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McCoy expects a short respite

He'll take just 2 weeks off before getting back at it

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist

Published on Wednesday, Jan 05, 2011

Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy is ready for a break, but not a long one.

He said Monday that he planned to take about two weeks off, then would return to Berea. It will be the first break for the third-round pick from Texas since he suffered a stinger in last year's BCS title game against Alabama.

''It's been a long year,'' McCoy said. ''It started off with an injury and you don't get drafted where [you expected], then it's the preseason and no reps and then all of a sudden you're thrust in. To take a couple of weeks will be good, but my heart is here. My heart is committed here, and I can't imagine any other place I'd rather be, turning this thing around.''

McCoy threw six interceptions with just one touchdown pass in the final two games against the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers and presumably will start picking apart those performances.

Going 2-6 as a starter, he finished with a passer rating of 74.5 with six touchdowns and nine interceptions. His completion percentage of 60.8 was the lowest of the three quarterbacks, trailing Seneca Wallace (63.4) and Jake Delhomme (62.4). But the three, who all suffered high ankle sprains during the season, posted the highest percentages by a Browns starter since Charlie Frye's 64.1 in 2005.

''You can't ever lose your confidence in this league,'' McCoy said of his season overall. ''I learned a lot. I did a lot of great things. I did some dumb things. I made some mistakes that cost us a couple of times.

''I'll do exactly what [Browns President Mike] Holmgren challenged us to do, learn from them, figure out how can I turn these mistakes, this disappointment, these losses into something special. I think that's what character is all about. You take some disappointments, you take some down times and the way you respond to them really makes you who you are.''

McCoy said he challenged his offensive teammates to do the same.

''Whoever coaches us is not going to win games. It's us. It's 11 guys out there playing collectively and winning,'' McCoy said. ''I've got a lot of work to do. If you talk to me 10 years from now, I'll still have a lot of work to do. I'm constantly going to be a learner, and we're going to be winners.''

Offensive woes

Wallace spent six years under Holmgren with the Seattle Seahawks, where Holmgren coached for 10 years. Hurt against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 10, Wallace gave a hint of the frustration some of the offensive players felt this season.

''I'm not saying I felt like I was the one to lead this team, but it was just frustrating,'' Wallace said. ''It was my first time being injured, and I went through a lot of different things. With the talent I think we have on offense, I felt like sometimes we should score more points than what we did. It's hard to sit back and watch that.''

Wallace implied that it wasn't just the second consecutive 5-11 season that led to Holmgren's firing of coach Eric Mangini on Monday.

''I know it was hard for [Holmgren] to make the decision that he made, and it had nothing to do with the win-loss record,'' Wallace said.

The Browns practiced Wallace extensively in the Wildcat formation in training camp, and he thought that would be his regular role, perhaps paired with Joshua Cribbs in the backfield.

''I did what I had to do in the training camp and in the preseason and it comes down to the coach's decision . . . if he wanted to put me on the field at Wildcat,'' Wallace said. ''It was frustrating for me not to be able to help out as much as I could.''

Not done yet

Linebacker David Bowens, 33, said he's not ready to retire after 12 seasons in the NFL. Bowens, whose base salary is $1.65 million for 2011, said he eventually plans to coach.

''No, no, no, we don't say the 'R' word,'' Bowens said. ''The letter 'R' means recreation right now. I think I can still go. I will coach sooner or later, but later than sooner.''

Delhomme, who turns 36 Monday, also still wants to play and hopes it's with the Browns. His base salary for next season is $5.4 million.

''I play because I enjoy it. I like to compete, it's fun,'' Delhomme said. ''If you'd asked me a year ago today if I would have been in Cleveland, I would have laughed at you. So we don't know what's going to happen.

''I enjoyed myself, I enjoyed the team, I enjoyed being a part of it, I enjoyed the passion of these people here. You want to be part of helping turn something around. I certainly would like to be a part of that.''

Delhomme, hurt in the opener and again against the Falcons, said his immediate goal was to ''kind of get healthy.''

Another mission

Holmgren's daughter Calla, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Salt Lake City, leaves Sunday on a mission trip to Haiti.

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'' Delhomme, who turns 36 Monday, also still wants to play and hopes it's with the Browns. His base salary for next season is $5.4 million. ''

God I hope not

love the kid's work ethic.

hope all that study brings results....

How can you not love and root like hell for McCoy?

What Wallace implied is telling.. not sure how much he KNOWS and how much he speculates but it is interesting.. sounds like behind the scenes some players were also not happy with the way the offense was being run...

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Holmgren's daughter Calla, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Salt Lake City, leaves Sunday on a mission trip to Haiti.

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Outstanding...

This is the reason I think we'll pass on Mallett or Gabbert in the draft (agree or disagree).

I think Holmgren likes McCoy a lot and likes his work ethic. He's going to give him a chance to be "the guy."

I think he should take off at least until there's a new coach. Not sure how much he can learn hanging around and working out. Rest up, heal up, no reason to risk further injury or get burned out.

Taking 4 weeks of vacation instead of 2 is a huge difference.

Preparing for 24 weeks instead of 26 isn't that big of a difference... especially if your preparer isn't around for the couple weeks you "miss."

I'll be the first to admit, I wasn't high on the Mccoy pick. (Third round was ok.) But I commend the kid on his efforts. I hope it pays off in the form of wins for this franchise.

I can see where you're coming from, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of NFL guys prep year round. Doesn't have to be "intense" prep, but they have to keep up with it in order to just stay competitive.

I will say that I remember reading a couple years ago how rookies struggle in their first season because they never get a break. It's football season, then combine prep, then draft prep, then draft, then rookie camps, then training camp, then season. You can imagine how much their heads are spinning.

Now, he can come in and take things at his own pace.

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Not sure how much he can learn hanging around and working out. Rest up, heal up, no reason to risk further injury or get burned out.

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He can learn a lot about what he did right and wrong last year watching film with MH...

While I agree with you and arch in concept on this one... I doubt Holmgren wants to be distracted with this right now. He's got bigger fish to fry. That went in to why I think "after the coach is hired" was appropriate.

LOL.. I was going to say, "Great, now we will end up with Mack Brown as our HC"...

Gotta love the kid.....

Wallace sounds to me like he's to Holmgren what Andre King was to Butch Davis.

Colt needs to hit the gym as much as he needs the film room. He must get bigger and stronger. Frankly he hit the proverbial rookie wall after his injury. Right system this kid can be something special. Give him some speedy hands receivers.

Wallace go cry to someone who gives a damn. Every time i hear a word from this clown, he is pouting and then trying to make everyone think he knows some big freaking secret because he has ties to Holmgren.

Bowens is class act. This team is better with Bowens but he is a situational role player and we need starters.

McCoy needs to call buddy Drew Brees (both from central TX) and find out how he was able to improve his arm strength. Hopefully, it does not involve tearing apart his shoulder.

I just hope we can get a coach that will develop Colt. He might be the guy, but I'm not sold on that yet. I love his attitude but BQ said all the right things too.

I absolutely do not want to take another QB this year... or next if possible.

I'm not so sure it's an arm strength thing as much as a timing thing. Hard to throw deep when you never know where your recievers will be.

All things the same, I'll take McCoy every Sunday.

Quinn held out, and that got him off on the wrong foot. I desparately wanted him to succeed, but he didn't show anywhere near the character CM does, comparatively based on that.

Perhaps the wrong way to look at it, I know. But BQ isn't here anymore, so I don't worry about it.

2 weeks off!
What a slacker.
I hate to say this,and put a jinx on him,but I'm warming up to the kid.
I don't believe spending a coupla hours a day in the wieghtroom ever hurt anyone.

Hopefully he'll put a little more zip on his fastball (I know he won't dramatically improve in that regard, but a couple extra MPH would be nice), do some more tape learnin' and go into 2011 training camp as the unquestioned #1 QB, with a year of NFL action (eight games, yes) under his belt.

It's a little troubling that McCoy seemed to take a downturn as DC's got more and more film on him. I'd love to throw some weapons around him to work with next season after he has an (almost) full season and offseason to work on his game.

Hopefully, he can step forward and be what we need him to be. Alternatively, maybe Luck stays away for a year and we can make a run at him next year if Colt takes a dump.

Good point,...that other teams' DC's knew we didn't have anything else went a long way in that regard.

Colt would probably agree with you

Not for nothing, but Colts been a winner every step of the way,. he's got a winners mentality and work ethic.. not unlike Tim Tebow..

So if nothing else, that's working in his favor...

Watching our receivers this year reminded me of an old Andrew dice clay joke. Three blind mice ha! ha! ha! where the *bleep* are they going?

Colt McBoy is gonna be a man, THE man. I love what I read, and I liked what I saw this season. Two weeks off? Some players do that during the season! LOLetc. Hope he works out with Hillis . . . .

Slightly off-topic, but I'm not sure this deserves its own thread (refs, feel free to disagree and correct)

http://www.nfl.com/videos/cleveland-browns/09000d5d81d803c7/Sound-FX-The-real-McCoy

McCoy was mic'd up for that last game. Man, he took a beating. He obviously got real flustered (that conversation with JD while sitting on the coolers probably shouldn't have made the final cut). Not super substantive, but interesting nonetheless.

Interesting.... Thanks