Peter Sirmon - Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers - Staff Directory (original) (raw)

Peter Sirmon is in his seventh season at Cal and fifth campaign as the Golden Bears' defensive coordinator in 2024, while he also continues to be the program's inside linebackers position coach for the seventh consecutive campaign. Sirmon started at Cal in 2018 as the inside linebackers coach before adding co-defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator duties to his role in 2019. He also served as the recruiting coordinator for three seasons from 2019-21.

Sirmon has been instrumental for developing a multitude of key defensive players at Cal including a pair of All-Americans in ILB Evan Weaver and CB Elijah Hicks with Weaver a consensus first-team pick and also the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 while Hicks was a third-teamer in 2021. Weaver was also the nation’s leading tackler in 2019. Sirmon's son, Jackson Sirmon, was a fourth-team preseason All-American in 2023 and named first-team All-Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus despite missing the final seven games due to injury.

Sirmon has coached seven players at Cal who have combined for nine first or second-team All-Pac-12 selections by the league's coaches including Jackson Sirmon (2022 first team), Hicks (2021 first team), CB Camryn Bynum (2020 first team, 2019 second team), OLB Cameron Goode (2020 second team), S Ashtyn Davis (2019 second team), ILB Jordan Kunaszyk (2018 first team) and Weaver (2019 first team, 2018 second team). S Daniel Scott was also a first-team All-Pac-12 pick of Pro Football Focus in 2021 and the second-rated safety in the Pac-12 behind only his teammate Hicks. In 2023, ILB Cade Uluave was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, while OLB David Reese and DB Craig Woodson were honorable mention All-Pac-12 selections.

Seven of the 11 defensive players Sirmon has coached at Cal since his 2018 arrival that have been on NFL rosters are still currently in the league in Bynum (Minnesota), Davis (New York Jets), Goode (Miami), Hicks (Chicago), S Jaylinn Hawkins (New England), S Patrick McMorris (Miami) and Scott (Indianapolis injured reserve). S Josh Drayden (Washington), DE Zeandae Johnson (Minnesota), ILB Jordan Kunasyzk (Carolina, Cleveland, Washington) and ILB Kuony Deng (Atlanta, Chicago, Pittsburgh) have also previously been on NFL rosters.

On the recruiting front, Sirmon highlighted his three-year tenure as Cal's recruiting coordinator by the signing of a 2021 class that ranked as high as No. 20 nationally according to ESPN, which was Cal's highest-ranked class since the 2011 group checked in at No. 15 nationally by 247Sports. He also helped the program bring in a 2023 spring transfer portal class that was listed by The Athletic as one of its 10 "winners", while also being recognized by On3 (1 of 12 "winners") and 247Sports (No. 17 overall class) then followed that up with a 2024 transfer portal group that is currently ranked No. 14 by On3 after reaching as high as No. 6 at one point.

Sirmon’s defenses have always had a knack for taking the ball away and in 2023 led the nation with 16 fumbles recovered and tied for the national lead with 28 turnovers gained, both pacing the Pac-12. Three different Cal defensive players – S Patrick McMorris, Uluave and CB Nohl Williams – recovered three fumbles each to rank tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 19th nationally. In addition, the Bears' three defensive touchdowns were second in the Pac-12 and tied for 15th nationally, while their 12 interceptions tied for third in the Pac-12 and tied for 36th nationally, and the rushing defense sixth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally (133.4 ypg). Dating back to the final game of 2020, Cal has at least one takeaway in 35 of its last 38 games and at one point during the 2022 season, the defense had the longest streak of consecutive games in the nation with at least one turnover with 19 in a row.

Cal tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 12th nationally in 2022 with three defensive touchdowns, while also tying for third in the Pac-12 and tying for 22nd nationally in turnover margin (0.50). In addition, Cal was among the top half of the Pac-12 and NCAA leaders in fewest penalties (63, #2T Pac-12, #23T NCAA), fewest penalty yards (44.58 ypg, #3 Pac-12, #28 NCAA) and fewest penalties per game (5.25, #3 Pac-12, #31T NCAA). Jackson Sirmon led the team with a career-high 104 tackles while adding career highs of 6.0 tackles for loss (-18 yards) and 3.5 sacks (-12 yards), three pass breakups, 37 fumble recovery yards and one fumble recovery touchdown, as well as a career-high-tying one forced fumble. He also ranked third in the Pac-12 and among NCAA leaders in both tackles per game (8.7, #40 NCAA) and tackles (#47T NCAA).

Sirmon's 2021 defense improved throughout the season in his first full campaign as the team's defensive coordinator (his first season in the role in 2020 was shortened to four games by COVID). Cal held four of its final six opponents to 14 points or less in 2021 while the Bears also won four of their final six games. Cal finished the campaign second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (22.2 ppg), fourth in total defense (366.7 ypg) and fourth in rushing defense (137.2 ypg). Hicks led the way as a third-team All-American of Pro Football Focus and a consensus first-team All-Pac-12 pick, as well as the winner of the Pop Warner College Football Award, and a semifinalist for both the prestigious Campbell Trophy and Jason Witten College Man of the Year honors among many accolades. Hicks notched 72 tackles while co-leading the Pac-12 with a career-high four forced fumbles and 0.33 fumbles per game (T#11 NCAA). He also had three interceptions to tie for third in the conference. Fellow safety Daniel Scott earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors from Pro Football Focus and was among the league's leaders in solo tackles (team-high 60, #T2), interceptions (team-high-tying 3, #T3) and total tackles (team-high 82, #10 Pac-12) with all career bests. True freshman cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III finished with team highs of 10 pass breakups and 11 passes deflected, while sixth-year senior cornerback Josh Drayden started and played in all 12 games on his way to a school-record 55 career games played. In addition to Hicks' first-team selection by the league's coaches, Cal had four players earn honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors on the defensive side of the ball in OLB Marqez Bimage, Goode, Hearns and DL JH Tevis. Hearns also picked up honorable mention honors for the league's Defensive Freshman of the Year. Goode led the Pac-12 in sacks with 0.68 per game and totaled 7.5 to finish his career eighth on Cal's all-time list with 21.5 (-132 yards).

In his first season as the team's defensive coordinator in a 2020 campaign shortened to four games by COVID, Bynum (first team) and Goode (second team) earned All-Pac-12 selections while Deng, Drayden, DL Brett Johnson and DE Zeandae Johnson were honorable mention all-conference picks. Deng served as a team captain in 2020 when he led the squad with 31 tackles and two forced fumbles, while adding 2.5 tackles for loss (-10 yards) and one quarterback hurry. He ranked third in the Pac-12 and tied for fourth nationally with 0.5 forced fumbles per game as well as tied 10th in the conference in tackles with 7.8 stops per contest. Both of his forced fumbles came in the fourth quarter of a 21-17 win over Oregon. Goode was tied for second both nationally and in the Pac-12 with his 2.0 tackles for loss per game, as well as sixth in the Pac-12 and tied for 30th in the nation with 0.75 sacks per contest. Drayden ranked tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 13th nationally with his 1.2 passes defended per game. Cal's 2020 defense led the Pac-12 and ranked tied for 20th nationally in red zone defense by allowing only 12 scores in 16 opponents' red zone visits (75.0%) with only nine of the 12 touchdowns. The defense was also a disciplined unit that helped the Bears lead the Pac-12 in per game averages for both fewest penalty yards (35.0) and penalties (4.5), while ranking fifth and tied for 12th nationally.

In 2019, Sirmon was Cal's co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, and paired up with his fellow defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Tim DeRuyter to earn FootballScoop Linebackers Coaches of the Year presented by AstroTurf honors. Weaver finished the 2019 campaign with a school-record 182 tackles and in addition to his consensus first-team All-American honors was also the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, LLott IMPACT Trophy, The Lombardi and the Senior Class Award. Weaver (182) and Deng (119, No. 3 Pac-12, No. 15 NCAA) finished the 2019 season with a combined 301 tackles. The number not only allowed Cal to lead the nation for most tackles by a duo for a second straight season but was six shy of the Bears' school-record of 307 by a duo that Weaver (159) and Jordan Kunaszyk (148) recorded in 2018.

In his first season on Cal's staff in 2018, Sirmon helped the Bears' defense finish among national and Pac-12 leaders in nearly every category. The Bears ranked in the top 10 nationally and paced the conference in interceptions (21, No. 2 NCAA), defensive touchdowns (5, No. T4 NCAA), turnovers gained (28, No. 6T NCAA) and passing yards allowed (175.1 ypg, No. 9 NCAA). Cal also led the league and ranked in the top 20 in the country in pass efficiency defense (107.26, No. 11 NCAA) and first downs allowed (227, No. 18 NCAA). In addition, the Bears were also 15th nationally in total defense (317.2 ypg) and 22nd in scoring defense (20.4 ppg) while ranking third in the Pac-12 in both categories. Both of Sirmon's starting inside linebackers in 2018 – Weaver (Pro Football Focus) and Kunaszyk (Sports Illustrated) – earned second-team All-American honors with Kunaszyk adding first-team All-Pac-12 recognition from the league's coaches while both earned first-team all-conference accolades from multiple media organizations. Their combined 307 tackles were the most by any duo in the nation and the highest total ever by two players in a single season at Cal. Weaver's 159 tackles were the second-highest total in the nation and are tied for third on Cal's all-time single-season list while his 12.2 stops per game were sixth in the country. Kunaszyk's 148 tackles are the fifth-highest single-season total in school history and were fifth nationally with his 11.4 tackles per contest ninth in the nation. Weaver and Kunaszyk ranked second and third, respectively, in the Pac-12 in both total tackles and tackles per game. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins led the Pac-12 and tied for third nationally with his six interceptions including three in the Cheez-It Bowl to earn Defensive Player of the Game honors and a spot on Sports Illustrated's All-Bowl squad.

Prior to his arrival at Cal, Sirmon was the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State (2016) and Louisville (2017) for one season each after previously coaching on staffs with Cal's Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox for six seasons at Tennessee (2010-11), Washington (2012-13) and USC (2014-15), including the final three campaigns during that six-year stint as a recruiting coordinator.

Sirmon helped Louisville to an 8-5 record and an appearance at the TaxSlayer Bowl as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach in 2017. Louisville was nationally ranked for much of the season and reached as high as No. 14 in the AP Top 25. Sirmon’s defense was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 10 fumbles recovered and third with 23 turnovers gained to help get the ball back to a high-powered offense that ranked third nationally in scoring. Linebacker Dorian Etheridge earned Freshman All-American honors after leading the Cardinals with 83 tackles while All-ACC honorable mention selection Trumaine Washington was involved in a team-best six takeaways with four interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Mississippi State won the St. Petersburg Bowl during Sirmon’s lone campaign as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2016 with his unit contributing four defensive touchdowns to tie for eighth nationally. A Bulldogs’ defense that included 11 first-time starters and nine freshmen had 23 turnovers gained to rank tied for 38th nationally with the total nine more than the previous season. Linebacker Leo Lewis led all SEC freshmen in tackles (79) and became the first FWAA Freshman All-American in school history, while Jeffrey Simmons paced all SEC freshmen defensive linemen in tackles (40) on his way to joining Lewis on the Freshman All-SEC team.

Sirmon spent two campaigns from 2014-15 at USC as the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach. In 2015, the Trojans won the Pac-12 South title and made a second consecutive appearance in the Holiday Bowl, leading the Pac-12 in third-down conversion defense and scoring five defensive touchdowns to rank third nationally. Sirmon's guidance propelled outside linebacker Su'a Cravens to All-Pac-12 first-team honors for the second straight season before Cravens was taken in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Inside linebacker Cameron Smith was selected as the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in addition to being named a Freshman All-American by several media outlets.

Sirmon was the linebackers coach at Washington the two prior seasons from 2012-13, adding recruiting coordinator to his duties for the first time in 2013. The Huskies ranked in the top 40 nationally in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense in his first campaign in 2012 after finishing the previous campaign lower than No. 105 in each category. Washington’s scoring defense jumped to tied for No. 29 nationally in 2013, while its team passing efficiency defense improved 60 spots to No. 27 in 2012 before climbing to No. 10 in 2013, with its 41.0 sacks tied for fourth nationally the same season. The Huskies played in the 2012 Las Vegas Bowl and 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl with Sirmon moving on to USC before the latter. Sirmon tutored eventual first-round NFL Draft pick Shaq Thompson during his back-to-back honorable mention All-Pac-12 seasons as a 2012 freshman and 2013 sophomore.

Sirmon’s successful tenures as the recruiting coordinator at both Washington and USC were highlighted by Rivals’ top recruiting class in 2015 that included 12 top-100 recruits after a 2014 Trojans’ group that ranked No. 9 and a 2013 Washington unit that was No. 18, all according to 247Sports. Notable members of those recruiting classes included current NFL players highlighted by USC’s Sam Darnold (San Francisco), Rasheem Green (Chicago), Adoree’ Jackson (New York Giants), JuJu Smith-Schuster (New England), as well as USC's Ronald Jones II and Washington’s Kevin King and John Ross, who are currently free agents.

Sirmon first coached with Wilcox for two seasons at Tennessee, starting as a graduate assistant working with the Vols’ safeties during their 2010 Music City Bowl campaign before being promoted to linebackers coach in 2011.

Sirmon also spent one season as a graduate assistant at Oregon in 2009 when the Ducks won a Pac-10 title and played in the Rose Bowl after getting into the coaching business as the linebackers coach at Central Washington in 2008 for a team that finished 10-2 overall and reached the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Sirmon played seven NFL seasons as a linebacker with the Tennessee Titans from 2000-06, participating in 81 games with 54 starts and registering 343 career tackles while adding four interceptions including one that he returned for a touchdown. Tennessee won two divisional titles (2000 AFC Central, 2002 AFC South) before picking a third playoff appearance during his tenure in 2003. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Sirmon, who received his bachelor's degree in political science from Oregon in 1999, was a starter in all four of his collegiate seasons (1996-99) and selected to the Senior Bowl after his 1999 senior campaign. He helped the Ducks to winning campaigns in each of those seasons and three bowl games (1997 Las Vegas Bowl, 1998 Aloha Bowl, 1999 Sun Bowl). A four-year collegiate teammate of Wilcox and a first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a 1999 senior, Sirmon was the Ducks' leading tackler during his sophomore and senior seasons.

Sirmon and his wife, Lindsay, have four children – son Jackson, who played six seasons of college football at Washington (2018-21) and Cal (2022-23) and is now an NFL hopeful who played in the 2023 Senior Bowl; and daughters Austyn, Savanna and Sadie.

Peter Sirmon File
Birthdate: February 18, 1977
Hometown: Walla Walla, WA
High School: Walla Walla HS
College: Oregon, 1999, Bachelor’s in Political Science
Family: Wife, Lindsay; Son, Jackson; Daughters, Austyn, Savanna, Sadie
Pronunciation: Sermon

Peter Sirmon Coaching History
Season: Team – Position (Champions, Postseason)
**2008: Central Washington (NCAA Division II) – Linebackers (NCAA Division II Playoffs)
2009: Oregon – Graduate Assistant (Pac-12 Champions, Rose Bowl)
2010: Tennessee – Graduate Assistant, Safeties (Music City Bowl)
2011: Tennessee – Linebackers
2012: Washington – Linebackers (Las Vegas Bowl)
2013: Washington – Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
**2014: USC – Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (Holiday Bowl)
**2015: USC – Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (Pac-12 South Division Champions, Holiday Bowl)
2016: Mississippi State – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (St. Petersburg Bowl)
2017: Louisville – Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers (TaxSlayer Bowl)
2018: California – Associate Head Coach/Inside Linebackers (Cheez-It Bowl)
2019: California – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator (Redbox Bowl)
2020: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
2021: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
2022: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
2023: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers (Independence Bowl)
2024: California – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers

Last Updated
July 21, 2024