The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Kizer hopes QB-coach combo lasts for 15 years
DeShone Kizer, No. 1 at quarterback on Coach Hue Jackson’s depth chart and No. 7 in your program is No. 27 to start the position for the Browns since 1999.
Kizer is content with those first two digits. He’s unhappy about the last one because he has no control over what happened the previous 17 years. But if he has his way, the list that starts with Ty Detmer and (so far) ends with Cody Kessler won’t have another name listed after his until around 2030.
Imagine that: The Browns playing 13 years with one starting quarterback and one head coach.
They could be the New England Patriots with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Green Bay Packers with Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy — the Pittsburgh Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin. All three combinations have produced at least one Super Bowl for their respective teams.
“It’s 2017, and I bet I wasn’t even considering playing in the NFL at the time 10 of those 26 (played),” Kizer said before practice on Aug. 28. “So that’s way behind us. And obviously the vibes out here at practice
are completely different than what they’ve been in the past.
“In this sport, the quarterback-head coach relationship can go a long ways and you see a lot of the successful teams have great quarterback-head coach relationships. So for us to start off the way we have, obviously we got out there and have had a little success and we continue to grow in that sense. Hopefully this can be something that lasts for 10, 15 years.”
Kizer, picked 52nd overall in the 2017 draft, on Aug. 27 was named the Browns regular season starter by Jackson. Unless things change, he’ll be the only rookie quarterback starting the regular season opener.
Three quarterbacks were taken ahead of Kizer and none of the three has won the starting job. Mitchell Trubisky, picked second, is behind Mike Glennon with the Bears. Patrick Mahomes, picked 10th by the Chiefs, is behind Alex Smith. Deshaun Watson, picked 12th, is behind Tom Savage with the Texans.
“I’ve been down this road before,” said Jackson, referring to picking starting quarterbacks in general, not only rookies. ”I didn’t make a decision to make him the quarterback because I had fear in it or not know how it’s going to unfold. I have a vision for it. It might not go that way. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, we keep working through it. But
I probably felt better about this one, making this decision, than some in the past because I think the guy can do it.
“We’re going to make this happen. We’re going to work through this because I think he’s talented. I think this guy has the right stuff and I know if I’m worth my salt as a coach, I’ll get it out of him. If he’s willing to do the work, he’ll rise to the occasion. I think he will.”
The depth chart is muddy after Kizer. The start of the regular season is less than two weeks away, and Jackson says he hasn’t settled on whether the backup quarterback will be Brock Osweiler, Cody Kessler or Kevin Hogan.