|
|
The Browns introduced their new offensive coordinator to the media Monday, then explained the new offensive philosophy.
What does Butch Davis want from his offense now that Terry Robiskie has replaced
Bruce Arians as coordinator?
"I want to have an offense that has an identity," Davis said. "This is who we are. They can take it to the bank every single Sunday. For 16 weeks, when the Cleveland Browns run through that tunnel, this is what we're all about. I want to have an identity that we know these are things we can execute week in and week out. These are things that we can do efficiently." Tickets
He continued.
"I am not the reincarnation of Knute Rockne. We're not getting in the single
wing. I think it's evidenced by every place that I've ever coached -- from the
University of Miami as an assistant to the Dallas Cowboys and the Super Bowls
we won there and the University of Miami -- you wouldn't know the identity that
we had. Were we a passing team? I want a balanced football team, but I want
a physical football team and one that if we have to run the ball we can run
the ball when we want to if we have to. I want an identity."
He then said he wanted growth from the team's tight ends.
Which certainly identifies the team's future offense.
Robiskie said he wants a "tough" offense, and he wants to run the
ball.
He said he runs an offense based on three principles: Run the ball, don't turn
it over and protect the quarterback.
He said he and Davis will evaluate quarterbacks Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb.
"We'll see how it plays out," Robiskie said when asked who would start.
He said he'd like to add a fullback "if we can find one."
Asked if it was a challenge to lead an offense not knowing the quarterback,
running back and offensive line, Robiskie said: "Every day is a challenge."
And he hinted that perhaps in the past few years the Browns gave up too quickly
on the running game because they got caught up in the ability -- real and perceived
-- of the team's receivers.
Davis said a decision on the team's quarterback will wait a couple of weeks
-- until the offensive coaching staff is complete.
The Browns took a step toward that Monday when they announced the hiring of
Rob Chudzinski as tight ends coach. Chudzinski, who grew up in Toledo rooting
for the Kardiac Kids, played for the University of Miami from 1986-90 when Davis
was an assistant coach, and was Hurricanes offensive coordinator the past three
years.
Steve Hagen moves from tight ends to quarterback coach. Hagen was offensive
coordinator at Cal and has coached quarterbacks at San Jose State, UNLV, Nevada-Reno
and, in 1991, Kent State.
The news conference concluded with more questions about the offensive identity
Davis seeks.
He said he wants the team to have "four, five six runs that we can somewhat
hang our hat on that I don't care what front they're in, what blitz they've
got dialed up, that those guys can stick their feet in the ground, get their
hands in the mud, come off and hit somebody in the mouth. If we've got to throw,
here's the things that we know we can protect. We can get the ball off."
He said the Browns offense relied too much on the quarterback the past few years.
"No place have I ever coached before have you ever put such an enormous
burden on one particular guy to say, `You must win this game for us,' "
he said. "There's 10 guys in the huddle along with the quarterback. Give
them all a chance to be successful and include them all."
Davis said that sometimes happened in the previous three seasons "by circumstance"
-- meaning injuries affected what could be called.
"But sometimes you fall into the trap that you look around and say, `Who's
our most dynamic players? These guys have to get the ball all the time,' "
Davis said. "That's all fine and good but not in the midst of `We want
to win the game.' The No. 1 objective is to try to get 11 guys on offense trying
to win the game, not get hung up on statistics, who's running for this, who's
catching this, who's throwing this and all those types of things.
"The objective is to try to win the games. If you win it ugly you win it
ugly."