Jim Schwartz feels secret to success with Browns is accountability
BEREA — Jim Schwartz said the quiet part out loud as he was introduced as the Browns’ new defensive coordinator on Wednesday afternoon.
“Scheme wise, there’s probably not a whole lot that we’ll do here that a high school coach probably couldn’t draw up just as good,” Schwartz said.
Somewhere in Northeast Ohio, one of the cadre of armchair coaches listening to Schwartz nodded emphatically. That, however, wasn’t all that he had to said.
Instead, Schwartz went on to the root of the issue. It’s one of the reasons why the Browns feel he’ll be the one to solve the riddle that has been their inconsistent defense over the last two seasons.
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“The secret sauce is getting guys playing together and that accountability that goes into it,” Schwartz said. “I would say this, if I’m doing a good job, we’ll hold our best players the most accountable. And if you start from that position, then everything else is gravy.”
The Browns had plenty of defensive issues which arose over the course of the recently-concluded 7-10 season, issues which led to Joe Woods being dismissed as defensive coordinator hours after the season finale in Pittsburgh. There was a porous run defense and a pass defense that always seemed at times teetering between being really good and a busted coverage waiting to happen.
The thing, however, which seemed to define the defense didn’t appear in the weekly league statistical rankings. There was no category for off-the-field issues which led directly to on-the-field punishment.
Four different time during the season, a Browns defensive player was disciplined for some length of time. It ranged from one play (Grant Delpit, Week 10 at Miami) to one series (Myles Garrett, Week 16 vs. New Orleans) to one game (Perrion Winfrey, Week 2 vs. New York Jets; Jadeveon Clowney, Week 18 at Pittsburgh).
It was almost fitting that the final week of the season saw one final disciplinary issue on defense. Clowney, who made inflammatory remarks in an interview with Cleveland.com about the organization, Garrett and his future, was sent home from the facility the Friday before the game and then did not travel for the finale.
Schwartz was not asked directly about the disciplinary issues the Browns dealt with on defense. However, in answering a question on communication and accountability, he struck a chord with his response.
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“If you don’t hold your best players most accountable, then you can have some bad vibes and different things can go on because they know, hey, you’re coaching that guy because he’s an undrafted,” Schwartz said. “You said that to him because he’s an undrafted free agent as opposed to a high first-round draft pick or a high-priced free agent or a veteran player. If I’m doing a good job here, we’ll coach undrafted free agents the same way we do the veteran player that’s been to multiple Pro Bowls.
“When the other players see you do that, I think it gives them confidence. Like I said, you hold your best players the most accountable, it also gives those guys a little bit of pride in knowing that they’re coached the same way.”
Schwartz referenced Malcolm Jenkins, the Pro Bowl safety he coached during his five seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator. Specifically, he referenced a play early in a Sept. 9, 2018, game at Tampa Bay in which the Buccaneers’ Ryan Fitzpatrick hit a 75-yard touchdown pass to Desean Jackson 11 seconds into the game.