The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Jackson happily gives reins to Haley
For the first time since being named head coach in January 2016, Hue Jackson wasn’t calling the plays.
New offensive coordinator Todd Haley says the Browns’ offense will be shaped around No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield and Tyrod Taylor. Plus, Josh Tomlin should be removed from the Indians’ starting rotation.
The Browns’ offense huddled on May 4 for the start of team drills in rookie minicamp and for the first time since being named head coach in January 2016, Hue Jackson wasn’t calling the plays.
Instead, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield was getting instructions from new offensive coordinator Todd Haley.
Trading for quarterback Tyrod Taylor, being active in free agency and selecting Mayfield plus cornerback Denzel Ward in the first round of the draft are keys to the Browns’ rebuild. But no single acquisition is more important than hiring Haley, the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2012-17.
Haley is no figurehead. Jackson knew it was time to turn over the keys of the offense to someone else after the Browns were 1-15 in 2016 and 0-16 a year ago. But Jackson would only give the responsibility to someone he trusts.
“I’ve given Todd total autonomy with our offensive football team,” Jackson said. “There’s a respect level there, as I said a long time ago when I hired him. He’s one of the best in the business. That’s why he’s here.
“He has to do those things his way. He’s done a great job. Obviously, for those young guys to come out there — we had too many balls on the ground — but I saw execution, and that was good. We have to continue to get better that way.”
The Browns are not going to be some exotic offense under Haley — no run-and-shoot and no uptempo sprint like Chip Kelly tried using with the Eagles in 2013.
“I have a language and terminology I’ve used for a long time that I think works,” Haley said at his introductory news conference in February. “The big change really will be that — really just terminology.
“What I believe in is playing to every player’s strength that you have as best you can. Putting players into position to succeed, playing to their skillset. Wherever I’ve been, that’s what I have really tried to do.”
Haley will have to put his words into action after going from working with 6-foot-5, 240-pound Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to Taylor and Mayfield. Both Browns quarterbacks are shorter than 6-foot-1. Both rely on their feet to run away from trouble. They cannot break tackles the way Roethlisberger does.
Comparing numbers from 2017 isn’t a fair way to evaluate the play-calling of Jackson vs. the playcalling of Haley because rookie DeShone Kizer was Jackson’s quarterback and 14-year veteran Roethlisberger was Haley’s quarterback, but here are the numbers, anyway: The Browns were 24th in total offense and 32nd in scoring. The Steelers were third in total offense and eighth in scoring.
Jackson said giving up play-calling was not difficult.
“I’ve done it for a long time,” Jackson said, “I’ve won (coaching) awards an all of that stuff.
“At some point in time, you have to keep transitioning. To me, more so than that, I would do anything in my power to help this organization win. When I sat down and thought about it, I go, ‘What’s going to put the Cleveland Browns in the best position to win games and be successful?’ Maybe it’s Hue Jackson being involved in everybody’s meetings coaching everybody. That’s the decision I made. Obviously, I wasn’t going to do it unless I had a guy who I truly believed in who could do it, and that could do it like I did and do it better. That’s why Todd is here.”
Jackson knows how to call plays when he has players who can execute them. He was hired as Browns head coach because he was a successful offensive coordinator with Andy Dalton as his quarterback. A.J. Green and tight end Tyler Eifert were two of his best receivers. He had a balanced running game with Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard.
Jackson didn’t turn stupid when he was made Browns head coach. Haley has more to work with on this Browns team than Jackson had in either of the last two seasons.
Still, it was time for a change. Now that he has a general manager in John Dorsey he can trust, Jackson can get on with the business of being a head coach.
Tomlin’s ugly numbers
Josh Tomlin is one of the friendliest and unassuming players in the Indians clubhouse. And it is like batting practice for the opposing team when Tomlin is on the mound.
Tomlin did not take the loss on May 4 when the Indians were beaten by the Yankees, 7-6. But that is only because the Tribe rallied with five runs in the eighth inning to tie the score, 5-5.
Tomlin gave up three home runs over two innings. He has been tagged for an MLB-high 13 home runs over 25 2/3 innings in five starts and one relief appearance.
It doesn’t matter that Tomlin is the fifth starter and not the staff ace. The Indians have almost no chance when, on average, he is giving up a home run every other inning.
The problem facing manager Terry Francona is finding a starter to replace Tomlin. Danny Salazar, who reported to spring training with inflammation in his right shoulder, is not making progress. He began the season on the 10-day disabled list. Last week he was transferred to the 60day DL.
“I understand the aspect of, if you don’t turn the corner, what could happen,” Tomlin said. “But that never creeps in my mind when I’m on the field or off the field, or anything like that. It’s out of my control. Whatever decision they decide to make, my job is to take the ball whenever I’m told to pitch and go out there and give my team a chance to win.”
The Indians are off on May 7 and May 10, which means they can get by without a fifth starter until May 15.
Francona is extremely loyal to his players. He is especially fond of Tomlin and unlikely to give up on him.
Francona could decide to put Tomlin in the bullpen and give his righthander a chance to work out his issues from there.
I didn’t know that
… Until I read my Snapple bottle cap
The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backward . ... The word “facetious” contains all the vowels in alphabetical order . ... Below the Kalahari Desert lies the world’s largest underground lake. ... “Take me out the Ballgame” was written in 1908 by Jack Norwith and Albert Von Tilzer, both of whom had never been to a baseball game . ... Butterflies can taste with their hind feet. The doll Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
Hard to believe
I have been writing this Cleveland Beat column on weekends for about three years, and early on decided reporting facts I read on my Snapple bottle caps would be a good way to end it.
Some of the facts seem hard to believe. I try to verify them when I can.
One of those hard to believe facts is this: “If you doubled one penny every day for 30 days, you would have $5,368,709.”
It’s true. Check it out with a calculator if you are dubious. The actual figure is $5,368,709.12.