Well, with the firing of George Kokinis, and an incredibly busy schedule from yours truly, we thought it would be great for a 2nd Browns fan testimony from RSS right hand man Brother Yohey. As a shameless self-promotion, if you have time tomorrow, check out our broadcasts of D3 sports here. Between you and me, the OWU/Earlham football game at 1 won't shape up as an all-time classic, but the North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Final between #1 in the nation Ohio Wesleyan and archrival Denison should be a classic. Speaking of classics... about those Browns...
And admit that the waters Around you have grown
And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
The Times They Are A Changin’, Bob Dylan
Eric Mangini better morph himself into Mark Spitz if he wishes to not get swept away in this tidal wave of destruction he has created. The blame is being put on Mangini, and most assuredly, there will be a new HC in Cleveland next season, AGAIN! However, I don’t think that it will all be solved by hiring a new head coach; to me, the greatest problem facing the Browns in the past and currently is a lack of focus and success in the hiring of their offensive and defensive coordinators. Allow me to run down the past Browns head coaches since 1999 and their coordinators:
Chris Palmer: Frank Conti, Bob Slowik, Romeo Crennel Butch Davis: Bruce Arians, Foge Fazio, Terry Robiskie, Dave Campo
Romeo Crennel: Maurice Carthon, Jeff Davidson, Rob Chudzinski, Todd Grantham, Mel Tucker
Eric Mangini: Brian Daboll, Rob Ryan
Study that list for a second. The only reputable coordinators this team has had since returning to the league is the current defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan. Palmer, the offensive/QB genius, had little offensive success, as did his coordinators, although I didn’t think his firing after 2 seasons was justified, but I digress. Frank Conti and Bob Slowik were guys who had seen various offensive and defensive systems through their coaching careers and it was thought they would take the best parts and mold a system of success for Cleveland, at least that is what Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark believed. Two years later, both were out the door.
Bruce Arians didn’t seem to get his head out of his rear until he got to Pittsburgh to work with Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger. Foge Fazio played prevent defense too early against Pittsburgh in the Browns most recent playoff appearance and blew that game (still boils my blood). The Butch Davis long-time confidant was not able to come up with a good reason for the stale defensive performance in the final moments of that game and was similarily run out of town. Terry Robiskie was never up to the task of being a coordinator after being a career WR coach and Dave Campo had already been neutered after his dreadful tenure with the Cowboys.
Romeo Crennel: Maurice Carthon, Jeff Davidson, Rob Chudzinski, Todd Grantham, Mel Tucker
Eric Mangini: Brian Daboll, Rob Ryan
Study that list for a second. The only reputable coordinators this team has had since returning to the league is the current defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan. Palmer, the offensive/QB genius, had little offensive success, as did his coordinators, although I didn’t think his firing after 2 seasons was justified, but I digress. Frank Conti and Bob Slowik were guys who had seen various offensive and defensive systems through their coaching careers and it was thought they would take the best parts and mold a system of success for Cleveland, at least that is what Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark believed. Two years later, both were out the door.
Bruce Arians didn’t seem to get his head out of his rear until he got to Pittsburgh to work with Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger. Foge Fazio played prevent defense too early against Pittsburgh in the Browns most recent playoff appearance and blew that game (still boils my blood). The Butch Davis long-time confidant was not able to come up with a good reason for the stale defensive performance in the final moments of that game and was similarily run out of town. Terry Robiskie was never up to the task of being a coordinator after being a career WR coach and Dave Campo had already been neutered after his dreadful tenure with the Cowboys.
Crennel probably had the absolute WORST choices for coordinators. Stevie Wonder could run a better offense than Maurice Carthon, who couldn’t translate his mediocre success as an NFL running back to offensive play-calling greatness. Jeff Davidson was seen as a needed spark of offensive “genius”, but he similarly proved clueless in what he was doing. Chudzinski was hired based on his “accomplishments” working with tight ends in San Diego and Cleveland by taking reigns of the Cleveland offense in 2007. Although the success in 2007 was more than I could have hoped for after the Pittsburgh debacle in Week 1, Chud’s honeymoon came down to earth by the end of the 2008 season, when he proved that he didn’t think defenses would adapt to his scheme, therefore the 4-12 record in 2008. Todd Grantham was fiery and aggressive, but he butted heads with the locker room and never really showed much success with the defense. His resume in Houston before the Cleveland job was not shining with accomplishment. The 10-6 record in 2007 was more of a reflection to the offense rather than the defense (see Arizona game). Mel Tucker was not able to transition from coaching up the defensive backs in Cleveland to running the defense. He developed Leigh Bodden, but that ended up being the only good thing that developed out of his Cleveland residency.
Now for the present: Brian Daboll is probably the most unqualified offensive coordinator that I have ever seen. I won’t delve into great detail, but this stat by Josh Cribbs, 5.7 yards per carry when running the Flash [NOT WILDCAT] package, would incline one to think, “hmm.. maybe we need to run this more.” Not Daboll; I wish he was accompanying Kokinis out of Berea earlier this week, but it was not to be. Daboll was just another Jet that Mangini brought over with him to Cleveland to play a greater role in the offense. This time, instead of working with the QB’s, he would run the entire offense. Although Brett Favre had some success in New York last season under Daboli, it seems that Daboll had nothing to do with it, as Mangini may have thought. The only name in this putred pile I have no qualms about is Rob Ryan, so far.His flowing gray locks, mangy facial hair and prominent gut have melted my heart; along with his defensive calls. He gets after people, brings the hammer.Last week his defense came close to turning Jay Cutler’s face into raw meat and bones. Too bad he can’t recharge the defense that is on the field for around 2/3 of every game. When he gets a good offense to match his defense, PLAYOFFS!! So when it comes to getting a new coach, I don’t feel there is any correct route to go, hot coordinator or experienced coach. McDaniels is successful in Denver because he calls his own plays and has Mike Nolan to run the defense, an experienced coordinator. John Harbaugh had Cam Cameron to run his offense and with Baltimore’s defense, I could coordinate them. So no matter who the Browns hire, an experienced head coach, or young coordinator, they need to hire legitimate NFL coordinators. Someone who has called plays before and knows how to adapt. If not, owner Randy Lerner better start to build an Ark, because the water level will rise once again in Berea, and the Cuyahoga may burn again.
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