With the official announcement Tuesday of Mike Archer as defensive coordinator and Ron Caragher as running backs coach, Rich Brooks has now completed his first staff as boss of the Kentucky Wildcats.

The staff includes:

Mike Archer, defensive coordinator

Steve Brown, defensive backs

Ron Caragher, running backs

Paul Dunn, running game coordinator, offensive line

Michael Gray, defensive line

Ron Hudson, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks

Ron McBride, linebackers

Steve Ortmayer, assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, tight ends

Joker Phillips, recruiting coordinator, wide receivers

To say the least, Brooks’ staff is vastly experienced with nearly 200 seasons combined as a head or assistant coach in college and the NFL. Here is a breakdown:

Seasons as NFL head coach: 2 (Brooks)

Seasons as NFL assistant: 39 (Brooks 8, Archer 7, Brown 6, Gray 1, Ortmayer 17)

NFL playoff appearances as a coach: 15 (Brooks 1, Archer 4, Brown 2, Ortmayer 8).

Super Bowl appearances as a coach: 4 (Brooks 1, Brown 1, Ortmayer 2)

Super Bowl championships as a coach: 3 (Brown 1, Ortmayer 2)

Seasons as an NFL player: 10 (Brown 8, Phillips 2)

NFL playoff appearances as a player: 4 (Brown)

Seasons as college head coach: 35 (Brooks 18, Archer 4, McBride 13)

Seasons as collegiate assistant coach: 122 (Brooks 8, Archer 13, Caragher 7, Dunn 17, Gray 7, Hudson 30, McBride 21, Ortmayer 7, Phillips 12)

Bowl game appearances as a coach: 55 (Brooks 5, Archer 9, Caragher 5, Dunn 7, Gray 3, Hudson 18, Ortmayer 4, Phillips 4)

Mike Archer, a member of the Kentucky football staff from 1993-95, resigned his position with the Pittsburgh Steelers to become defensive coordinator at Kentucky.

Archer has been with Pittsburgh since 1996, spending seven seasons as the Steelers’ linebackers coach. He was instrumental in developing that group into one of the top units in the NFL. During his time with the Steelers, Jason Gildon and Levon Kirkland were two-time Pro Bowl selections; Chad Brown and Joey Porter were named to the Pro Bowl one year each; and Kendrell Bell was named National Football League Defensive Rookie of the Year. Pittsburgh led the NFL in rushing defense in 2002 and the Steelers won four divisional championships during Archer’s term with the team.

"With Mike Archer’s experience as head coach at LSU, an assistant coach in the SEC, and his previous experience at Kentucky, as well as his most recent work with the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is almost overwhelming to me that he would join our staff as defensive coordinator," Brooks said. "I’m thrilled with his exposure to different defenses and with his experience, he’ll be able to put together a defense that will suit the personnel we have."

Archer is a 20-year veteran of collegiate coaching and helped guide his teams to bowl games at every place he coached. He got his start at Miami (Fla.), his alma mater, as a graduate assistant, administrative assistant, and defensive backs coach from 1976-83. During his five seasons as a full-time assistant, the Hurricanes went 41-16 and won the 1983 national championship.

Archer moved to Louisiana State in 1984, coaching defensive backs that season and serving as defensive coordinator the next two years. In his three seasons as an LSU assistant, the Tigers were 26-8-2 and played in three bowl games.

Archer became the youngest Division I-A head coach in the nation in 1987 when he was named the head man of the Tigers. In four seasons, he led LSU to a 27-18-1 mark, going to two bowl games and winning the 1988 Southeastern Conference championship.

After leaving LSU, Archer coached linebackers for two seasons at Virginia, going to one bowl game. He was defensive coordinator at Kentucky from 1993-95. His ‘93 defense posted shutouts over Kent and Ole Miss and held two other opponents, Vanderbilt and East Carolina, without an offensive touchdown as the Wildcats advanced to the Peach Bowl.

"I’m looking forward to coaching in college again and I’m also eager to work with Coach Brooks," Archer said. "The opportunity to coach in the SEC, and the challenge that presents each and every week, is exciting to me, our coaches, and our players."

Archer and his wife, Barbara, have two children. A son, Jeff, is a sophomore pitcher on the Kentucky baseball team. A daughter, Betsy, plans to enroll in UK in the fall.

Ron Caragher (pronounced "CARE-ah-ger") has been on the UCLA staff the last nine years, including the last seven as coach of the Bruins’ wide receivers and kickers. He coached in five bowl games during his term, including the Aloha, Cotton, Rose, Sun, and Las Vegas bowls.

"I’m excited to add a young coach who has had great recruiting success at UCLA and is an outstanding coach as well," Brooks said. "He’s worked for (UCLA head coaches) Terry Donahue and Bob Toledo and he brings a vast knowledge of offensive football. He’s also worked with kickers and punters most of his career and can also help us in those areas."

Under Caragher’s direction, Danny Farmer became the school’s all-time leader in receiving yardage during the 1999 season. In 2000, Freddie Mitchell was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award while setting a school record with 1,494 receiving yards.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to work on Coach Brooks’ staff. I’ve always had great respect for Coach Brooks and his teams," Caragher said. "I’m equally excited to be a part of the University of Kentucky."