Bill Musgrave Named Quarterbacks Coach

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I was hoping — and perhaps you were, too — that if we waited long enough this offseason, the Browns would make a move we liked regarding their troubling offensive situation, especially at quarterback.

And it finally happened recently with the promotion of Bill Musgravr to quarterbacks coach from senior offensive assistant.

The offensive coordinator runs that side of the ball as a whole, or at least he should. But the quarterbacks coach is, of course,’in charge only of those players who fill the most important position in team sports. As such, he can really hone in on that small group of players and develop some strong relationships at a position area that is built largely on those relationships. The quarterbacks coach is a real key on every team. That will be especially important on a Browns club that will be starting from scratch at quarterback.

The Kardiac Kids Browns teams from 45 or so years ago had the best quarterbacks coach in club history in one-time Cleveland cornerback Jim Shofner. The Browns had a strong offensive-minded head coach in Sam Rutigliano who doubled as the unofficial offensive coordinator. But those are two big jobs, so he couldn’t spend much time with a veteran quarterback who had yet to blossom in Brian Sipe. As such, the task fell to Shofner, who, in a three-year span from 1978-80, did an outstanding job in turning Sipe into one of the best quarterbacks in team history, and of the best in the NFL during that time, becoming the last Brown to be named NFL Most Valuable Player when he did so in 1980.

Like Shofner, Musgrave has great credentials, including a lot of experience. Here’s hoping — and expecting — that he will have a dignificant impact. The Browns certainly need it. 

Steve King

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