had a career-high 6.5 sacks and DT Gerald McCoy had 6.0 sacks.

Buckner's first stint as the Cardinals defensive line coach spanned four seasons (2013-17). In 2017, Arizona's defense finished the season ranked sixth overall in total yards per game (310.9) and sixth in the NFL in rush defense (89.6 yards per game). In 2016, the Cardinals finished with the NFL's second-ranked defense after allowing 328.6 scrimmage yards per game, marking the second straight season the team had a top-five defense in the league. It was also the team's highest defensive ranking in franchise history. Arizona led the NFL with 48 sacks that season, the third-highest total in team history. DL Calais Campbell led the defensive line with 8.0 sacks. Under Buckner's guidance, Campbell was selected to his first two career Pro Bowls in 2014 and 2015. The Cardinals finished the 2015 season with the NFL's fifth-ranked defense. The unit ranked second in the NFL with 33 total takeaways and tied for the most defensive TDs in the NFL (six). Arizona also ranked sixth in rushing defense (91.3 yards allowed per game) and seventh in points allowed per game (19.6).

In 2014, the Cardinals allowed 18.7 points per game, the fifth-lowest average in the league and allowed 20 points-or-fewer in a league-best 13 games. Campbell was named to his first Pro Bowl, while ninth-year DT Frostee Rucker posted a career-high 5.0 sacks.

In his first year as an assistant coach in 2013, the Cardinals defense finished the season ranked as the top rushing defense in the NFL (84.4 yards allowed per game). Arizona also allowed the fewest rushing yards in team history for a 16-game season (1,351) and posted 47 sacks.

Buckner's first coaching stint came at Northside Christian Academy in Charlotte, where he served as the head coach from 2008-09. His first foray into the NFL was as a coaching intern with the Steelers from 2010-12.

Prior to his coaching career, Buckner was drafted by Pittsburgh in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft. Buckner played in 174 games (127 starts) in his 12-year NFL playing career, including stints in Pittsburgh (1994-96), Cincinnati (1997), San Francisco (1998-2000) and Carolina (2001-05). His career totals included 31.0 sacks, seven fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles and two INTs.

Buckner played collegiately at Clemson (1990-93), where he was a three-year starter. He finished his collegiate career ranked third in school history with 22.0 sacks and fourth in tackles for loss (46). He helped the Tigers to an ACC Championship in 1991 and a nine-win season in 1993, which was capped by a Peach Bowl victory when he had 13 tackles and was named Defensive MVP.

Buckner, who hails from Columbus, Ga., and his wife, Denise, have a son, Brandon, and two daughters, Nia and Nya.