Orange Offensive Coordinator Mitch Browning Introductory Press Conference Transcript (December 10, 2007)
Head Coach Greg Robinson
Opening Statement:
"I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to (new offensive coordinator) Mitch Browning. To me it is exciting. I mentioned to you (the media) that 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. As I mentioned, he will demand excellence. I look forward to getting started with him and to watching him go to work. With that said, I'm going to give you (the media) the opportunity to hear from Mitch."
Offensive Coordinator Mitch Browning
Opening Statement:
"Thank you, Greg. Good morning. Great to see everybody here. This is a nice turnout. Obviously, to see coach Mac walk in, it was 20 years ago that Syracuse was playing for a national championship – at least if I have my numbers right. I've been asked by a lot, 'Why Syracuse with some of the numbers we've produced?' I really believe that this program is not that far away. I also believe that if you look at The BIG EAST Conference it is a conference you could jump from the bottom to the top – an opportunity for this program with a great nucleus of young players at the skill positions. We have a proven quarterback with Andrew Robinson, an extremely tough, competitive leader, which I think is critical. We have a good nucleus of young running backs. Good nucleus of wide receivers. Obviously, the offensive line needs fixed and that's where we are going to start. We are going to start by evaluating what we have done here in the past and how it was done. At the same time, we will evaluate the talent. Then it's our job as coaches to put these guys in position where they can be successful. I think it's also critical, if you look at our offensive success that we had at Minnesota or at Kansas, it is critical that you feature your playmakers. We've had a number of those guys the past few years. Anyone who watched football yesterday saw Marion Barber and what he did and Laurence Maroney. Two guys were tremendous players for us (Minnesota). The task at hand is to continue to develop the players, evaluate what direction we need to go and what we need to do to get this problem fixed. I'm smart enough to know that in this business that the future is now – probably as in yesterday. There is a sense of urgency and that is going to be our approach. We are going to get this fixed, get it turned around and get it going in the right direction.
"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. From the offensive standpoint to the defensive standpoint, it is tough enough to convert first-and-10s, let alone second-and-14s, second-and-15s, third-and-longs or whatever the situation may be. 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 – and some goals our team will sink its teeth into and buy into to help us accomplish the goal that we want to accomplish."
On the process of getting the offensive line fixed:
"(smiling) Well, we're not the NFL, so we can't trade players. We can't cut them. We can't go out and draft them. We have to coach the guys in the program. Greg and I have done a lot of talking the last day or so and I find it hard to believe that we can't come up with five guys who are good enough to play and win with at this level who are already in this program. I think it starts with developing the players you have. Then you have to implement a system. I think players go through a learning stage and I know the offensive line here is fairly young. Number one, to be a great coach, you have to be a great salesman. You have to be able to sell the players and the players have to buy into what you are doing. Number two, that system has to be simple enough that when those guys line up, they can play as aggressively and as hard as they possibly can. It's awfully hard to ask a player to play hard, to play aggressive and to play physical when he's not sure what he's suppose to do or how he's suppose to do it. I think that's all part of a growth of a young player. He goes through that what stage – what am I supposed to do. Then he goes through that how stage – how am I supposed to do it. If you're trying to do a lot of things on offense then that minimizes the repetitions that you have on what you really need to be focusing on. You have to minimize the techniques that each guy has at his position to be really good at something and have an identity."
On the system he'll use:
"I'm not sure of that yet. I had a chance to see Syracuse play live last year at Iowa, but I think that all depends on the talent. Obviously, it's goes back to being able to control the line of scrimmage. If you have opposite colored jerseys playing on your side of the line of scrimmage all day, you're going to be in for a long day."
On how hands on he'll be with the offensive line:
"I'll be directly involved. I think everything you do on offense starts upfront. We had a rule at Minnesota that you can put up the best looking pass play in the world, but if you can't protect it, what good is it? Everything we do in the running game will start with a sound system and a sound scheme. Everything we do in the passing game, if we can't protect it, we won't throw it. It's our job as coaches to figure out what we have to do.
"As long as those players are giving the best possible effort and doing the best they can do and that means on the field, off the field, socially, academically, that's all we can ask. It is our job to put them into a position where they can be successful and succeed."
On if he'll form an offensive specifically for the Carrier Dome:
"No I don't think so. We really never took that into account at Minnesota."
On playing in an indoor stadium:
"To me playing in a dome is no different than playing outside other than at times the noise becomes a factor."
On coming here three years after Robinson tried to bring him in when he took the head coach position:
"When Greg first came here, we had an awfully good football team coming back in Minnesota. I thought at that time we still had some things that we wanted to accomplish and unfortunately we didn't get it done. We had some guys like Maroney, Barber, Gary Russell and Matt Spaeth coming back. You kind of get emotionally attached to kids and you commit yourself to kids. The timing wasn't right for me to come. Last year (2006) after our bowl game we got fired. To be honest with you, it kind of blindsided us and I think the timing of that wasn't the right time either. I think the timing is right now.
"This program has had great tradition. You walk down the halls and see the great players that have been here and there are some awfully good players in this program right now."
On winning at Kent State, Kansas and Minnesota:
"I've spoken at a lot of clinics across the country and one thing I talk about all the time – because I think there are a lot more good coaches than there are good jobs– if you look at my resume and I always tell coaches that, 'Hey, I have more in common with you guys than you think.' If you look at my resume and the powerhouse schools that I've been at – Kent State, Kansas, Minnesota. We've won at every one of those schools without cheating and there is no reason that we can't do the same thing here. There is a good enough nucleus of good young players, good kids, who want to win, want to do the right thing and they are going to give you everything they have. It's up to us to put them into a position where they can be successful."
On what can get the offensive line going next season:
"I think we have good enough players here and I think we can put a system in. Starting with quarterback, I think Andrew is a tough kid and he is a great leader. When he steps into the huddle he demands that presence. There are good skill players here with the receivers. We have to keep our fingers crossed with (running back) Delone Carter. Delone Carter is a guy I knew a lot about in high school. We (Minnesota) didn't recruit him because we had Laurence Maroney and Gary Russell coming back, then Maroney decided to go into the pro draft after our bowl game and Gary Russell had some academic problems. Delone Carter is a tremendous running back. (Doug) Hogue played at the end of the year and we have (Curtis) Brinkley. So there are some players there. It's up to us to implement a system where we can move the ball, sustain drives and score points. I think we can do that here."
On fixing something as opposed to building something:
"I think football is really a pretty simple game when you look at it. You have 11 on offense and you have 11 on defense. That hasn't changed since day number one. Obviously, the better players you have the better chance at winning. We're going to approach this thing like we're going to be here. I don't see any reason why we can't develop momentum and put a system in where we can turn this thing around and win some games next year."
On looking forward to working with the young running backs:
"To be honest with you, I'm looking forward to working with everybody. I think there are some talented running backs here who are capable of putting up some good numbers. I think there are some good linemen here. From what I hear, there are a couple of good tight end prospects here and the wide outs, the quarterback. The better we can run the football, the better we'll throw it. The better we throw it, the better we'll run it. The two go hand and hand."
On if he'll evaluate the assistant coaches:
"All aspects of the program are constantly under evaluation. The four guys, Chris White, Randy Trivers, Chris Wiesehan, and Phil Early, are guys whom I've known and spent time with. It goes back to us sitting down and between the five of us –we're all good football coaches – putting a system together that we can sell to the players and the players buy into. There is one thing that needs to be changed around here on offense and that's the attitude – the attitude of the guys up front. When you consistently pick up a newspaper and you constantly read about how terrible you are, pretty soon you have a tendency to start believing that. Those players see the student newspaper and those players see the local newspaper. They read about how many sacks they've given up or what the score was or whatever. We have to do a good job of brainwashing our players and getting our players to buy into what we're going to do and how we're going to do it."
On if negative publicity hurt Syracuse next year:
"I think it always does. One of the greatest stories ever, (former Ohio State coach) Earle Bruce sitting there in 1982, getting ready to get fired if Illinois beats us. Earle walks in and sees an assistant coach reading paper and the assistant coach says, ' God, you can't believe what they're saying.' Earl grabbed the newspaper and said, 'If that newspaper scares you, don't read it.' That's the best advice I've ever heard."
On where he spent the 2007 season:
"I spent a lot of time traveling and visiting other staffs and other programs – some high school, some smaller division schools. I spent some time at Wisconsin. I went down to Iowa at the end of the year. I spent some time at Ohio State. I spent a week at Edinboro University – he's the head coach there at Edinboro. I did some traveling."
On what he was doing at the schools:
"Giving advice – (smiling) free advice. It's amazing some of the ideas that you pick up about how different teams practice, how they call plays and how they implement things."
On if being blindsided by the firing was the reason he didn't coach last year:
"I think it was the timing of the whole thing and I don't think anybody would have anticipated us being fired after going to seven bowls in eight years and with the success we had at Minnesota, but it happened."
On how tough it was:
"The toughest thing for me was dealing with the free time – too much free time. The uncertainty of everything, obviously, wasn't fun to deal with."
On if he had the opportunity to coach:
"Really nothing worked out to suit what I was looking for."
