EDITOR’S NOTE: The following, which looks at those ranked 11-20, is the third in a four-part series on the top 40 assistant coaches in Browns history.
The offensive skill positions have been where it’s at in the NFL for a long, long time.
Those are the guys who score points, and you have to score points – lots of them, in fact – in order to have a chance to win.
It’s no more complicated than that.
But offensive line play, through protecting the quarterback to make those deep downfield passes and by opening holes for the running game, and the performance of the special teams and the defense with they can combine to win the field-position battle and set up short touchdown drives, are obviously extremely important, too.
You’ll see that through a good portion of today’s list.
Here it is:
- TOM PRATT (1981-88) – He was the defensive line coach for both the Kardiac Kids and the Bernie Kosar era Browns.
- DICK MODZELEWSKI (1968-77) – After having a key role as a defensive tackle on the 1964 NFL championship team, he ran the defensive line and served as defensive coordinator over his decade as a coach with the Browns.
- BILL COWHER (1985-88) – Once a valuable special teamer and a back-up linebacker for the Browns, he coached special teams – with a lot of vim and vigor — and the secondary.
- NICK SKORICH (1964-70) – The Bellaire, Ohio native was the defensive line coach on the 1964 champions and then took over as offensive coordinator before succeeding Blanton Collier as head coach.
- SCOTT O’BRIEN (1991-95) – The Browns have had some great special teams coaches, and he’s the best of the bunch.
- ROD HUMENUIK (1975-82) – An under-rated but great offensive line coach, his guys helped Brian Sipe become the NFL MVP in 1980.
- DAVE ADOLPH (1979-84, 1986-88) – The Mogadore (Ohio) High School and University of Akron product coached just about everywhere on the defense, including serving as coordinator.
- JIM GARRETT (1978-84) – In addition to serving as the running backs coach for the Kardiac Kids, he always had the ear of head coach Sam Rutigliano.
- HOWARD MUDD (1983-88) – Probably because he had played the position himself in the NFL, he was well-versed in offensive line play, and he knew how to teach it.
- WEEB EWBANK (1949-53) – Before he went on to become a head coach of three NFL championship teams, he served as head coach Paul Brown’s tackles coach.
NEXT: 1-10.
