DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum After 2009, Re-energized Brian Daboll is optimistic ..

Good interview with the OC.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/06/after_a_brutal_2009_a_re-energ.html

After a brutal 2009, a re-energized Brian Daboll is 'optimistic, excited' to lead Cleveland Browns' revamped offense
By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer
June 05, 2010, 11:01PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Being named offensive coordinator of the Browns last season at the age of 34 was a career dream of Brian Daboll's. It turned into a nightmare as the team struggled through one of its worst seasons in history.

A pair of psyched-out quarterbacks, a leaky offensive line, rookie receivers, and a feature running back who quit combined to make the offense harder to watch than in the franchise's expansion season of 1999. It was the first Browns team to lose 11 of its first 12 games.

The job was consuming Daboll, the second-youngest assistant coach on Eric Mangini's staff. He'd pore over film until 2 or 3 in the morning with Whoppers and soft drinks. He slept little and exercised less. Daboll, who is about 5-10, ballooned to nearly 250 pounds.

But the team turned around late and won its last four games. Daboll's personal turnaround continued in the off-season. He lost 65 pounds by eating better and exercising more.

Embarking on his second season, with new quarterbacks and running backs and a more confident receiver group, Daboll is hoping the offense, like himself, will be a shadow of its former self.

Daboll recently sat down for an in-depth look back and ahead. Excerpts of the interview follow.

• Until they won their last four games, the Browns' lone win was a 6-3 decision in Buffalo in which Derek Anderson completed two of 17 passes. Horrendous numbers on offense and plenty of losses made it Daboll's toughest season in 10 NFL years.

Daboll: "It was terrible. There's been very few places that I've been where I've lost. I'm used to winning. But you're taking over a whole new culture. You're giving it all you've got and you're not getting it done. Things aren't going great. That was one of the most difficult things -- to come in each week and you have to have something else ready for the guys.

"When you're 1-11, nothing's rosy. Everything [stinks]. You feel terrible yourself, you feel terrible for the players, you feel terrible for the community. But the thing I was so proud of these guys for -- first half of the season, was just [really bad] -- we got to the bye week and we did a good job sitting down [and changing]. I wish you could throw away the first half, but we would be in the top 10 in a couple categories, points included, after the bye. We went from 9.8 ppg to 21 ppg or something. When guys start seeing improvement, they start grabbing on a little bit more.

"The one thing that was not different and won't be different -- three things I won't change -- my preparation, my passion for this game, and my work ethic."

• Anderson and Brady Quinn combined for one of the worst years of quarterbacking in Browns history. They completed 49.5 percent of their throws, for 11 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Their combined passer rating of 56.7 was almost 25 points below the league average.

Daboll: "A lot of things go into games, go into the season. Turnovers, that's first. I know we went from three turnovers a game the first half of the season to less than one turnover a game. The last eight, we didn't throw it as much, we ran the [heck] out of it, ballcarriers did a great job of protecting the football and the decisions the quarterbacks had to make were a little bit less.

"I don't know what they [the quarterbacks] did before. There were things they did well and there were things that weren't so good. I don't want to get too much into those guys. I hope you can respect that. I think there's a lot of factors -- 1. new system, 2. they're in with a lot of young guys, receivers, 3. pass protection early wasn't great, 4. we didn't run the ball really well."

• After Mike Holmgren arrived as president in December, he said no team can win consistently the way the Browns did over their last four games.

Daboll: "No question. We did what we needed to do to win those games. I said, 'Look, I don't know how it's going to go, but I'm going to run the [heck] out of the ball.' As we went on, there became an identity. 'We're the tough guys.' Forget about the record. We had some good schemes for them, but that's no secret you've got to be able to throw the ball."

• Holmgren also said the quarterback is the most important person in the franchise, that the franchise doesn't get to the Super Bowl without having "the guy."

Daboll: "I agree. Wholeheartedly. My first meeting with those guys, I said, 'The most important person in this franchise, men, are you.' Bill [Belichick] always used to say in order to be really good in this league, you've got to run it when they know you're going to run it, you have to throw it when they know you're going to throw it. Third down and 8. They know it's coming, you know it's coming. You've got to be able to get open, throw it and catch it, in order to win. In a four-minute drive to close out a game, you've got to run it. They know you're going to run it. You've got to run it. Being able to do both those things when they know you've got to do it."

• As Holmgren deliberated the fate of Mangini, his coaching staff fretted about losing their jobs. It was a nerve-racking few days.

Daboll: "Yeah, it was. I'll be honest. You didn't know. The one thing I'm confident about, though, is despite the record, I know the things I've learned from the guys I've worked for have been really good.

"I've tried to take bits and pieces from all these guys to become who I am. I'm a good football coach. I teach well. And I do a good job in terms of dealing with these players. So I gave it everything I could give. When they brought us back, it was like having another kid. It was awesome. You know you give everything you can give and you hope it's enough. He said, 'I'm really impressed with what you guys did at the end of the year. You guys coached them up great, kept them together. They fought their [butts] off. And we're gonna keep you.'"

• Holmgren casts a huge shadow over the franchise. Everyone calls him coach. Daboll is running the offense under the auspices of not only Holmgren, but also Gil Haskell, Holmgren's longtime friend and offensive coordinator with the Packers and Seahawks.

Daboll: "Honestly, I don't feel any pressure. I'm very confident. And what's good is, he's here as a great resource. It's like learning from the best. How can you not be excited about that? It's awesome. He's a great man, great personality, very approachable. And he wants to win. It's great to go up to him and ask him anything I want to ask him. I feel very optimistic, encouraged, energized.

"I think he's going to come in on Mondays and say 'Great job, good win.' Really, working for the guys I've worked for in the past, you get that on Monday regardless of where you're at. The guy that's the main guy in charge, it's his responsibility to do that. Hopefully he'll come in and say, 'good job, nice play right there.'"

• The perception is that Holmgren, through Haskell's tutelage, is introducing elements of the West Coast offense.

Daboll: "[The interaction with Haskell] has been good, the same type of thing. I know he's Mike's good friend and trusted adviser, but it's just another resource in the building. It's going to be the Cleveland Browns offense. Are there certain plays that we have implemented that we didn't run last year? Yes. Have I run those plays before? Yes. But it's not going to be something dramatic because there's a lot of plays that he's run that we've also run."

• Much time in off-season practices has been devoted to developing the passing game and also incorporating special Wildcat packages designed with quarterback Seneca Wallace and utility player Josh Cribbs on the field together.

Daboll: "I think we have two good players that can do a lot of different things. The Wildcat is just a package of plays that you have in your offense. The one good thing about Seneca -- those two guys have a pretty good thing going -- you can run normal things, too. It'll be definitely an element. Now, one week it may be more and other weeks it might not be as good an idea. We've tinkered with a lot of things out there.

"If you've got the right people, I think you use it. I don't think you're going to morph into I-A football where you're spreading people out."

• A unique challenge for Mangini and Daboll will be to acclimate three new quarterbacks -- Jake Delhomme, Wallace and rookie Colt McCoy -- and get the starter prepared to open the regular season.

Daboll: "For Jake, what's great is a lot of the terminology he's had is almost identical. Seneca, I just make up a chart for him and transfer the information and he's done a great job. Colt's smart as [heck]. I think it depends on the guys you have. I think Eric will have an outstanding plan for that when we get to it."

• In organized team activities, the receiving corps -- second-year players Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie; Chansi Stuckey, who arrived in the middle of last year; and Cribbs, who's more attuned than ever to the position -- has been a source of optimism. Delhomme has consistently has been putting the ball on the mark. Despite external skepticism, the club has no immediate plans to add a veteran receiver.

Daboll: "I feel very comfortable with the guys that we have because I've seen them for the last four months. I've seen how they've grown. I've dealt with two young guys with New England, David Givens and Deion Branch, and I watched their growth [their second years]."

"Brian has made some really good plays. He's a professional kid. He's doing little things [on routes] he didn't do last year. Little nuances are showing up every day. And I can move those two young guys around, Brian and Mohamed. It's easy now to say, go play a spot and they can just do it.

"Mohamed ... little things like leaning on the [defensive back], coming back to the football ... a year of playing ... things are coming naturally to him now that were [in the] thinking process last year. Then you have a guy like Chansi. He's a slot guy. He had a few dropped balls last year but he came in in the middle and he's a really smart guy and has good hands. He has a real good sense inside. And he's had a year, too, which was different from coming in from New York. He's made some real good plays in this camp.

"Those three guys and you have Josh. He's really bought into receiver now.

"These guys have come together. They've played for one another. If we want to get another guy, we'll get another guy. But I'm very pleased with the guys that have been here -- the two young guys, Stuck and Cribbsy."

• The Browns have run nine practices and have seven more to go before they break for a month leading up to training camp. Delhomme's pinpoint passing, the development of the receivers, the addition of tight end Benjamin Watson and the impressive maturation of rookie running back Montario Hardesty have Daboll enthused.

Daboll: "I can't tell you what it's going to be [for the season]. I can say this, I'm very very optimistic, I'm excited. You get beat down. You had some light at the end of the tunnel last year. The chemistry has been really good. I think it starts with No. 17 [Delhomme]. I'm very optimistic."

Quote:

---

The chemistry has been really good. I think it starts with No. 17 [Delhomme]. I'm very optimistic."

---

A veteran QB who is the leader of your team is a priceless commodity, and something this team has lacked for years.

Here's an interesting stat in Delhomme:

For his career, in games where he's thrown the ball 30+ times .... he's 5-19.

I think the keys are to keep him upright ... keep him clean ..... and limit his throws to about 25 per game. If we can do that, we have a shot at being successful.

Quote:

---

I think the keys are to keep him upright ... keep him clean ..... and limit his throws to about 25 per game. If we can do that, we have a shot at being successful.

---

I agree 100%, but i also think that can be said for 95% of NFL QB's...

Go look up his QB rating split on passed 31+, it's all over the map.. one year his rating is 58, the next year its 110, the next its 30, the next its 70 and the next its 125...

As far as your stat goes, the Panthers have always been a running team, that prided itself on ball control and defense so it only makes sense that when they were throwing the ball 30+ times, it wasn't by design, it was out of desperation.

General reply:

Daboll and Delhomme =worst starting QB in the NFL with the worst OC in the NFL. atleast we are consistent we have the worst group of receivers as well.

just clicking.
Thought this would best go here.... Vickers is at OTA today.

Quote:

---

He’s back!


Browns fullback Lawrence Vickers signed a waiver and is participating in his first practice during the Organized Team Activities at the team’s Berea training facility before this weekend’s mandatory three-day mini-camp.


The Browns could not be happier to have him back in uniform.


“This is Lawrence’s first day back. It’s good to see him,” said Browns coach Eric Mangini. “I thought he played really well, especially that last part of the season. He really grew in the system and was a big reason why we ran the ball so well at the end of the season.”

---

I heard that Elam is expected back soon as well leaving only Roth, DQ and Dawson as hold outs.

Just to piggyback:

Vickers suits up, three still out

Jun 7th, 2010 @ 10:24 am by Steve Doerschuk

Fullback Lawrence Vickers signed a waiver to participate in spring practice. Like Jerome Harrison, he has decided to work out with the team even though he is an unsigned restricted free agent..
Three restricted free agents, Matt Roth, D’Qwell Jackson and Abe Elam, still aren’t practicing.
Mangini doesn’t have an idea as to whether the three guys still missing will attend this weekend’s minicamp. They have until June 15 to accept the Browns’ contract tender.
This is the first day Vickers will be on the field.
“It’s good to see him,” Mangini said. “I thought he played really well (in 2009), especially in the latter part of the season.
“He was a big part of why we ran so successfully.”
• • •
Mangini said nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin was the spring practice “defensive player of the week.” Nose tackle Shaun Rogers hasn’t been practicing.
Rubin emerged last season, and his continued growth will allow Rogers to play more at end — if Rogers overcomes physical and legal issues.
• • •
Mangini said Colt McCoy has picked up the system as well as any incoming NFL quarterback he has been around.
This isn’t the first time Mangini has broken in a rookie drafted fairly high but not in the first round. He was a first-year head coach with the Jets when Kellen Clemens was a Round 2 pick in 2006.
McCoy is undergoing culture shock, taking very few reps after being a main man at a major college for four years.
Mangini said McCoy is investing heavily in “mental reps.” He said offensive coordinator Brian Daboll “probably talks to Colt more than he talks to his wife.”
• • •
Third-round pick Shaun Lauvao is on course to compete for the starting right guard job, it seems.
“”I’ve been pleased with his development,” Mangini said.
You might have wondered how this rookie pronounces his name.
Mangini said, “I pronounce it Shawn.”

link

Thanks for the update lamp.

Great to hear Vickers participating now, he must be reading the reports coming out of OTA's like the rest of us .

We just need to get Roth in there, not worried about Dawson and could care less about DQ.

He's always had a sense of humor, the reporter's just never really let it show - you had to watch the presser's yourself to see it. That, and once we got into the season, there wasn't much to laugh about.


Nice to see Lauvao coming along. We actually drafted a Guard - and he seems to be working out for us! We should have a pretty nice line this season

I wish they'd stop reporting on McCoy. I don't want to hear about him because I don't want to see him at all this season unless it is complete garbage time.

Very nice to see Vickers is in town and practicing... I understand the contract concerns, but doing the footwork going into camps is very, very important.


Rubin - I knew this kid was the real deal the first time I saw him at Training Camp. He just didn't give up ground.

Some very nice, candid quotes from DaBoll. I never had anything against him except his results. If the results are better, so are my thoughts on him

Yeah, I like hearing that a drafted guard is picking things up.. Glad to have Vickers back.. I wonder if he heard the footsteps?

Quote:

---

I wish they'd stop reporting on McCoy. I don't want to hear about him because I don't want to see him at all this season unless it is complete garbage time.

---

I hear ya Purp,, But at least they aren't making him out to be the Next Big Thing.. in fact, What they are reporting is pretty low key.. IMO, that's pretty smart...

j/c

Who drafted Rubin?

I honestly don't remember and am too lazy to figure it out.

Thanks.

I think it was Savage....

Yes, it was Savage.

6th round pick in 2008..

Vickers back with the team

This is great news. I like Hillis but Vickers is a great blocker and I think a better FB candidate on runs for Hardisty/Harrison.

Dilfer was never as good as Jake at his peak, IMO. Garcia was stuck in the offense for his skills. Dilfer lost his job to Frye, that says it all for me.

Following the team for years it is impossible to not notice the complete failure the QB position has been for years.

Delhomme got a lot to prove though. And while I like him, it will be hard to not hate him if he goes sour. He's done it already, so all I have is blind hope that he plays like he has in the past.I don't think this offense at this particular point is going to put a lot of pressure on whoever is at QB. That being said, it is a good offense to shine in. If he can hit the deep ball accuatrely, and throw a screen effectively, he will be twice as good as what was here last year.

The Browns offense can only go up.
With that said,its still missing too many companents to put consistant points on the board.
No real gamebreakers at WR.....A TE that is past his prime...Belichek knows when its a players time.
Still questions linger at RB......
Jake Delhomme couldn't thrive with 2-1000 yd RB's....when Moore took over the offense hummed in Carolina.
How players on the Browns offense could start for other AFC North teams other than Thomas,Steinbach and maybe Mack?

Quote:

---

How players on the Browns offense could start for other AFC North teams other than Thomas,Steinbach and maybe Mack?

---

Any of our RB's (fullbacks included).
Ben Watson.
MoMass could absolutely start on at least one of the other teams, even if it was only as a #2.
Evan Moore might be able to as well.
Pashos.
DEFINITELY Mack.

Hmm.... almost our entire offense, it seems.

Sorry Jerome Harrison or Montraio Hardesty could not put Ray Rice,Rashad Mendenhall or even Cedric Benson on the bench.
Those RB's are 1,000 yd rushers.
Tony Pashos is a journeyman RT. He's not even as good as Dennis Roland of the Bengals.
Mo Massaquoi......Mike Wallace had less drops and made more plays and caught a higher % of passes thrown to him...Massaquoi caught the least amount of balls thrown his way which lead the NFL..39.1.
He couldn't start over Antonio Bryant or Mark Clayton.
Ben Watson.....over Heath Miller..okay..whatever......Todd Heap...never..
theres a reason why Watson was let go.....
I'd even say Jermaine Gresham will be more productive and make more plays downfield....
but as usual the Browns have the worst QB in the AFC North..which has been ongoing since 1999

I firmly believe that Hardesty & Harrison are going to surprise a lot of folks. Ced Benson, he's not that big of a deal. Rice is something to be afraid of, but so is Harrison. Mendenhall - I see Hardesty being very much the same as him.

Pashos - I'd take him in a heartbeat over anyone on the Bengals. Who the heck do the Ravens even have at RT?

MoMass would start right now on the Steelers.
Ben Watson: Heap and Miller? No. He'd give anyone on the Bengals a run for their money.

Raven have two pro bowl caliper tackles, Oher and Gaither.

I saw articles stating that Gaither was resigned, but I didn't see him listed on their roster.

::does more searching, he JUST signed his tender yesterday --- and is a no-show today::

Here PPE..maybe this will help you...Tony Pashos is in the long line of revolving Browns RT's.
You state you'd take him over anyone over the Ravens or Bengals..yet Pashos played in only 5 weeks of the season for the Niners.....I mean how often did you watch him play?
So now because he's a Brown,he's a elite RT in the AFC North?
Cmon according to ProFootball Focus...He's not even in the top 70 OT's....
Heres the AFC RT's which are graded extensively.

6. Gaither
21. A.Collins
25.M.Starks
43.D.Roland

If Pashos was all that..how the come the Niners let him walk?

Massaqoui over Mike Wallace..based on what? Orange Sunglasses.....

THere is a basic flaw in everyones thinking..

Just because a player wasn't an All Pro Last year, doesn't mean he will not be next year.

The same is true in reverse.

It's 1000% assumption that a player will either be as good as, better than or worse than he was last year....

But let's look at a few things as they could/should be.

MoMass for instance. He wasn't horrible last year considering he had no QB of great value. couple that with Rookie mistakes and you have MoMass.

If Delhomme or whoever can actually get the ball to him coupled with being over the rookie jitters,, he should improve. There is NO EVIDENCE that he will be worse or even the same.. there is reason to believe he'll improve.

Same could be said for Harrison, Robo, Mack and to some extent, Davis.

We have some changes going on on Offense that could (with reasonable QB play) pose some serious problems for the opposing Defense.

I'm sure someone will say that the statements above are nothing more than assumptions on my part.. That would be correct. Assumptions.. aren't they grand.

Oh, mine aren't any more or less valid than anyone elses.. Just thought I'd clue you in a bit

Quote:

---

Massaqoui over Mike Wallace..based on what? Orange Sunglasses.....

---

I'm curious about this one.. why not?

Mo Mass had 34 catches for 624 yards, 18.4 ypc, 3 TDs...
Wallace had 39 catches for 756 yards, 19.4 ypc, 6 TDs...

Pretty decent numbers for a rookie WR for both of them.. only one had Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, and Heath Miller to draw attention and the other had nobody to draw attention...

One of them had a 2 time super bowl winning QB throwing the ball, the other one had... well we know who he had...

So I'm curious, why are you so sure that Wallace is better when they have both only played one season under VASTLY different circumstances? I seriously doubt Wallace would have put up numbers any better than MoMass if he had played for the Browns..

Because he's not a Brown, so therefore he is better than what we have

Massaquoi had 87 passes thrown his way.....caught 39%
Wallace had 71 and caught 54%

numbers don't lie