After his first minicamp practice, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski talked about the importance of learning during this camp.

The Cleveland Browns held the first practice of their three-day voluntary minicamp on Tuesday, and rather than looking for perfection, coach Rob Chudzinski wanted to see retention of the information his staff has given to the players over the first two weeks of the offseason program.

Tuesday’s work was the first for the coaches with the players on the field. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, coaches can only be in the classroom with players for the first two weeks of the offseason.

“With these three days, it’s important to understand this is a learning camp as much as it is, or more so than it is an evaluation camp or an assessment camp,” Chudzinski said. “This is our first chance to get out on the field with these guys and really teach them on the field what we want, for them to understand how we want to practice and bring those things together.

“It’s great to be out there, finally get a chance to get out with these guys and get out on the field. Just seeing these guys out here for the first day, I was impressed with the team. I thought the energy, I thought the effort, I thought the focus were all outstanding, and this is a hungry group. That’s something to work with, for sure.”

Chudzinski said the coaches have “thrown a lot” at the players in the two weeks’ worth of meetings, and that’s a challenge the players have embraced.

“We get the playbook with just a little bit of time before we head here, and it’s pretty much getting in the book and visualizing it,” quarterback Brandon Weeden said. “When you come out here, it’s a little bit different. It’s a little bit faster, and I thought we responded really well offensively. The guys took the information the coaches have thrown at us, and they’re throwing a lot at us, and it’s been outstanding. The guys have really done a good job up to this point.”

In addition to the scheme changes being implemented on both sides of the football, the new Browns players have been acclimating themselves to the team.

“I was surprised about how much everybody was on the same page,” said outside linebacker Paul Kruger, whom the Browns signed in the first 24 hours of free agency in March. “It went a lot more fluid than I thought for the first day. It’s pretty good stuff. We’re all getting familiar with each other. Just getting to know each other and getting familiar, it went really well.”


(clevelandbrowns.com)

After two weeks of workouts with strength and conditioning coach Brad Roll, the Cleveland Browns’ players will take the field and work with their position coaches and coordinators for the first time when the team opens up its voluntary minicamp at the Berea training facility Tuesday.

And first-year Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski could not be happier to get his charges onto the field for the first time.

“The exciting part, as a coach, is you get the chance to get out on the field and help guys get better,” Chudzinski said Monday during an appearance on “Cleveland Browns Daily, Driven by Liberty Ford.” “The guys that are here, we’ll work with them and give them every chance to be the best that they can be and ultimately, help the team.”

While the players will not be in full pads or have contact per the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, Chudzinski said the minicamp is a “good opportunity” to see how the past two weeks of work translates to the practice field.

“We’re excited about getting out there,” Chudzinski said. “It’s just good to get out there and actually start coaching. This is the first opportunity. We have some team periods, and some periods of seven-on-seven to get a chance to really coach them up. It’s hard at this point because it’s so early to get evaluations, but we’ll get a little bit of that, an early assessment for that.

“We really want to make sure the guys understand us and get to know us. We need to get to know them, (making sure) that they understand how practice operates, the tempo that we want, the style and how practices are laid out and set up. We also want to start introducing our concepts from an Xs and Os standpoint and go out and get a chance to execute those things, and get a chance to work on some of the base techniques and lay the foundation for our team.”

Under Chudzinski’s direction, defensive coordinator Ray Horton will begin implementing his version of the 3-4 defense, a switch from the 4-3 the Browns had utilized under Dick Jauron in the last two seasons.

“We had a chance the last two weeks to install and go through some things on the playbook, and we’re actually using a computer program to do that, and we’ll get some game film to look at it,” Chudzinski said. “The guys had a chance to see it in the playbook, see it on tape and see how it works. Now, they’ll get a chance to get out on the field, and it’s a progression.”

In addition to the defense, the team’s three quarterbacks -- Brandon Weeden, Jason Campbell, and Thaddeus Lewis -- will be learning a new scheme, something Chudzinski referred to as “a process all three need to go through during the offseason.”


(clevelandbrowns.com)

If you are a fan of the Cleveland Browns, you couldn’t ask for a more passionate coach than Rob Chudzinski. While he wasn’t the flashiest option available – not by a wide margin – Chudzinski had something no other head coaching candidate had this offseason: a true love for the Browns.

Oh, and the willingness to eat dog biscuits.

Last week, Chudzinski told PFT Live that he was such a rabid fan of the Browns as a kid that he did, in fact, eat dog treats, along with watching the game outside to simulate being at the stadium.

“There was occasional dog biscuits consumed,” Chudzinski said on Thursday’s edition of PFT Live. “I wouldn’t tell you they tasted very good, but we did that on occasion.”

How Chudzinski performs as a head coach remains to be seen, but no one was going to enter this job with the kind of passion he brings. This story of a fan-turned-coach has been undersold, though it should gain plenty of traction as the season draws near. Especially if there are more dog biscuit-eating tales to be told.


(dawgpoundaily.com)

Browns coach Rob Chudzinski answered one burning question about the team’s offense during a session with the media at the Senior Bowl on Wednesday.

Offensive coordinator Norv Turner will be calling the plays while Chudzinski focuses on the bigger picture responsibilities of the head coach. It’s not a particularly surprising decision given Turner’s long history as a successful coordinator, but it’s been confirmed all the same. What’s still up in the air is the quarterback who will be executing Turner’s plays.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Chudzinski said it was “premature” to say that Brandon Weeden would be the team’s starter in 2013. New vice president of player personnel Mike Lombardi panned the Weeden pick in his previous role as an NFL Network analyst, but said last week that he needs time to form an opinion of the quarterback. Turner, who is also in Mobile, said that Weeden has “a lot of the skillset” and a big arm while cautioning that he’s just started watching tape.

Turner also said Colt McCoy has been “productive when he played” so it’s probably better just to focus on the parts where the Browns say that they are taking their time to evaluate what’s on hand. It’s the approach any new coaching staff and front office should take about the entire team, especially when you’ll be changing the offense from the system Pat Shurmur ran for the last two seasons.


(profootballtalk.com)

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- At this point, the only real news about Norv Turner would have been if he had changed his mind about becoming the Browns offensive coordinator.

It seems from the moment the Browns hired Rob Chudzinski as their new head coach, word was Turner would be joining the staff to run the offense.

That was good news back then, and there's even better news now as the Browns not only officially announced Turner, they also named five other coaches.
Actually, two of them are already on the staff -- Chris Tabor and George Warhop.

This is where Chudzinski impresses, as new coaches so often want to rip up the old staff and bring in their own guys.

Warhop is a respected offensive line coach. He was hired by Eric Mangini in 2009, retained by Pat Shurmur and now has the same position with Chudzinski. The Browns added a second offensive line coach in Mike Sullivan.

The point is the Browns had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The only member inherited by Warhop is All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas. The others came to the Browns and developed under Warhop's watch.

So when a team finally has a solid line, the last thing you do is change offensive line coaches.

And Chudzinski didn't fall into that trap.

The same with Chris Tabor, who rebounded from a rocky rookie year in 2011 to assemble one of the best special teams in 2012. Football Outsiders rated them No. 2 in the NFL, behind Baltimore.

In a casual conversation, Phil Dawson raved to me about the growth of the special teams under Tabor this season. He mentioned how it was a very young group, and Tabor had to continually make adjustments to the coverage groups.

In some ways, keeping Tabor and Warhop is nearly as important as adding Turner -- because the Browns can't keep changing everything every two years when a new head coach arrives.

But obviously, Turner is a major addition.

He has been a head coach for 15 years with three different teams. Chudzinski had worked for Turner twice, and he is wise to add this 60-year-old veteran as his mentor.

Turner was fired after a 7-9 record with San Diego, his offense ranking 31st -- yes, even below the Browns.

But the previous four years, the Chargers offense was ranked 6-1-10-11. He is respected as an offensive coordinator who had success with Dallas and some other teams.

Like Chudzinski, Turner is not married to one system.

Chudzinski had success with the stationary Derek Anderson (Browns 2007) and the athletic Cam Newton (Carolina 2011-12). Turner developed Philip Rivers into a top 10 quarterback, and has success stories going back to Troy Aikman with Dallas in the early 1990s.

It's easy to imagine Turner and Chudzinski looking at video of Brandon Weeden and asking: "OK, what does he do well? How can we make him better?"

Maybe Weeden will fail as an NFL quarterback. Or maybe he will improve next season simply because he's no longer a rookie, and experience is critical.

And maybe that West Coast Offense was not the right fit for Weeden in 2012 because it was very different from his scheme at Oklahoma State.

But this much is certain: If Weeden doesn't produce with these two coaches, he has no long-term future as a starting quarterback.


(cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND -- The Browns have always been a part of Rob Chudzinski's life. Now, he's the man in charge.

Chudzinski, who spent the past two seasons as Carolina's offensive coordinator, was introduced as the club's sixth full-time coach on Friday, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the 44-year-old who as a kid pretended he played tight end for the Browns during games in his backyard in Toledo, Ohio.

"It is a dream come true," Chudzinski said. "I can't wait to get started."

Chudzinski inherits a young roster that he'll try to develop into a contender with the Browns, who have lost at least 11 games in each of the past five seasons and made the playoffs only once since 1999.

Chudzinski previously worked as an assistant with the Browns, most recently as their offensive coordinator in 2008. Although he has no previous head coaching experience, owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner are confident they hired the best possible candidate available to turn their club into a consistent winner.

"I would not miss the chance for the world." Chudzinski said. "We're going to win here."

The Browns hauled their search to find the 14th coach in franchise history to Arizona and back. They talked to high-profile college coaches, NFL assistants and a fired pro coach who took a team to a Super Bowl.

None of them was hired.

Instead, Chudzinski became their pick.

"I believe we came back with the best coach for the Cleveland Browns," said Haslam, who flew Thursday night with Banner to Charlotte, N.C., to offer Chudzinski the job. "He is one of the brightest young coaches in the business."

Chudzinski's first move will be to hire his staff. He will immediately meet with the assistants currently working for the Browns. Chudzinski would not comment on any possible candidates to become his coordinators. There are reports he is considering former San Diego coach Norv Turner to run his offense. Chudzinski worked for Turner with the Chargers.

"I have a plan in place," he said. "We're going to get a great staff. We have a young group of players. This is going to be about the process. Lots of people are worried about the end result, but this is going to be the right process to get us where we want to be."

Now that they've hired their coach, Haslam and Banner will focus on finding a new general manager to help pick players for Chudzinski, who will be involved in finding the GM.

The new coach -- "Chud," as he's known to players and friends -- worked with the Browns' tight ends in 2004 and was their offensive coordinator in 2007, when the team won 10 games -- their most since an expansion rebirth in 1999. He was released when Romeo Crennel was fired in 2008.

Chudzinski said that when he walked off the field after the final game that season, he knew he would be coming back to Cleveland "someday, somehow."

Chudzinski replaces Pat Shurmur, another first-time coach when he was hired, who was fired Dec. 31 after a 5-11 season. For the past two years, Chudzinski has worked with talented Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and resuscitated Carolina's offense, which was one of the league's worst before he arrived.

When Haslam and Banner embarked on their coaching search as 2013 began, the pair vowed they would wait as long as necessary to find "the right coach" for Cleveland. They promised to give their new coach final say over the roster and planned to pair him with an executive to help pick players.

Chudzinski wasn't seen by many as an option.

And then he became the choice.

Haslam said Chudzinski's passion for the Browns was a bonus, but he had all of the credentials and characteristics they were looking for in a new coach.
"If Rob was from Plano, Texas, we would have hired him," Haslam said.

Chudzinski said he wants a team that attacks on both sides of the ball. He would not comment on any of Cleveland's players, and sidestepped a question about rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, who had an uneven season with the Browns.

Chudzinski interviewed with the team on Wednesday, when the club also visited with Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Chudzinski appeared to be a long shot for the job, not because he wasn't qualified, but because it was thought Haslam wanted to make a big splash with his first coaching hire.

However, Chudzinski wowed Haslam and Banner during his meeting, and the team decided it was time to end its search in its second week. Haslam said that 10 minutes into the interview, he nodded at Banner that they had found their man.

In his first season in Carolina, Chudzinski turned Newton, the No. 1 overall draft pick, loose, and the Panthers set club records for total yards (6,237) and first downs (345). Carolina also scored 48 touchdowns after getting just 17 in the season before Chudzinski arrived. The Panthers jumped from last in the league in total yardage to seventh, the biggest improvement since 1999.

Haslam pointed out the Panthers scored 88 touchdowns the past two seasons. Cleveland scored 44.

Following last season, Chudzinski interviewed for head coaching jobs with St. Louis, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay before returning to Carolina.

In getting the Browns' job, Chudzinski was picked over Zimmer; Montreal Alouettes coach Marc Trestman of the CFL; fired Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt; and Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Whisenhunt was in Cleveland for a second interview on Thursday, and appeared to be the front-runner. The Browns also had been expected to interview Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

Chudzinski's hiring may have shocked some Cleveland fans, but his selection is in keeping with at least one of Banner's past moves. When he was in Philadelphia's front office, Banner went outside the box and hired Green Bay assistant Andy Reid, a relative unknown who spent 14 seasons with the Eagles before being fired Dec. 31.


(espn.com)

BEREA, Ohio -- Five years ago, Rob Chudzinski sat in a Cleveland Clinic waiting room discussing friendship, promises and the mortality of a man he had known since high school.

It was the summer of 2008 and Chudzinski listened to P.J. Miller calmly speak about the future of his family without him in it. The Toledo native and Strongsville resident was losing an eight-year battle with cancer.

Chudzinski's mind reeled as his fellow Toledo St. John's football co-captain laid out the sobering details and asked if he and a few close friends would keep watch over his wife, Jane, and their three children. His two boys, Jack and Matt, showed tremendous football potential and Miller wondered if the buddy everyone called "Chud" would shepherd them through their careers.

Fifteen years earlier, Chudzinski had toasted Miller as the best man in the couple's wedding. Six months later, he would eulogize him, asking a roomful of mourners to repeat "We thank you, P.J.," every time the coach recited another of Miller's good deeds.

On this day, however, Chudzinski's sole focus was honoring his friend's solemn request.

"He asked a few of us to help out," the Browns' new coach recalled this week. "It hit me square on that day I needed to live up to my responsibility."

At his introductory news conference, the lifelong Browns fan spoke Friday about wanting to deliver a winner to Cleveland. Chudzinski, 44, is a surprise choice to many, an accomplished assistant with no head coaching experience at the college or NFL level.

But 19-year-old Jack Miller believes nobody will work harder to turn around a franchise. He knows first-hand Chudzinski's loyalty and sacrifice, a man who friends say embodies the Jesuit brotherhood and the "men for others" philosophy.

"Chud is someone who lives up to his end of a bargain," Jack said by phone Saturday. "He would die before he would let down the people who are closest to him. I know I'm biased when I say this, but I think he is going to make a great coach for the Browns."

Same school to same street
Chudzinski has won national championships as a player and coach at the University of Miami. He transformed Derek Anderson into a Pro Bowler for one season in Cleveland and coordinated an offense that helped Cam Newton become an NFL Rookie of the Year in Carolina. But his oldest friends and best memories are rooted in Toledo and northwest Ohio.

The residents of Lucas and Wood counties are thrilled one of their own has become the Browns 14th full-time head coach. On Monday, St. John's students plan to wear Browns shirts to school and gather for a photo, board member and good friend Bert Brady said. They plan to send it to Chudzinski.

The son of an Ohio Air National Guard pilot, Chudzinski's passion for the Browns followed him through his formative years as the family moved from Toledo to Bowling Green to Fremont and back to Toledo. His love for the team has been well chronicled: Munching on dog biscuits, playing backyard football pretending to be tight end Ozzie Newsome, propping a television in the windows of his aunt's home to watch games in the chilly outdoors to simulate life in the Dawg Pound.

But it was at St. John's where the dreams of a slow-footed, yet sure-handed tight end manifested themselves. Chudzinski ran with a circle of athletic friends that included Brady, John Ragan, Mark Fabian and the gregarious, barrel-chested Miller. Each enjoyed success after graduation and many were influenced by former St. John's football coach Fred Beier, who died in 2004.

"You talk about discipline, you talk about toughness, you talk about work ethic that we need as part of a football team and the foundation of a football team," Chudzinski said. "Fred was instrumental in teaching those things and stressing those things."

Chudzinski carried those lessons to Coral Gables, Fla.

In a border town split between loyalties for Michigan and Ohio State, Chudzinski's friends became rabid Miami supporters as he won national titles in 1987 and '89. His playing days behind him, they watched as he ascended from a 27-year-old graduate assistant to a Hurricanes coach who molded the careers of future Pro Bowlers Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Willis McGahee, Bryant McKinnie, Clinton Portis, Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow.

"During football season we didn't hear much from him because he was laser focused," Brady said. "But when it was over he always came home and he was always the same guy -- humble as hell."

In 2004, former Browns coach Butch Davis hired him as the team's tight end coach and after a two-year stint in San Diego he returned to Cleveland as the club's offensive coordinator under Romeo Crennel. He settled in the Strongsville development of Waterford Crossing and lived on the same street as two of his St. John's buddies, Fabian and Miller.

Miller, who worked in sales, had relocated to Cleveland after college and started a family with his wife, Jane. Friends teased him about being the "president of the Chud Fan Club" and digging a tunnel that ran between their homes. They had all grown up Browns fans and here was one of their own calling plays for a team that finished 10-6 in 2007 and sent four offensive players to the Pro Bowl.

"It was so much fun," said Chudzinski, who's married with three children. "Our wives probably didn't always appreciate it because we acted more guys in high school than in our 40s."

It wasn't so bad for the offspring, either. The Miller boys marveled at the good fortune of living in a neighborhood that included former Browns assistant Chuck Pagano and players such as Courtney Brown and Ross Verba. Jack, who attended St. Edward High School for two years, babysat for the Chudzinskis in exchange for game tickets. He met all the players and stood in the stadium tunnel after games, once shaking hands with Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

"It was a fairy tale, it was a surreal life for a kid who grew up a Browns fan," said Jack Miller, who also has a younger sister. Molly, 15. "Chud always hooked us up, he always took care of us."

Their father, P.J., who was ailing from Hodgkin's lymphoma, realized as much. As the boys showed promise on the football field, the president of the Chud Fan Club knew who he wanted to guide them after he was gone.

Promise kept
During Chudzinski's introductory news conference, owner Jimmy Haslam expressed confidence his new coach would earn the players' respect. Fabian witnessed it at a 2008 fund raiser for Miller. The Browns offensive coordinator encouraged his players to attend and participate in a silent auction. Anderson, Brady Quinn and Josh Cribbs, among others, donated time and money.

"I was so impressed that I went around and thanked the players," Fabian said. "All they kept telling me was, 'We're here for a good cause and we're here because of Chud. We would do anything for him.'"

P.J. Miller died on Feb. 18, 2009 at 40, surrounded by his closest friends. A few days later, Chudzinski celebrated his life with a eulogy, its message still potent enough to move men such as Fabian to tears.

"He was such a good man and a good father," Chudzinski said. "He and Jane did such a great job raising those kids. They are so mature for their age and they're really good students."

The family returned to Toledo three years ago and Jack and Matt played football for their father's alma mater. All of dad's friends assisted in his children's mentorship.

As the boys went through the college recruiting process, Chudzinski counseled them at every turn. They talked about the best fits. They talked about the best programs. Mostly, they talked about life and honoring the wishes of a father.

Matt Miller, who turns 18 on Sunday, has accepted a full ride to Wisconsin. The youngest boy still speaks to Chudzinski three times a week as he prepares for college. Jack Miller earned a scholarship to Michigan two years ago. He's expected to be the Wolverines' starting center next season as a red-shirt sophomore. He wears the No. 60 in tribute to his dad's uniform number at St. John's.

Jack Miller plays for Wolverines coach Brady Hoke, who spent eight seasons as a Michigan assistant before returning nine years later to guide the program. The 6-foot-4, 288-pound center sees similarities between Hoke and Chudzinski.

"They understand what tradition means and what it means to the fans," Jack Miller said. "No one is more deserving of this opportunity than Chud. I think the stars are aligned. ... He wants to be here and no one will expect more of himself."

Jack Miller's father had known it for years.


(cleveland.com)

A person familiar with the decision says the Cleveland Browns have hired Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski as their new coach.

Chudzinski will become the Browns' sixth full-time coach since 1999, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on the condition of anonymity because the team has not yet announced the hiring. The 44-year-old Chudzinski has spent the past two seasons with the Panthers. He has had two previous stints with the Browns as an assistant coach.

Chudzinski, who grew up in Ohio and rooted for the Browns as a kid, interviewed with the team on Wednesday. He has spent the past two years working with quarterback Cam Newton.

The Browns have been searching for a coach since firing Pat Shurmur on Dec. 31 after a 5-11 season.


(ap.com)

CLEVELAND -- The Browns are interviewing Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski for their coaching job, league sources confirmed to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Chudzinski, who has had two previous stints as an assistant with Cleveland, is visiting the team's facility in Berea, Ohio, on Wednesday.

His interview had earlier been reported by the Plain Dealer.

Owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner are in Week 2 of their search to find a "strong leader" to take over the Browns, who went 5-11 this season.

The Browns reportedly interviewed Marc Trestman, coach of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, on Tuesday.

After meeting with Chudzinski, the Browns are expected to interview Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. The Colts have granted the Browns permission to speak with Arians, who has been hospitalized twice in recent days with an inner ear infection.

Arians fell ill on Sunday and had to miss the Colts' playoff loss to Baltimore.

Arians also has ties to the Browns, serving as their offensive coordinator from 2001-03.

Fox Sports reported the team will interview Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, the first known defensive coach to meet with the Browns.

The Browns met late last week with Chip Kelly but decided to reboot their search for a coach after leaving Arizona late Sunday morning without landing the Oregon coach.

Chudzinski, 44, has spent the past two seasons with the Panthers working with quarterback Cam Newton. Carolina finished fifth in total offense in 2011 and 12th last season under Chudzinski. He was Cleveland's tight ends coach in 2004 but was fired along with the rest of Butch Davis' staff. He returned to the club in 2007 as the offensive coordinator for Romeo Crennel.

Last year, Chudzinski interviewed for head-coaching jobs with St. Louis, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.

Chudzinski's connections with the Browns run deep.

He grew up in Toledo, Ohio, pulling for the Browns, and he was thrilled to be part of Davis' staff. After he left Cleveland the first time, he spent two seasons as San Diego's tight ends coach, working with perennial Pro Bowl standout Antonio Gates, before he was hired by Crennel in 2007.

That year, the Browns won 10 games -- their most wins since 1999 -- and had four players make the Pro Bowl. However, 2008 didn't go nearly as well, as injuries and a six-game losing streak to close the season resulted in a 4-12 record and the firing of Crennel.

Chudzinski went back to the Chargers for two more seasons before he was hired in Carolina.


(espn.com)

Mike Lombardi added a name of his own to the Eagles coaching search. From NFL.com:

If the Eagles fire Andy Reid and can’t get [Chip] Kelly, Lombardi said Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski could be a sleeper selection in Philadelphia.

The Panthers set a team record for yards last season, thanks in large part to a standout rookie year out of Cam Newton. That was Chudzinski’s first year on the job. Prior to that he was the tight ends and assistant head coach for the Chargers, where he worked with Antonio Gates. He has also served as an offensive coordinator for the Browns and the University of Miami.

Lombardi also agrees that Kelly is going to be a sought-after coach.

“He’s the prettiest girl in the school,” Lombardi said. “Everyone is going after Chip Kelly because of what he brings uniquely offensively.”

Playboy has an interesting piece on Jon Gruden (I read it for the articles, I swear!). The subject of whether he’ll return to the sidelines is broached:

When asked if her husband is happier broadcasting than he was coaching, Cindy pauses and then says, “Sometimes I think Jon has two monsters on his shoulder. One is go back to coaching, and the other is stay with this, have a nice life with his family. He’ll always have those two monsters.”

Gruden nods, seems to think it over and shrugs. “At least, no matter what happens, I’ll have tape to watch—and a seat at the FFCA.”

The FFCA stands for Fired Football Coaches Association. Gruden has rented a dingy office overlooking  a swamp in Tampa where he can hang out and watch film at all hours (turns out, Gruden is an insomniac). Fired coaches apparently come from all over and use the place almost as a refuge. Pretty good read.

Gruden’s name is always being linked to one team or another. The latest is the Raiders, who quickly shot that rumor down.

As always, you can find all the latest coaching buzz in our special section.


(phillymag.com)

Rob Chudzinski calls a better game than he talks.

The Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator – a sought-after head-coaching candidate this past offseason after directing Carolina’s offensive resurgence – speaks in generalities when discussing

what his innovative scheme might look like in year two with Cam Newton at the controls.

The man known in NFL circles as “Chud” talks about improving techniques and fundamentals, finding complements to packages that were successful last year and staying ahead of defensive coordinators who have had an offseason to study Newton and Chudzinski’s multi-layered attack.

“That’s one of the things we’ve stressed with our guys. Every year’s a new season and you have to start from scratch,” Chudzinski said during a recent interview. “You start at the bottom and you have to climb the mountain to get to where you want to be.”

Chudzinski wants to be where just about every assistant coach at any level wants to be – in the office with the nice view, plush carpet and HEAD COACH nameplate on the door.

Chudzinski nearly got there last winter, when he interviewed with Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and St. Louis after the Panthers jumped from last in the league in offense to seventh in his first season. Ultimately, Chudzinski lost out to Mike Mularkey, Greg Schiano and Jeff Fisher, respectively.

They were Chudzinski’s first interviews for a head-coaching position; Panthers coach Ron Rivera said they won’t be his last.

In the meantime, Chudzinski – referred to as a “genius” by one of his Panthers players and a “grinder” by another – has work to do on this August afternoon. Glancing at his watch less than 10 minutes into a scheduled interview, Chudzinski tells a reporter he has to get going.

The Panthers are more than two weeks away from their first regular-season game. But Chudzinski has practice tape to watch, opponents to study and a playbook to cram more plays into.

Effort and intelligence
Panthers tight end Greg Olsen breaks coaches into two categories: those who outwork their opponents and those who outthink them. Then there’s Chudzinski.
“There’s usually two kinds of guys. The grinder, who guts his way through because he just outworks everyone. And then there’s just the smart guy, who just naturally has a mind for putting things together and anticipating defenses and tendencies,” Olsen said. “Chud is the combination of both.”

Olsen, who, like Chudzinski, is a former University of Miami tight end, said Chudzinski sees things during games and has a knack for calling the right play against different defensive alignments. But it’s more than having a high football IQ.

“He has the mind to call and anticipate what a coverage is going to be. And we happen to get the perfect call,” Olsen said. “Well, it’s not by accident. It’s because he studies and puts the time in to get all his studies and reports on his piece of paper for gameday because of the hours he puts in.
“It’s rare you find a guy that has both of those qualities.”

Chudzinski worked his way up the coaching ladder rung by rung. He advanced from graduate assistant to tight ends coach to offensive coordinator during 10 years at his alma mater.

He was Miami’s coordinator under in 2001 when the Hurricanes won the national championship. The next season Miami set school records for points, total yards and rushing touchdowns.

Chudzinski followed Butch Davis to Cleveland in 2004, and went to San Diego the following season after the Browns fired Davis. When Chudzinski returned as the Browns’ coordinator under Romeo Crennel in 2007, he looked to be on the fast track to a head-coaching job.

With quarterback Derek Anderson, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and two other offensive players earning Pro Bowl berths, the Browns went 10-6 and finished eighth in total offense and scoring.

But Cleveland bottomed out the next year amid injuries to several key players, including Anderson, who is Newton’s backup with the Panthers. Crennel was fired and Chudzinski accepted the tight ends position in San Diego, reuniting with Norv Turner and Rivera, the Chargers’ defensive coordinator.

When the Panthers hired Rivera in 2011, his first choice to run the offense was Chudzinski.

‘Sky is the limit’
With Rivera’s background as a defensive coach, he wanted someone who could oversee the offense while Rivera was on the defensive field. Rivera has given Chudzinski nearly full autonomy.

During the season, the two meet early in the week to go over the offensive game plan. If Chudzinski has a couple of new or trick plays he’s considering using, he has Rivera look at them during walkthroughs before practice.

Rivera said he has yet to veto a Chudzinski call.

“With Chud, there are no lines. It’s just go out and do it, which I think is great,” Rivera said. “He has a progression of learning and the way he teaches things. He starts with simple, basic things and from there the sky is the limit.”

After struggling with accuracy during the preseason, Newton flourished in Chudzinski’s system, a mix of the zone-read package similar to what Newton ran at Auburn and a vertical stretch passing attack that Chudzinski developed in Cleveland and San Diego.

The scheme played to Newton’s strengths as a runner and passer. He broke Peyton Manning’s rookie passing record, scored more rushing touchdowns in a single season than any quarterback in history and became the first player to throw for 4,000 yards and run for 500 in a season.

But it wasn’t just Newton.

Steve Smith produced his first 1,000-yard receiving season since 2008, and DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart teamed with Newton to become the first trio in league history to rush for 700 yards each.

As a team, the Panthers led the league in plays of 20 yards or more (90), and scored 48 touchdowns a year after finishing with a franchise low of 17 in John Fox’s final season. The Panthers’ leap from 32nd to seventh in total offense was the biggest one-year improvement since St. Louis improved 26 spots in 1999.
“He’s really just a genius,” Stewart said of Chudzinski. “He spends a lot of time with the offense trying to create ways for players to be successful. That’s what a good offensive coordinator and coach is all about. He does a good job of explaining what he wants, and what he expects out of us individually and collectively.”

Stewart believes the Panthers only scratched the surface last season of what they can do offensively. Without OTAs and minicamp, the Panthers arrived in Spartanburg following the lockout with three weeks to install a new offense.

The learning curve was steep.

“To be honest, it took probably until Week 8 or Week 9 to really grasp the whole offense,” wide receiver Brandon LaFell said. “Going out there and being comfortable, knowing where to line up and not thinking about what I’ve got to do at the line of scrimmage, but knowing exactly what I need to do in the huddle.”
Chudzinski said the Panthers should benefit from having a true offseason “to go back to the basics, re-install things and get better at the core of what we’re doing.”

The Panthers will add to what they’re doing, as well. Asked at training camp if the playbook was thicker this year, Stewart smiled and nodded.

Time will come
Chudzinski only needs to walk down the hall in the coaches offices at Bank of America Stadium to find a great resource on the process of becoming a head coach. Rivera interviewed for nine NFL head coaching positions before the Panthers hired him.

Before his first interview last winter, Chudzinski talked to Rivera about what to expect.

“We talked about the things he needed to be prepared for, the questions he’ll get, all those kinds of things,” Rivera said. “Believe me, I was very happy that he got the opportunity. I was torn that he got the opportunity. And I know he’s going to get that opportunity again. He’s a dynamic person.”

The knock on some coordinators is that they’re Xs-and-Os guys who lack the attributes needed to be a successful head coach, namely leadership ability and communication and organizational skills.

Rivera said that’s not the case with Chudzinski.

“He’s dynamic, a sharp guy. He thinks outside the box. And I know his time’s coming,” Rivera said. “The big key is it’s got to be the right situation, the right fit. You don’t take jobs to take jobs. I’ve learned that over the last few years.”

Panthers offensive quality control Scott Turner spends as much time with Chudzinski as anyone on the staff, and sits next to him in the press box when Chudzinski is calling plays. Turner, son of Chargers coach Norv Turner, said Chudzinski has the makeup to be a head coach.

“Chud’s got the ability to do whatever he wants in this profession,” Turner said. “I’ve been very impressed working for him and seeing what he does. I don’t think there’s any limitations on his coaching career.”

But on this muggy August day, as players file past him on their way to the stadium after practice, Chudzinski has other things on his mind.

“It was a great experience. I was very flattered to have the opportunity to do that and be able to talk and meet a number of people at those organizations that I talked with,” he said. “Obviously, if the opportunity ever comes, great. But I’m enjoying every minute of this and being with this group of guys and coming to work every day.”

And with that, Chudzinski goes back to work, ducking into a stadium door and heading upstairs to his office. There is tape to watch, plays to draw and defensive coordinators around the league trying to stop him.


(heraldonline.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Steve Smith was certain Rob Chudzinski wouldn't be calling plays for the Panthers this season.

Like many of his teammates, Smith thought someone would offer Carolina's offensive coordinator a head coaching job during the offseason. Chudzinski did interview with Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and St. Louis, but was never was offered job.

Now he's back with Carolina — and his players say they're selfishly thrilled.

"He's an innovator," Smith said. "His offense is always evolving and he doesn't allow you to get comfortable. You just can't get comfortable, which is great."

Tight end Greg Olsen, one of the many players who thrived under Chudzinski, called him "one of the top offensive minds in the league" and said he was stunned when he didn't get an offer.

"Believe me, we feel fortunate he didn't get any of those jobs," Olsen said.

Despite a shortened offseason in 2011, Chudzinski helped pumped life back into a stagnant offense.
Check that, a wretched offense.

The Panthers were last in the NFL in virtually every major statistical category — points scored, total offense and passing offense — two years ago under the highly conservative offense run by former coordinator Jeff Davidson. They improved to fifth in points scored and seventh in total offense last season under Chudzinski.

The Panthers were able to make the transition from a run-first offense to a "big chunk" offense featuring a vertical passing game despite having a shortened offseason.

Quarterbacks coach Mike Shula was instrumental in getting rookie Cam Newton to quickly understand how to read NFL defenses. The former Heisman Trophy winner threw for a rookie record 4,051 yards and score 35 touchdowns — 21 passing and 14 rushing.

Smith joined Newton at the Pro Bowl, enjoying his third-most productive season with 79 receptions for 1,394 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.

Carolina's running game started slow, but came on strong as DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 1,587 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.

That success has led to budding optimism.

If Chudzinski can do what he did last season in such a short amount of time, what can he do this year with a full offseason?

Chudzinski is cautiously optimistic, but has stressed to his players that past success is irrelevant.

Each year, he said, offers different challenges.

Gone are receiver Legedu Naanee and tight end Shockey, but the Panthers picked up versatile fullback Mike Tolbert and will get receiver David Gettis and tight end Gary Barnidge back from injuries.

But before the Panthers take a step forward, Chudzinski is ready to take a step back.

"It's nice to actually have an offseason and be able to go back to basics," Chudzinski said. "That's kind of what we've focused on is a lot of things we've had to throw in and put in quickly last year, now you get a chance to take a step back and reteach it step-by-step. I think it's been beneficial to everybody to be able to do that."

Not that the Panthers weren't able to adapt last year.

Sure, they finished 6-10, but it was the defense and special teams that struggled and cost them games.

"His flexibility, his versatility and what he can do from parts that he's able to work into his existing philosophy," Olsen said. "There's not a lot of guys like that around the league that are willing to make some changes and put a few wrinkles in."

Those wrinkles included, among other things, an across-the-grain throwback pass from Naanee to Newton, who came 2 yards from scoring his first receiving touchdown and a few college option plays run by Newton and Williams.

But the one that sticks in everyone's mind and displayed Chudzinski's guts was the one his players dubbed "the annexation of Puerto Rico," a reference to similar trick play run in the 1994 kids' movie Little Giants.

Leading 14-0 and faced with a second-and-6 at the 7-yard line, Houston's defense was focused on stopping Newton, who'd already run for 13 touchdowns at that point in the season.

With his offensive line standing straight up, providing a picket fence of sorts, Newton stepped up center and quickly snapped the ball and spun out to the right. What most Texans defenders didn't see was Newton stick the ball between back of fullback Richie Brockel's legs. Brockel, who'd lined up over right guard, took off to the left side of the field while everyone else rolled to the right as a decoy. He scored to give Carolina a 21-0 lead in a play that would make highlight reels nationwide.

"When we put that play in, I never thought in a million years that play was going to work, let alone get a touchdown," wide receiver Brandon LaFell said at the time.

Now the question is what will Chudzinski do this year for an encore.

"I don't know, I'm going to have to watch a few more movies to see if I can figure one out," Chudzinski said with a laugh.

The players certainly can't wait to find out.

But they also seem to realize they'll need to cherish this time they have with him because it's not going to be long before someone comes knocking on his door and steals him away.

"It's good to have him back, but eventually we all know he's going to move on," Smith said. "With any good coordinator, they move on — unlike our prior (coordinators) here who just kind of lingered. I think that just shows you how good he is."


(dailyjournal.net)

The filling of the last remaining NFL head-coaching vacancy Thursday — the Buccaneers' hiring of Greg Schiano — was welcomed news for the Panthers. They had been closely monitoring the Bucs' exhaustive search, which included an interview with Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

Head coach Ron Rivera told PFW earlier this month that Carolina would "still have the same players and pretty much the same scheme" next season no matter what happened with Chudzinski, but Rivera admitted during his time in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl that the Panthers had been putting off some of their offseason work until they had clarity on Chudzinski's future.

It appears he will be staying put after also interviewing for the Rams' and Jaguars' jobs, although there will be plenty of speculation about his future again next season if the Panthers' offense continues to soar.

Chudzinski has become one of the league's high-profile assistants because of his work with Cam Newton and the dramatic improvement in Carolina's offense last season, but he has been a coordinator at the pro level for only three seasons and never has been a head coach at any level. The Bucs, Rams and Jaguars all hired someone with head-coaching experience.


(profootballweekly.com)

According to the Charlotte Observer the 'buzz' around the Senior Bowl is that Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski will get a second interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So far the Bucs have only brought back former Packers head coach Mike Sherman for a second interview, which will occur today according to Adam Schefter. The Bucs are expected to choose a head coach after this second round of interviews, but they could always pull a surprise move as they tried to do with Chip Kelly a few days ago.

Of those who have interviewed with the Bucs, Chudzinski is by far my favorite coach. He's a young, innovative offensive mind who has had massive success everywhere he's coached. What he did with Cam Newton last season was very impressive, but it wasn't his only successful year as he managed to get Derek Anderson to the Pro Bowl in Cleveland. The question is whether he can parlay that into a successful career as a head coach, and whether he's ready to take on that role at this point.

Keep in mind that this isn't definitive. The report is based on 'buzz' around the Senior Bowl. According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune the interview has not been arranged, but it could be shortly. It would shock me if Mike Sherman was the only coach to be asked back for a second interview, however.


(bucsnation.com)

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Bucs are in the process of narrowing their list of head-coach candidates to an unknown number of finalists, but Mike Sherman continues to be the only prospective hire known to be invited for a second interview.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who is awaiting an outcome in Tampa Bay’s search because the team is considering his offensive coordinator, Rob Chudzinski, still wasn’t clear earlier today whether his trusted assistant is among the finalists.

“I haven’t heard that,” Rivera said when asked whether Chudzinski was asked back for a second interview with Tampa Bay.

But Rivera is hoping for a resolution – a quick one.

“Believe me, I’d love to know just so we can go forward,” said Rivera, here in Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl. “We’ve got a lot of things we have to do and we’ve kind of put (them) off during this whole period.”

Rivera noted that his team’s offense would likely change without Chudzinski, a main reason he’d like some closure on the matter.

Asked about the interest in Chudzinski, Rivera said, “I think a lot of it is just curiosity. . . I think a lot of people don’t know about him. I think what’s happening right now is people are trying to find out about him.

“I think when you look at the body of work, we just had some success.”


(tampabay.com)

Comments

If I need a head coach in the NFL right now, I call McCoy or Chud before anyone else. Who are they? The wave of the future.

Mike McCoy. Isn't that Colt McCoy's youngest brother who's a high school phenom? No. And it's not the husband from "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" either (that's Matt McCoy, for movie nerds like me). Mike McCoy is the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator and reportedly the front-runner in the Miami Dolphins' head-coaching search.

If you didn't know his name, you need to. Because McCoy, along with the Carolina Panthers' Rob Chudzinski, have laid the groundwork for the new era of offensive coordinators in the league. McCoy helped spark Tim Tebow's magical season in Denver while Chudzinski turned Cam Newton into a killer robot who is ready to take over the planet. (This after he previously made Derek Anderson into a Pro Bowl QB in Cleveland, which is only slightly less difficult than building a killer robot.)

Why are McCoy and Chudzinski the future? It used to be that a great offensive mind was someone who perfected a specific system and then either found the right players to execute it, or if that wasn't possible, took whatever players they could and tried to mold them into ones who fit. Why was Mike Martz so successful in St. Louis? Because Kurt Warner's time in the Arena Football League, where he had to make tremendously fast reads, was perfect for it. While Marc Bulger wasn't the fit that Warner was, he was forced into The Greatest Show On Turf and still had a modicum of success. That was what being an offensive coordinator in the NFL used to be. The system was more valuable over the players. Now, it's changed.

Teams realize that trying to put a square peg (a franchise quarterback completely unfamiliar with the system you want to run) into a round hole (your system) isn't going to yield great results. The new editions of great coordinators are ones who accept they have to tailor their philosophy to what their quarterback does well. Tebow was a curiosity who flashed until the Broncos decided to custom-build their offense around him. And what happened? A six-game winning streak and a spot in the NFL's final eight.

McCoy played to Tebow's strengths. Chudzinski did it from the jump in Carolina with Newton, and that's why these two will be head coaches sooner rather than later. They look smarter than everyone else. They look like innovators. Their ego is comfortable enough where they're not unbending to other thoughts. Every CEO in the world wants people like that working for them. What sealed Martz's ultimate "philosophical differences" fate in Chicago? He was forever resistant to changing what he does to keep more pass protection in for Jay Cutler. When he finally threw his arms up in the air and said, "Fine, I'll do it," what happened? The Bears won five straight and were rolling until Cutler fractured his thumb and missed the rest of the season. The lesson here is always be open to new ideas, and make sure those ideas are what your QB can execute best.

Now let's just say you're a team with a player at that position whose skills are a little different than your standard passer? (Like Robert Griffin III, when he gets selected in April.) Who are you going to want to be your head coach? Someone who you're confident can develop them so you're not throwing money away for three seasons as your team tries to find a happy medium between their talent and your system. How many times do you have to watch the ups and downs of Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne, Sam Bradford, Tarvaris Jackson, Colt McCoy, or Kevin Kolb to realize how valuable that is?


(nfl.com)

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reports the Bucs will interview Panthers OC Rob Chudzinski for their head-coaching vacancy on Tuesday.

They're interviewing Bengals DC Mike Zimmer today and Chud tomorrow. The Bucs have been deliberate in their coaching search, as promised by owner Joel Glazer. Tampa Bay is expected to end up meeting with at least six candidates.


(rotoworld.com)

Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has a bag full of tricks and he’s not afraid to use them—even if it means borrowing a play from a kids’ movie.

With Cam Newton under center, Chudzinski is finding fun new ways to use the talented rookie’s athleticism to his advantage.

The latest twist was borrowing a hidden-ball trick very loosely adapted from a play called “the annexation of Puerto Rico” from the 1994 movie the Little Giants to help the Panthers beat the Texans 28-13. The play resulted in a 7-yard touchdown run by fullback Richie Brockel and landed the Panthers on highlight reels across the country.

And it had the Texans chasing an empty-handed Newton, who sold the play perfectly.

“Cam’s ability to run and throw, it just adds another dimension,” coach Ron Rivera said. “It has been kind of neat to see the different things we’ve been able to do with him over the course of the season and show he’s an integral part of what we are and what we’re going to become.

It’s not the first time Chudzinski has ventured into a gadget play to ignite the offense—and probably won’t be the last.

Two weeks against Tampa bay he called for a throwback pass from receiver Legedu Naanee — who originally went to Boise State to play quarterback — to Newton that resulted in a big gain and nearly another touchdown before he was dragged down at the 2-yard line.

Chudzinski has also experimented with using running back DeAngelo Williams in the Wildcat and also had another college quarterback, Armanti Edwards, throw a pass to Steve Smith on Sunday.

Chudzinski declined interviews through the team’s public relations department, saying he was too busy preparing for Tampa Bay on a short week.

But Rivera said the play is another example of Chudzinski’s creative nature, which is just a small part of the reason he brought him to Carolina after landing the Panthers head coaching gig.

“You can sit there and wonder what else can you guys do,” Rivera said. “I think it’s about knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are for each of your players… But we’re not here to get fans excited about (trick plays); we want to get them excited about the fact we can win football games.”

The Panthers didn’t run many trick plays early in the season.

That’s because Chudzinski didn’t have a great grasp on his new roster due to the NFL lockout-shortened offseason.

Chudzinksi’s play call Sunday is sure to become an instant classic on highlight films.

The Panthers ran the play in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against Texans while leading 14-0 and faced with a second-and-6 at the Texans 7.

The Texans were keying on Newton, who entered the game with 13 rushing touchdowns, and bit hard when he took the snap and did a spin move as he rolled out to the right side. What they didn’t see was Newton stick the ball between Brockel’s legs after he’d lined up just a few feet behind the right guard.

“When we put that play in, I never thought in a million years that that play was going to work, let alone get a touchdown,” receiver Brandon LaFell said.

LaFell said the team walked through the play in practice, but had never run it against a live defense.

“It’s one of those plays where if the timing is right and you call it at the right time it’s about as good as it gets,” Rivera said.

While thrilled with how the play worked out, Rivera was more pleased that the Panthers (5-9) were finally able to close out a game against a playoff team.

The fourth quarter has been brutal this season for the Panthers as they’ve lost six games in which they’ve either led or been tied. The Panthers have now won three of their last four games, but this was their first win against a team with a winning record.

“It’s very nice, more so for our players to understand that we have that kind of ability in the locker room and we have guys who can step up and make plays when they have to,” Rivera said.

Wide receiver Steve Smith said every win is important for the Panthers as they look to next season.

“Some people may say that we aren’t playing for anything, what’s the point, but we are playing for the next three Sunday’s and then the first Sunday in September,” Smith said. “Hopefully, if you keep working hard enough, you’ll be on that final roster in September. That’s what you are playing for, future employment.”


(thecharlottlepost.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has a bag full of tricks and he’s not afraid to use them — even if it means borrowing a play from a kids’ movie.

With Cam Newton under center, Chudzinski is finding fun news ways to use the talented rookie’s athleticism to his advantage.

The latest twist was borrowing a hidden-ball trick very loosely adapted from a play called “the annexation of Puerto Rico” from the 1994 movie the Little Giants to help the Panthers beat the Texans 28-13. The play resulted in a 7-yard touchdown run by fullback Richie Brockel and landed the Panthers on highlight reels across the country.

And it had the Texans chasing an empty-handed Newton, who sold the play perfectly.

“Cam’s ability to run and throw, it just adds another dimension,” coach Ron Rivera said. “It has been kind of neat to see the different things we’ve been able to do with him over the course of the season and show he’s an integral part of what we are and what we’re going to become.

It’s not the first time Chudzinski has ventured into a gadget play to ignite the offense — and probably won’t be the last.

Two weeks against Tampa bay he called for a throwback pass from receiver Legedu Naanee — who originally went to Boise State to play quarterback — to Newton that resulted in a big gain and nearly another touchdown before he was dragged down at the 2-yard line.

Chudzinski has also experimented with using running back DeAngelo Williams in the Wildcat and also had another college quarterback, Armanti Edwards, throw a pass to Steve Smith on Sunday.

Chudzinski declined interviews through the team’s public relations department, saying he was too busy preparing for Tampa Bay on a short week.
But Rivera said the play is another example of Chudzinski’s creative nature, which is just a small part of the reason he brought him to Carolina after landing the Panthers head coaching gig.

“You can sit there and wonder what else can you guys do?” Rivera said. “I think it’s about knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are for each of your players... But we’re not here to get fans excited about (trick plays); we want to get them excited about the fact we can win football games.”

The Panthers didn’t run many trick plays early in the season.

That’s because Chudzinski didn’t have a great grasp on his new roster due to the NFL lockout-shortened offseason.

Chudzinksi’s play call Sunday is sure to become an instant classic on highlight films.

The Panthers ran the play in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against Texans while leading 14-0 and faced with a second-and-6 at the Texans 7-yard line.

The Texans were keying on Newton, who entered the game with 13 rushing touchdowns, and bit hard when he took the snap and did a spin move as he rolled out to the right side. What they didn’t see was Newton stick the ball between Brockel’s legs after he’d lined up just a few feet behind the right guard.

“When we put that play in, I never thought in a million years that that play was going to work, let alone get a touchdown,” receiver Brandon LaFell said.

LaFell said the team walked through the play in practice, but had never run it against a live defense.

“It’s one of those plays where if the timing is right and you call it at the right time it’s about as good as it gets,” Rivera said.

While thrilled with how the play worked out, Rivera was more pleased that the Panthers (5-9) were finally able to close out a game against a playoff team.

The fourth quarter has been brutal this season for the Panthers as they’ve lost six games in which they’ve either led or been tied. The Panthers have now won three of their last four games, but this was their first win against a team with a winning record.

“It’s very nice, more so for our players to understand that we have that kind of ability in the locker room and we have guys who can step up and make plays when they have to,” Rivera said.

Wide receiver Steve Smith said every win is important for the Panthers as they look to next season.

“Some people may say that we aren’t playing for anything, what’s the point, but we are playing for the next three Sunday’s and then the first Sunday in September,” Smith said. “Hopefully, if you keep working hard enough, you’ll be on that final roster in September. That’s what you are playing for, future employment.”

Notes: Rivera said he’s concerned about cornerback Captain Munnerlyn’s right hamstring which forced him to leave in the third quarter. Rivera said it’s not torn but there’s a chance it could keep him out against Tampa Bay. ... Also, defensive end Charles Johnson has a sore back and safety Charles Godfrey injured his left shoulder that has been bothering him.


(ap.com)

Every time Rob Chudzinski successfully calls one of his trademark “big chunk” plays, it’s a bit of a catch-22 for the Carolina Panthers:

The 25-yard-plus gains put the offense that much closer to the end zone, but they also raise the profile of an offensive coordinator whom some observers think will draw interest as a head-coaching candidate after the season.

With his vertical passing game and a three-headed running attack, Chudzinski has had the Panthers ranked among the league’s top-five offenses throughout his first season in Charlotte. Chudzinski has taken advantage of rookie quarterback Cam Newton’s unique skill set, incorporating a read-option scheme similar to what Newton ran last season at Auburn.

The Panthers do not want to lose Chudzinski after one season.

While Chudzinski said he’d like to be a head coach at some point, his focus is on his current job.

“If that opportunity comes someday, great,” Chudzinski said Monday. “If not, I’m right here, right now in what I’m doing.”

After Jacksonville fired Jack Del Rio last week, ESPN’s John Clayton mentioned Chudzinski among the offensive assistants the Jaguars might consider.

Chudzinski said he has not been contacted by the Jaguars.

“I don’t even listen to it, pay attention to it,” Chudzinski said of the speculation. “I’m the type of person, I’m about the here and now and trying to focus and do the best job I can do. And that’s right here. I love this team. I love the things we’re doing. I love the direction we’re going. We have the Atlanta Falcons this week. … So that’s what I’m focused on completely.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera knows what it’s like dealing with the distractions that come with having your name linked to vacancies. Rivera, the former Chicago and San Diego defensive coordinator, interviewed for eight head-coaching jobs during recent years before the Panthers hired him in January.

Rivera said Chudzinski “absolutely” has the makeup to be a head coach, but this is not the time to discuss it.

“It’s something I won’t address because we have four games left. Chud will hear it and do what he has to do. The one thing he’s done and told me is his focus right now is on what we are doing,” Rivera said. “Because of that, I respect it and I’m not going to bring it up.”

“It’s the same thing as coach (Norv) Turner did with me,” added Rivera, referring to the Chargers coach. “You have to think about the task at hand. If he’s anything like all of us who have gone through it, he’s already got something prepared. You have the whole offseason to prepare for these situations. Now you’re playing, the focus is on playing.”

Chudzinski, 43, was dialed-in Sunday during a 38-19 win at Tampa Bay, where the Panthers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions to take a lead they never relinquished. Chudzinski called about 80 percent of the plays on those drives off a script, as he typically does on the first two series before making adjustments.

The Panthers had four plays of 19 yards or more on the first two possessions – a pair of Jonathan Stewart runs, a reception by tight end Greg Olsen and a 27-yard catch by Newton on a trick play.

“When you can go out and your first two drives are touchdowns, you’d love to start out every game that way,” Chudzinski said. “And certainly I felt good about the plan going into the game, and the guys did a great job executing all day long.”

After finishing with the league’s worst offense in John Fox’s final season, the Panthers are No. 5 this year with 397.6 yards a game. They have the fifth-ranked rushing offense, and are among the top eight in passing yards, first downs and scoring offense at 24.2 points a game.

Chudzinski, who spent two seasons as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator, said the entire offensive staff contributes to the game plan. He said offensive quality control coach Scott Turner, Norv Turner’s son, had the idea for the throwback pass to Newton.

“That’s the good thing that’s been really nice about our staff. Everybody chips in and has input and has ideas,” Chudzinski said. “If you go back through these weeks, there’s a little bit of everybody in it. That’s real positive and I’m fortunate to be in a situation where we have a bunch of guys like that.”

The Panthers hope the man known as Chud stays in that situation a while longer.



(charlotteobserver.com)

One of the things you get from re-watching games is an idea of who has the good offensive schemes.

Most of them are -- as expected -- the top offenses in the league, with most of those offenses run by the head coach of the team. So for teams that might be looking for a head coach next January from the coordinators who actually run an offense, the pool will be limited.

Take a look at the top-10 offensive teams based on the rankings this week. They are in order: New Orleans, New England, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Dallas, Carolina, San Diego, Houston, Oakland and Pittsburgh. Of those teams, the only two where the head coach isn't involved in the offense is Carolina and Pittsburgh.

That's it. Some will say that isn't the case in New England, but we know better with Bill Belichick. He's as involved with that offense as any coach. Bill O'Brien is the coordinator, but Belichick and Brady have a lot of say in what happens on offense.

In Philadelphia, former Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg is the coordinator, and he does call the plays, but Andy Reid is an offensive coach who is heavily involved.

In Carolina, Rob Chudzinski runs the offense. In Pittsburgh, it's Bruce Arians. Those two have control of the play calling and the implementation of the offense. They are the only two in the top 10.

So both could be considered head-coaching candidates next spring, although there was once a movement in Pittsburgh to get Arians fired.

That leaves Chudzinski. He is in his first year running the Carolina offense and has it ranked fifth with a rookie quarterback in Cam Newton. Chudzinski's play calling is innovative and creative. He isn't afraid to take chances. This is his second stint as a coordinator after serving in that capacity in Cleveland from 2007-2008.

At 43, his time might be coming. What's even better for him is that it's coming at a time when the head coaches are running the good offenses in the league right now.

With so many head coaches handling their offenses, guys like Mike McCarthy (Green Bay), Sean Payton (New Orleans) and Jason Garrett (Dallas), Chudzinski might be one of the few choices for teams looking to liven up the offensive side of the ball.

Click here to order Rob Chudzinski’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cbssports.com)

Ability to work with young QB sets Chudzinski apart

While Panthers quarterback Cam Newton surely deserves a bulk of the credit for his early success, the coach behind this offense might soon find himself also benefiting from the improvements of Carolina’s offense. Rob Chudzinski, the Panthers' offensive coordinator, had already been an assistant discussed as a head-coaching prospect before this year, but he’s now proving more than ever that he deserves a shot.

Chudzinski has never stayed idle in one place for longer than two NFL seasons, so he might not have generated the momentum necessary to gain the interest of owners around the league. But those owners should nonetheless take notice: With a rookie quarterback in place, Chudzinski’s offense ranks fifth in the league in total yards (fifth in passing yards; seventh in rushing). In addition to Chudzinski’s previous body of work as an assistant, his progress with Newton should be very appealing for any team in need of a coach who is also likely to have a young quarterback to mentor in 2012.


(nfl.com)

Before drafting quarterback Cam Newton, the Panthers made another pick up they hoped would improve the NFL's worst offense in 2010.

Ron Rivera worked with Rob Chudzinski in San Diego, where the man known as "Chud" was the tight ends coach and assistant head coach for Norv Turner. Rivera wanted to bring Turner's downfield passing attack to Charlotte, and had only one candidate in mind as his offensive coordinator.

Rivera knew the 43-year-old Chudzinski was young, smart and available. His contract had expired in San Diego, and he had also interviewed in Miami for the Dolphins' coordinator post.

Nearly halfway through the season, Chudzinski has used a mix of deep throws, an option package similar to what Newton ran at Auburn and a willingness to try different ideas to build the Panthers into one of the NFL's top offenses.

Entering Sunday's game with Minnesota, the Panthers are fifth in the league in total offense (416.6 yards per game), passing offense (288.4 yards) and first downs (22.3) - despite virtually the same lineup as a year ago when they were last in nearly every major offensive category.

"The biggest thing is the philosophy. Philosophically speaking, this offense is a vertical attack," Rivera said this week. "It's one of the things I really fell in love with when I was in San Diego for four seasons with Norv Turner. That's why bringing Chud in was so important - that vertical attack."

After Chudzinski was hired, he talked about getting yards in chunks. Through seven games, no team has more big plays than the Panthers.
Carolina has 41 offensive plays of 20 yards or more. Oakland is second with 37, while New England, Philadelphia and Houston each have 35.
The Panthers had 44 such plays all of last season, tied with Atlanta for last.

What might be most impressive is the Panthers' offense is clicking despite missing out on the OTAs and minicamps that are critical to a first-year staff with a rookie quarterback.

"There were a lot of moving parts early on," Chudzinski said. "Assessing all those things to make decisions on and putting the package together was the biggest challenge."

Newton and the re-emergence of veteran Steve Smith have been the biggest reasons for the Panthers' success. After an erratic preseason in which he completed only 42.1 percent of his passes, Newton shined once the games counted.

The Panthers drafted Newton with the No. 1 pick as their franchise quarterback, and he certainly looks to be on his way. He bounced back from a three-interception game at Atlanta in Week 6 with his most efficient performance last week in a 33-20 win over Washington.

Newton was 18-of-23 passing for 256 yards and one touchdown and ran for another. Newton is fourth in the league in passing yards - behind Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers - while Smith trails only Wes Welker in receiving yards.

Smith, 32, praised the new staff's use of him in the preseason, saying Chudzinski was putting him in a position to make more plays. Chudzinski also has taken advantage of Newton's skill set, adopting some of the read-option plays he ran at Auburn.

The Panthers also have incorporated a few quarterback runs that Tennessee used with Vince Young when Panthers receivers coach Fred Graves was on the Titans' staff. Quarterbacks coach Mike Shula and offensive line coach John Matsko also have background with the option.
"I think we're utilizing Cam and doing some things that he can do uniquely well, and we'll continue to look for those types of things to do," Chudzinski said. "I had to go a little bit out of my comfort zone and the things that I knew. It's a new challenge and a different challenge for me, which is good. I'm working to improve myself, as well."

Chudzinski spent two seasons as Cleveland's offensive coordinator in between his stints in San Diego. In 2007, his first year in Cleveland, the Browns had the league's No. 8 offense, and quarterback Derek Anderson, now Newton's backup, went to the Pro Bowl.

The following year an injury-riddled Browns team failed to score a touchdown over its final six games and finished next-to-last in total offense. New Browns coach Eric Mangini did not retain Chudzinski, who returned to San Diego.

Rivera said he never considered anyone else to oversee the Panthers' offense.

"He's a smart guy. He understands this game. He's learning coach Turner's offense. He's still growing in that offense," Rivera said. "He's going to be great at it. It's just a matter of time with him.”


(charlotteobserver.com)

In terms of Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, do you ask them to do the same things or different things?
Chudzinski: “I think a lot of the things they do, both of them can do.  There may be a few things we will ask one of them to do a little bit more of. I have been real pleased with both of them. Obviously Greg makes the big catches at the end of the game (Sunday) but Jeremy has been doing all of the little things to help win. You watch the film yesterday and you see some of the blocks down the field or a catch in a critical situation that Jeremy has. I have been real pleased with how those guys are playing.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s or Jeremy Shockey’s proCane Rookie Card.


(www.gastongazette.com)

CHARLOTTE - As a player, Rob Chudzinski had to think like a coach in order to be successful.

Yet Chudzinski never really thought about becoming a coach.

But now, 17 years after Dennis Erickson invited him to serve as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami, Chudzinski can't think of possibly doing anything else.

"I really had never thought about it before until I ran into Coach Erickson and we began talking about it," said Chudzinski, the Panthers' offensive coordinator. "I was the type of player that was always squeezing everything out of my abilities. I had to know the game and kind of think like a coach to be able to play.

"When Coach Erickson invited me to come and be a graduate assistant coach, and I thought about it and decided, ‘Yeah, I'll try it.'"

Chudzinski recently made another leap of faith that he hopes is as successful as his decision to coach in the first place. He was in a good spot as assistant head coach and tight ends coach for the San Diego Chargers, but he decided to follow Ron Rivera - then the Chargers' defensive coordinator – to Carolina.

"We had never really talked about it until everything started to happen with Ron. That's when he approached me about it, and I was flattered and excited about the opportunity," Chudzinski said. "Knowing what kind of person he is and knowing what kind of head coach I feel like he's going to be, that was certainly a big attraction. Plus, it's about the kind of organization it is and the feel I got when I interviewed here."

And Chudzinski – along with Rivera - seems to have a good feel for what the Panthers need as they try to bounce back from the least productive offensive season in franchise history. He inherits an offense that struggled to score in 2010 but one that will return the majority of the pieces from a run-first unit that had been productive in previous seasons.

Chudzinski wants to return the Panthers to a physical style of offensive football, but not necessarily a conservative style.

"I've always been involved with an attacking style of offense," said Chudzinski, who helped the Chargers lead the NFL in total offense last season. "Balance is extremely important in the things you're doing – run and pass balance – and I think having guys prepared from a technique standpoint and from a fundamental standpoint is extremely important.

"Ultimately what you're looking for is execution and efficiency from the guys running the offense, but football is an aggressive, attacking, physical game. I believe strongly that guys want to play that way."

Chudzinski developed his aggressive approach as a player in high school, when he competed at linebacker and defensive end in addition to his primary role at tight end – the position that earned him a scholarship to Miami.

He was undersized by his own admission but played big, starting for three seasons while being a part of national title teams in 1987 and 1989.
"I've always taken the approach that I need to outwork people - the same approach that I had as a player," Chudzinski said. "The only thing you can control is how hard you work."

After college, Chudzinski stayed in the Miami area and applied those principles to the business world, serving as a consultant for a few years before he ran into Erickson and a coaching career was born.

After two years as a graduate assistant, he took over the tight ends for five seasons, tutoring standouts like Jeremy Shockey – a first-year Panther – Kellen Winslow and Bubba Franks. Then he ascended to offensive coordinator, helping the Hurricanes to another national title his first season in 2001 and to school records for points and total yards in 2002.

In 2004, the NFL came calling when Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis – formerly Miami's head coach – hired him.

“I was at the University of Miami for a long time, but I had always wanted at some point to have a chance to coach in the NFL," Chudzinski said. "We had been real successful at Miami, so I felt like it was time for the next challenge."

Over the next seven seasons, Chudzinski had a pair of stints with both the Browns and Chargers.

In 2007, as Cleveland's offensive coordinator, he led a lightly regarded offense headed by quarterback Derek Anderson to a 10-6 record, with Anderson and three of his offensive teammates making the Pro Bowl.

"It was a fun year in a lot of ways," Chudzinski said. "We kind of turned the whole thing around after a lot of people had counted us out."
Now, "Chud" hopes to do more of the same with the Panthers.

"I'm really anxious to get started," he said. "I'm excited about the whole thing, just champing at the bit waiting to get out there."


(panthers.com)

A couple of weeks ago, former Cleveland Browns quarterback Ken Dorsey retired from football. One of the thing he has been doing since then? Training with rookie quarterback Cameron Newton, the first overall pick of the draft for the Carolina Panthers.

When Dorsey was with the Browns, fans often said that it seemed like he was a good mentor and that coaching could be in his future. In Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, he discusses the Rob Chudzinski connection between Dorsey and Newton.

There's a good reason Dorsey and Newton have become workout and classroom partners. In 2001 and 2002, Dorsey, at Miami, was coached by Hurricane offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. In 2007 and 2008, Dorsey, with the Cleveland Browns, was coached by Browns offensive coordinator Chudzinski.

Newton was able to get a Carolina playbook, with Panthers offensive coordinator Chudzinski’s encyclopedic offense, to take with him during the lockout, and Dorsey spent last week instructing Newton in the finer points of the offense, in addition to telling him the expectations and coaching methods of Chudzinski. “The best way to describe it,” said the quarterback coach who readied Newton for his pre-draft workouts, George Whitfield, “is it’s like an old pilot grooming a new pilot to take over his plane. The old pilot’s teaching him about every one of the controls in the cockpit.”



(yardbarker.com)

As it is looking more and more likely that Cam Newton will be a Carolina Panther, we should consider that there likely would be better landing spots for Cam. New Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s playbook is believed to be somewhere in the vicinity of 900 pages, which makes it one of the most voluminous in the league. Virtually every play has a shift and/or motion. It’s a difficult offense for an experienced quarterback. Newton is inexperienced even among incoming rookies, and he the offense he was exposed to at Auburn is nothing like this one. If Cam goes to the Panthers, Chud might have to do some serious dumbing down of the offense in 2010.



(nationalfootballpost.com)

Ron Rivera got his man, and the Carolina Panthers appear headed for some changes on offense.

The Panthers agreed to a deal with San Diego assistant Rob Chudzinski to be their offensive coordinator, with only a contract signing standing in the way of the official announcement.

He was the first choice of Rivera, who had to sell him to Panthers officials who had built their own list of candidates before hiring Rivera. Chudzinski, 42, interviewed Friday.

Chudzinski, who played on two NCAA championship teams as a tight end at Miami, has a reputation for developing talent at that position, which would be new around here. He also has had success leading offenses, and with the Panthers coming off a league-worst year in points and yards, that's something they could use.

Former Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan was playing at Miami when Chudzinski was beginning his rise in the coaching ranks, and said he thinks the Panthers made an excellent decision.

"He's a great guy, and he just has such a bright mind, he really knows the game of football," Morgan said. "I know from seeing it first-hand, he's a great teacher, and he's had a lot of success with different guys over the years. He just has a gift for putting guys in the right places to make plays.
"He's not a yeller and a screamer, but he's a teacher, and he's definitely got the smarts for this job."

The biggest change he could bring is at his old position.

Since five-time Pro Bowler Wesley Walls was released after the 2002 season, the Panthers have had a hard time getting much from their tight ends. In fact, Kris Mangum's 34 catches during 2004 are the most by a Panthers tight end since Walls.

This year, Carolina's tight ends combined for 51 catches for 385 yards, led by Dante Rosario. Starter Jeff King is the best blocker of the lot, and he had 19 catches and two touchdowns.

Third-year man Gary Barnidge didn't have a catch this season, but he probably has the most potential to be the all-around answer they're apparently looking for.

Rivera said the search was on in his introductory news conference, when discussing the team's offensive personnel.

"The tight end is by committee," he said. "There are three guys there I like and they each have a quality of their own. But if there is a guy out there whether through the draft or free agency or on our roster that can become that guy that does it all of the time, we have to find him. I think that will help us as an offense."

By hiring Chudzinski, he has a guy who could bring about that kind of change.

Chudzinski coached three All-Americans at Miami (Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow), and under his tutelage, San Diego's Antonio Gates had his only 1,000-yard seasons during 2005 and 2009.

He also has succeeded at the macro level.

When he was Cleveland's offensive coordinator during 2007, the Browns were eighth in the league in scoring and yardage, helping quarterback Derek Anderson to his most productive season. Anderson threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdowns that year, leading to Pro Bowl invitation.

As the Hurricanes offensive coordinator in 2001-03, he led offenses that played in three Bowl Championship Series games and won two
national championships. In 2002, the Hurricanes set school records for points and yards, losing only to Ohio State in the title game.

His hiring also illustrates the shuffle-the-deck reality of coaching. He replaced Jeff Davidson here and in Cleveland, and was replaced in Cleveland by Brian Daboll. Daboll was just hired by the Miami Dolphins to replace Dan Henning, whom Davidson replaced here in 2007.



(charlotteobserver.com)

The Panthers are scheduled to interview Chargers TEs coach Rob Chudzinski for their offensive coordinator opening on Thursday.

It's Panthers versus Dolphins in the race for Chud. Chudzinski is the first candidate to interview for Carolina's OC job, which was fully expected after he worked with new Panthers head coach Ron Rivera on the Chargers' staff.



(rotoworld.com)

Chargers assistant head coach/TEs Rob Chudzinski is reportedly the leading candidate to take over as Panthers' offensive coordinator under new coach Ron Rivera.

Chud is also scheduled to interview for the same position with the Dolphins, though his friendship with Rivera may give the Panthers the edge. Chudzinki appeared to be a rising head-coaching candidate when he coordinated the Browns offense back in 2007, but the bloom came off the rose when Derek Anderson came back down to earth in 2008. Chudzinski has had two stints with the Browns, one as tight ends coach and one as offensive coordinator.

Chudzinski’s contract as the Chargers’ tight ends coach is expiring, and the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Chudzinski could follow Ron Rivera and become the new offensive coordinator in Carolina.

Going to Miami would be a homecoming for Chudzinski, as he spent four years as a player at the University of Miami and eight years as an assistant coach there.

(rotoworld.com)

The Dolphins have reportedly received permission to interview Chargers TEs coach Rob Chudzinski for their offensive coordinator vacancy.

Chudzinski, whose contract is up in San Diego, has also been linked to Carolina with Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera headed there. "Chud" flamed out as an offensive coordinator in Cleveland a few years back, but is still considered a quality, young coach with a bright future. He called the plays during Derek Anderson's 29-touchdown season in 2007.



(nbcsports.com)