The Kevin Stefanski: Two-Time Coach of the Year Thread

[lukecfg]

Just for shits and gigs if the Cowboys come back and win, are we all feeling the same about Stefanksi?

No, results matter. I'd drop my grade from an A to a B because a choke of that magnitude would have been devastating. That said, even with a hypothetical loss, I'd still be very excited about what I've seen on offense. No penalties. Excellent clock management. Positive turnover margin. Playing to this team's strengths even though it's not his motis operandi.

 

[Jordan]

Just for shits and gigs if the Cowboys come back and win, are we all feeling the same about Stefanksi?

100%

We brought Stefanski in to lead the team and create a good offense. He’s done that. The fact that the defense has no good linebackers and mass injuries is not his fault.

Are we feeling as good if the Cowboys win? Nah, probably not. But I would still be pretty positive.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

100%

We brought Stefanski in to lead the team and create a good offense. He’s done that. The fact that the defense has no good linebackers and mass injuries is not his fault.

Are we feeling as good if the Cowboys win? Nah, probably not. But I would still be pretty positive.

The playcalling has been excellent all year. Absolutely fantastic. It's a first year head coach calling his own plays after having his offseason stolen by COVID. This could have been a disaster.

I also can't remember a time we've had to blow a timeout before an end-of-half situation this year. That's been a really nice little hidden bonus that people aren't talking about.

He also appears to have buy-in from everyone both above him and below him in the organization. He seems like a good, intelligent leader of men.

With Berry and Stefanski at the helm, I'm excited.

 

[Sebastian]

Stef is heads and shoulders above other first year coaches I've seen over the past few years.

He has a certain deliberate calmness others don't.

It is as much his character as it is his experience.

I think he is not only a keeper after the nightmare these past 20 years have been, but I think he might be here in 10 years time too.

He is the coach this franchise has needed since 1999. Not only a guy that can win games, but a guy who can forge a winning culture and give Cleveland Browns football a new identity that will last decades.*


*Beyond the identity of the Factory of Sad forged by the various clowns that have sullied the franchise.

 

[natedagg]

No, results matter. I'd drop my grade from an A to a B because a choke of that magnitude would have been devastating. That said, even with a hypothetical loss, I'd still be very excited about what I've seen on offense. No penalties. Excellent clock management. Positive turnover margin. Playing to this team's strengths even though it's not his motis operandi.

Bro. Motis?!?

 

[col63onel]

Could put this in multiple threads, but choosing here.

A lot of good things in yesterday's game vs Dallas. One thing I LOVED was the last drive before half. Browns took over at their own 20 with about 4 minutes left. Seeing as they were up 14 and got the ball first after half, I think their priorities were:

1) Not give Dallas a shot at scoring before half
2) Get in position for a makeable FG with little to no time left
3) If everything breaks perfectly, score a TD

Being able to kick a pretty makeable FG on the last play of the half is a great outcome of that drive. Giving up points right before half/not scoring before half is one small thing that has plagued the Browns. We did it perfectly on this drive. Obviously, the OLine blocked well and Baker had some great throws for it all to work.

But after the last completion to Landry, they knew they had to spike it. No panic, they got up to the line a spiked it with 5 ticks left, ensuring the FG was the last play. It was all done so crisply, that you have to give Stefanski a lot of credit for having them prepared.

 

[prf100]

Obviously its easy to say this when the team is 3-1... but in watching Building the Browns, I really like how Stefanski told the team that they needed to practice fast. Its not the heavy-handed means that Mangini employed, but it feels like it accomplishes the same while respecting that these are adults at their jobs. He isn't going to make them run laps, but he is going to hold them to account - keeping pace is an easy way, and a respected way to get folks aligned and checking each other.

 

[natedagg]

Could put this in multiple threads, but choosing here.

A lot of good things in yesterday's game vs Dallas. One thing I LOVED was the last drive before half. Browns took over at their own 20 with about 4 minutes left. Seeing as they were up 14 and got the ball first after half, I think their priorities were:

1) Not give Dallas a shot at scoring before half
2) Get in position for a makeable FG with little to no time left
3) If everything breaks perfectly, score a TD

Being able to kick a pretty makeable FG on the last play of the half is a great outcome of that drive. Giving up points right before half/not scoring before half is one small thing that has plagued the Browns. We did it perfectly on this drive. Obviously, the OLine blocked well and Baker had some great throws for it all to work.

But after the last completion to Landry, they knew they had to spike it. No panic, they got up to the line a spiked it with 5 ticks left, ensuring the FG was the last play. It was all done so crisply, that you have to give Stefanski a lot of credit for having them prepared.

This is no small thing.We get to the line quickly, unlike last year. We don’t give Dallas the ball or anything stupid with penalties, unlike last year. We score, unlike last year. Dallas down 17 wondering what happened. This is a new offense installed, 1st time head coach, no preseason. It’s really impressive. And Chubb goes down and some new D Johnson comes in just crushes it.

As far as the D, I feel good about it. We have that front 4 foundation and we keep taking the ball away.Dallas is a very talented offensive team and more than anything, holding them to 87 yards rushing means they are bound to make mistakes. We have some injuries and talent issues on D but I think Woods is a keeper too. It’ll take 3 years of good drafts and good players and we will have an actual program, maybe something special.

 

[MGMT]

Due to the difficulty or borderline impossibility of being able to sustain turnovers at a high rate, I think I’m more excited by the rate at which we are scoring off turnovers — if that makes sense. How often have we picked off a pass or forced a fumble only for it to amount to absolutely nothing and the opposing offense just ends of scoring on the ensuing drive? So I guess the offense is actually making the forced turnovers matter right now.

I’m not saying forcing turnovers isn’t kick ass; it’s just fucking sweet that when we do we can seemingly now make teams pay a dire consequence for it.

 

[Surge]

 

[lukecfg]

Bro. Motis?!?

yikes. epic fail on my part; that's what happens when you drink and cleveland brown

 

[Binkster]

It feels quite unnatural to not be bitching about play-calling at this point in the season.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Obviously its easy to say this when the team is 3-1... but in watching Building the Browns, I really like how Stefanski told the team that they needed to practice fast. Its not the heavy-handed means that Mangini employed, but it feels like it accomplishes the same while respecting that these are adults at their jobs. He isn't going to make them run laps, but he is going to hold them to account - keeping pace is an easy way, and a respected way to get folks aligned and checking each other.

There's such a huge difference between the two.

One says "Your time is important. If you're here, putting in the time, let's maximize it."

One says "Your time is unimportant. I own it. Do some busy work just because I said so."

 

[Lee]

Could put this in multiple threads, but choosing here.

A lot of good things in yesterday's game vs Dallas. One thing I LOVED was the last drive before half. Browns took over at their own 20 with about 4 minutes left. Seeing as they were up 14 and got the ball first after half, I think their priorities were:

1) Not give Dallas a shot at scoring before half
2) Get in position for a makeable FG with little to no time left
3) If everything breaks perfectly, score a TD

Being able to kick a pretty makeable FG on the last play of the half is a great outcome of that drive. Giving up points right before half/not scoring before half is one small thing that has plagued the Browns. We did it perfectly on this drive. Obviously, the OLine blocked well and Baker had some great throws for it all to work.

But after the last completion to Landry, they knew they had to spike it. No panic, they got up to the line a spiked it with 5 ticks left, ensuring the FG was the last play. It was all done so crisply, that you have to give Stefanski a lot of credit for having them prepared.

I was thinking the exact same thing. They were running time off the clock, it started in their own territory, up 14, it was a win just not giving the ball back. I was thinking some fans are upset right now and thinking we obviously don't trust Baker but it couldn't be further from the truth, we just have an excellent coach on strategy.

I love that you pointed this out because it shows how smart at in game strategy our coach really is....so crazy that this is true, lol.

 

[Vee-Rex]

I was thinking the exact same thing. They were running time off the clock, it started in their own territory, up 14, it was a win just not giving the ball back. I was thinking some fans are upset right now and thinking we obviously don't trust Baker but it couldn't be further from the truth, we just have an excellent coach on strategy.

I love that you pointed this out because it shows how smart at in game strategy our coach really is....so crazy that this is true, lol.

Yup. And that 3 points before the half could've been the difference in the game.

Dallas would have tied it 38 to 38 and instead of doing that stupid squib/watermelon/whatever kick, would have booted it as a normal kick. Who knows what would have happened after that but they had all the momentum.