Rob Chudzinski said he slept about one hour on Thursday night after being named the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns. The bags under his eyes confirmed the story.
At his introductory press conference Friday, the former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator could hardly believe his good fortune. He grew up a Browns fan, turning his television around to face outside so he could watch games in the snow with his brother, like they were at the Dawg Pound.
"I have to admit, I might have eaten a dog biscuit or two in my day," Chudzinski said.
The press conference was short on specifics, but you couldn't help but be happy watching a man so clearly finding the job he always wanted. He will be a popular hire in Cleveland, at least until Week 1. Here's what we took away from the press conference:
- Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is always impressive speaking publicly, insisted the team did not have a "clear cut favorite" when they started their coaching search. Their aggressive failure to land Oregon coach Chip Kelly says otherwise.
- Chudzinski will work with Haslam and CEO Joe Banner to find a personnel man. The coach and front office hire will work together on the team's roster. Who has "final say" remains unclear.
- Chudzinski didn't give anything away about his prospective staff. There are reports Chudzinski will hire Norv Turner. The new Browns coach would not commit to calling plays on offense, saying it will depend on the coordinator hire.
- The team's new offensive philosophy was clearer. Chudzinski wants a "downfield, vertical offense." Great news for Brandon Weeden. Not so much for Colt McCoy. On defense, Chudzinski wouldn't commit but said the team would have versatility and attack. We're still waiting for a new coach to say that he plans to be passive.
- I liked this quote for Chudzinski, who has done a nice job molding his offense to his personnel in the past: "Adjustments (to personnel you have) are the keys to being successful."
