Browning Arrives on Campus with a Focus
12/10/2007 1:25:03 PM | Football
Read the transcript of Mitch Browning's Press Conference
New Orange offensive coordinator Mitch Browning is charting a course for the Syracuse offense to follow. The veteran collegiate football coach arrived on campus this weekend. During his introductory press conference Browning laid out his offensive philosophy.
"I really believe that if you want to be good on offense, you have to be able to control the line of scrimmage – there is no question – on both sides of the football," Browning said. "We are going to figure out a way and come up with a way and implement a system where we can control the line of scrimmage, by hook-or-crook. It's also critical that we're good on second-and-short and third-and-short. In order to be good during those short-yardage situations, you have to be good on first down. Our goal is going to be to gain a minimum of four yards every first down and come back second-and-six and try and to play for those third-and-ones and third-and-twos. To me it's a game about first downs. It's all about controlling the football, sustaining drives, moving the football and somehow manufacturing the offense. The more first downs you can come up with, the more drives you can sustains, the closer to the vest you can play and score points. I think we are going to set some goals for our offense – some realistic goals – some goals our team will sink its teeth into and buy into to help us accomplish the goal that we want to accomplish."
Browning and Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson first worked together in 1980 and 1981 at North Carolina State University where Robinson was an assistant coach and Browning was a graduate assistant. The two have remained close since then.
"To me it is exciting to have Mitch join us," Robinson said. "I believe that he is obviously a proven football coach – as a position coach and as a coordinator. Our relationship goes way back and it is built on more than a friendship – it is built on respect. As he's watched me, I've watched him. The development and the accomplishments that Mitch has gathered throughout his career, I think it's exciting for me to bring him on our staff. He will demand excellence. I look forward to getting started with him and to watching him go to work."
