Clancy Pendergast - Senior Defensive Analyst - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Clancy Pendergast

Title:
Senior Defensive Analyst
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Clancy Pendergast joined the UCLA football staff in 2021 after coaching at both the professional and college levels over the last 30-plus years. He has worked as both a college and NFL defensive coordinator and has been credited for his professional development, producing nine collegiate players who have been selected in the NFL draft.

Prior to joining the Bruin staff, Pendergast spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at USC. In 2015, he was linebacker coach for the San Francisco 49ers where he tutored Pro Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman, the NFL’s leading tackler that season.

In 2013, Pendergast was USC’s defensive coordinator and secondary coach. That year, the Trojan defense ranked in the national Top 25 in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, sacks, interceptions, red zone scoring defense, third down conversion defense and fourth down conversion defense. Safety Su’a Cravens was a first-team Freshman All-America selection.

Pendergast spent the previous three years (2010-12) as the defensive coordinator at California. The Golden Bears led the conference in total defense, pass defense and fewest first downs allowed in each of his first two seasons while producing nine NFL players, including first-rounder Cameron Jordan, and three first-team all-conference players, including 2011 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Mychal Kendricks.

In 2010, Cal topped the Pac-10 in sacks and was in the league’s top 5 in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense and opponent third down conversions while holding four opponents to 10 or less points (the most by a Golden Bear defense since 1968) and three foes to under 200 total yards.

In 2011, Cal was in the Pac-12’s top 3 in rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, sacks and tackles for loss while notching 23 turnovers and 34 sacks and holding 5 teams under 70 rushing yards. The Golden Bears played in the Holiday Bowl. His young 2012 Cal defense, with only five returning starters, held the wide-open offenses of UCLA and Washington State to just 17 points each.

Prior to his tenure at Cal, Pendergast served as linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns in 2003 and then worked as coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals (2004-08) for five seasons, including in 2008 when the Cardinals won the NFC title to earn a berth in Super Bowl XLIII. He joined the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2009 season. Pendergast's defenses produced a total of 176 takeaways during those six years.

In his five seasons with the Cardinals, Pendergast's defense finished 20th or better in the final NFL rankings 37 times in categories such as points allowed, total yards allowed, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed, yards allowed per play, opponents third down percentage, sacks, interceptions and fumbles recovered. Linemen Bertrand Berry and Darnell Dockett were named Pro Bowlers. He also worked with Arizona’s secondary, coaching safety Adrian Wilson to a pair of Pro Bowls.

In 2004, Arizona was 12th in the NFL in total defense and scoring defense, as well as rating in the top 5 in third down defense and fumble recoveries, and it forced 30 turnovers. Linebacker Karlos Dansby was an All-Rookie honoree. His 2005 unit was in the NFL’s top 10 in total defense, third down efficiency, first downs allowed and fumble recoveries, while his 2006 defense forced 33 turnovers, the most by the Cardinals since 1998 and tied for fifth in the NFL that year.

In 2007, Arizona was ninth in the NFL in run defense and set a modern-day NFL record by holding the Detroit Lions to minus 18 rushing yards. Its six scoring interception returns and 551 interception return yards that season set franchise records as the Cardinals tied for 10th in the NFL in interceptions. In 2008, Arizona tied for fifth in the league with 30 takeaways, including forcing 13 turnovers during its playoff run.

In 2009 with Kansas City, a young Chiefs defense forced 28 takeaways and had 22 sacks. The unit improved significantly in sacks, rushing touchdowns allowed and third down conversions from the previous year.

Pendergast began his NFL coaching career in 1995 as a defensive assistant/quality control coach with the Houston Oilers. He then spent 7 seasons (1996-2002) with the Dallas Cowboys as part of staffs that won two NFC East titles (1996 and 1998) and made three NFC playoff appearances (1996, 1998-99).

Pendergast was a defensive assistant and quality control coach during his first four seasons (1996-99), then oversaw Dallas’ nickel defensive packages in 2000 before coaching the defensive backs in his final two campaigns (2001-02). The Cowboys were third in the NFL in pass defense in 2000 and 2001. He tutored safety Roy Williams, who was an All-Rookie selection in 2002, as well as All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl safety Darren Woodson.

Pendergast, who graduated from the University of Arizona in 1990, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State in 1991 before becoming a USC defensive assistant in 1992 under head coach Larry Smith. He was a graduate assistant/tight ends at Oklahoma for two seasons (1993-94). Each of those teams played in a bowl game, as Mississippi State qualified for the Liberty Bowl, USC for the Freedom Bowl and Oklahoma for the John Hancock and Copper Bowls.