Religion and politics in sports. OK, just religion: While We’re Waiting
January 15, 2016Ohio State, Nike reach $252 million deal to extend sponsorship until 2033
January 15, 2016In the same week that he was officially announced as the eighth head coach in Cleveland since 1999, Hue Jackson has started to narrow down his options for who his defensive coordinator will be. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Jackson is targeting Tennessee’s defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who will need permission from the Titans in order to interview with the Browns, while Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is also on Jackson’s radar.
Likely the new head coach’s No. 1 option, Horton’s main problem is that he is still under contract with Tennessee. While they are in the process of hiring their head coach, the former Browns defensive coordinator (who many had pegged as a future head coaching candidate) could be asked to stick around on the new head coach’s staff. In 2015, the Titans had one of the best pass defenses in the league, allowing just 229.9 yards per game through the air (seventh in the NFL). They also allowed 26.4 points, (27th), 342.2 total yards (12th), and 112.3 rushing yards (18th) per game during a season that they finished with the same record as the Browns at 3-13.
Horton served as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator in 2013 under head coach Rob Chudzinski, arriving with a whole host of fan fare. In his dynamic 3-4 defense, however, the Browns allowed an average of 332.4 passing yards per game (ninth), was 23rd in points allowed, 30th in red zone defense, 31st on third down, and had 40 sacks (16th). He bolted out of Cleveland (along with Norv Turner) after Chudzinski was fired after just one year at the helm.
Frazier, on the other hand, has never been with the Browns organization. The former Minnesota Vikings head coach was notified last week that his club option with Tampa Bay would not be picked up by the Buccaneers. Frazier’s Bucs defense allowed an average of 26.1 points (26th), 340.4 total yards (10th), 240 passing yards (16th), and 100.4 rushing yards (11th) per game last season. A former defensive coordinator for Cincinnati, Frazier and Jackson coached together from 2011-13, when Frazier was the defensive coordinator and the Browns new head coach was the receivers coach for the Bengals. Cincinnati had a record of 18-29 in the three seasons that the two were together. While Horton brings a 3-4 scheme, Frazier’s is more of a Cover 2 that has long been rooted in preventing first downs and considering punts to be turnovers.
During his introductory press conference, Jackson stated that he had 142 unread text messages, many of which were from coaches looking to show interest in joining his staff. Although more defensive coordinator options may become available, Horton and Frazier seem to be Jackson’s top two targets at this point.
51 Comments
Browns bring in Ray Horton and are basically throwing in the towel to stink on defense some more. Sometimes I think these guys are paid to be stupid.