Cleveland.com
NFL INSIDER
Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski looking for better results in 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
In the first year of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's system, the Browns jumped from 31st in total offense to eighth. Their 402 points were the third-most in franchise history.
Last year's Browns outscored the best season of the Brian Sipe-era Browns by 43 points. In the past 30 years, only the 1987 Browns of the Bernie Kosar era were more prolific. That team would have scored 434 points over 16 games if not for four games interrupted by the players strike.
So what do these Browns do for an encore?
Chudzinski sees a lot of room for improvement.
As the 2008 season unofficially kicks off Tuesday with the start of 12 organized team activities (OTAs), Chudzinski will tell his unit to develop amnesia.
"Last year's over," he said. "We came a long, long way. We made a lot of improvement, but we left some things out there. I'm a perfectionist, so it's never going to be perfect. But that's over.
"If anybody's living in the past, they're going to have a rude awakening. This is a brand new year. You have to prove yourself every day. Your reputation can't play for you.
"There's got to be that hunger and it's got to start with their mentality from the beginning. Talent gives you a chance [to win], but ultimately it's all those others things, like effort, toughness, commitment and discipline."
A year ago, the Browns were consumed with learning Chudzinski's new offense against the backdrop of an open quarterback competition between Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson.
This year, the challenges facing Chudzinski are preparing for a brutal schedule while carrying lofty expectations of a division title.
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