It took a little over a week, but the Cleveland Browns finally have a head coach. Bengals Offensive Coordinator and former Raiders head coach Hue Jackson has been named the next head coach of the Browns. Monday night, LES was told by a source that they were confident that Jackson, 50, would be named head coach.
The former Bengals OC was scheduled to meet in New York this Thursday, however the Browns didn’t want to let their top choice get away without an offer. In the end, the Browns interviewed 7 candidates, with Jackson being the only one reported to have multiple interviews.
Jackson, who has worked for the Bengals the past 4 seasons, is very familiar with the AFC North. He’s worked for the Bengals in two stints, 2004-06 and 2012-2015, as well as the Ravens in 2008 and 2009 as the Quarterbacks Coach.
One thing that is true is that where Jackson has gone, results are likely to follow. He helped Flacco make strides from his rookie season to year 2. Flacco had 642 more yards and 7 TDs in his second year with Jackson as his Quarterbacks coach.
The Raiders were also beneficiaries of Jackson’s contagious improvement. In his two seasons in Oakland as OC and head coach, RB Darren McFadden shined and had 2,432 total yards and 15 total touchdowns, despite being limited to only playing in 20 of the possible 32 games. He also had success with Jason Campbell, who went 11-7 under Jackson.
Andy Dalton and the Bengals offense had the most improvement under Hue Jackson. Dalton had an amazing 2015 season, his second under Jackson as OC, throwing for 148 fewer yards in 3 fewer games, as well as throwing 6 more touchdowns and 10 fewer interceptions.
The weapons on the Bengals offense also showed a great turnaround. Almost everyone improved in season two under Jackson in Cincinnati. WR AJ Green had 86 catches, 1297 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in year 2. RB Giovanni Bernard had 2231 total yards and 9 touchdowns in the two seasons under Jackson.
Jackson also helped WR Marvin Jones and TE Tyler Eifert to have career years in 2015. Jones, who missed all of 2014 due to injury, took control of the 2nd Wide Receiver spot on the team with 65 receptions, 826 yards and 4 tds. Eifert lived up to his first round draft status and more in 2015, after getting injured in his only game in 2014. He had 52 receptions for 615 yards, 13 TDs. Eifert also was tied for 4th in the NFL for TDs.
Reports have also surfaced that Jackson will want to move on from current Browns QB Johnny Manziel. It is worth noting that Jackson was the one who ended the JaMarcus Russell Era in Oakland back in 2010.
Jackson has brought improvements and turnarounds to teams he’s coached in the past. He knows the division and knows how to get things done. It’s a new day in Cleveland, and one, hopefully, for the better.
Lake Erie Sports 