The Colt Effect

[Earl34]

I was an a Texas blog where someone posted this link showing the coverage of the early games in week 7. Obviously, New Orleans and Cleveland got the Browns-Saints game but look at who else did.

 

He's a legend in Texas folks....and if he wins Sunday....The Legend Continues!

[NW Ohio Brownie]

Let me go on record right now and express my expectations for McCoy in the NFL: zilch, zero, NADA.

 

I thought here's a system qb who's spent 90% of his time in college out of the shotgun throwing 5-yard outs for his 75% completion rate. He doesn't have the arm strength, blah, blah, blah.

 

Great kid and a great leader, but if he can't play, who cares? And then did you see the pre-season?

 

But color me impressed to this point. Look, I know it's only been three games, but this kid is making throws we haven't seen around here since #19 was side-armin' it on a dime. Do you ever remember a string of three games against solid defenses like this from the following?: Couch, Holcomb, Garcia, Dilfer, Dorsey, Frye, Anderson, Quinn, or even Vinny T.?

 

The other thing is the decision-making. Sure, he threw a few questionable passes downfield last Sunday in tight one-on-one coverage, but he is trusting his players to make plays. They didn't work to Stuckey or Cribbs, but Moore made a play on one of them. On other plays, the ball comes out BEFORE it really has to and it's right where it has to be. The game looks like it has slowed down considerably for him.

 

I know we want to live in the moment and that's great because it's a big game on Sunday, but let me talk about the draft in April. If Colt can prove over the next two months that he's the guy we can go with for the foreseeable future, that is huge on two levels. First, it makes Heckert's first draft un-freaking-believable. Haden, Ward, McCoy, and Lauvao as starters for the next several years. That's four starters from one draft and you know Hardesty will be back next year. That's three impact guys at key positions on the field, including the most important one of all. Second, having a QB already in place going into next year's draft would be extremely beneficial. Now the Browns can attack other areas on the field -- like WIDE RECEIVER Mr. Heckert!!. They can also begin to address the front seven on defense at the front end of the draft and in free agency.

 

So in my eyes, the real Colt Effect is on the draft and free agency this upcoming winter and spring. But for now, let's put that on the back burner. Let's concentrate on enjoying this team for the next eight weeks and see if they can make a run. At the very least, we will decide (home vs. BAL, home vs. PIT the last two weeks) who will wear the division crown. If we can't get into the playoffs, let's at least play spoiler the last two weeks.

[Earl34]

Let me go on record right now and express my expectations for McCoy in the NFL: zilch, zero, NADA.

 

I thought here's a system qb who's spent 90% of his time in college out of the shotgun throwing 5-yard outs for his 75% completion rate. He doesn't have the arm strength, blah, blah, blah.

 

Great kid and a great leader, but if he can't play, who cares? And then did you see the pre-season?

 

But color me impressed to this point. Look, I know it's only been three games, but this kid is making throws we haven't seen around here since #19 was side-armin' it on a dime. Do you ever remember a string of three games against solid defenses like this from the following?: Couch, Holcomb, Garcia, Dilfer, Dorsey, Frye, Anderson, Quinn, or even Vinny T.?

 

The other thing is the decision-making. Sure, he threw a few questionable passes downfield last Sunday in tight one-on-one coverage, but he is trusting his players to make plays. They didn't work to Stuckey or Cribbs, but Moore made a play on one of them. On other plays, the ball comes out BEFORE it really has to and it's right where it has to be. The game looks like it has slowed down considerably for him.

 

I know we want to live in the moment and that's great because it's a big game on Sunday, but let me talk about the draft in April. If Colt can prove over the next two months that he's the guy we can go with for the foreseeable future, that is huge on two levels. First, it makes Heckert's first draft un-freaking-believable. Haden, Ward, McCoy, and Lauvao as starters for the next several years. That's four starters from one draft and you know Hardesty will be back next year. That's three impact guys at key positions on the field, including the most important one of all. Second, having a QB already in place going into next year's draft would be extremely beneficial. Now the Browns can attack other areas on the field -- like WIDE RECEIVER Mr. Heckert!!. They can also begin to address the front seven on defense at the front end of the draft and in free agency.

 

So in my eyes, the real Colt Effect is on the draft and free agency this upcoming winter and spring. But for now, let's put that on the back burner. Let's concentrate on enjoying this team for the next eight weeks and see if they can make a run. At the very least, we will decide (home vs. BAL, home vs. PIT the last two weeks) who will wear the division crown. If we can't get into the playoffs, let's at least play spoiler the last two weeks.

 

It's a nice problem to have as long as he/the Browns can maintain it.

 

Colt has this knack for making believers out of non-believers. Going back to spring football 2006, Texas had lost Vince Young to the NFL. The program was at an all-time high having just won a national championship. The question of who was going to lead the team was obviously up front. True freshman Jevan Snead had all of the accolades coming out of high school (big time arm, blah, blah) and Sherrod Harris was the "next VY"; And then there was "that other kid" from Tuscola. I remember to this day my first thought was "Damn, the kid is scrawny". I will tell you though that after Mack Brown named him the starter, he came out guns blazing. He tied a national record for TDs by a freshman and he never looked back. He played well against North Texas in his first game going 12 of 19 for 178 yards with 3 touchdowns through the air, two of them to Sweed. McCoy also ran for 38 yards, including a touchdown run. The next week, in only his second college start ever, he QB'd the #2 Longhorns vs #1 Ohio State in front of the largest crowd to ever see a football game in the state of Texas. Of course, Ohio State won this time with the true freshman putting up 19 of 32 for 154 with 1 TD and 1 INT. At this point, however, you were hoping he could get better against quality teams. We were amazed at his poise but we wanted to see him elevate the play of those around him against quality opponents. We soon got our wish as Colt led a comeback victory over arch-rival Oklahoma. "The Legend" had begun. You see, Colt McCoy the QB was great. Colt McCoy, the person, was even better. Perhaps it was that theory in the book "Freakonomics" that states that your name has a predictive value in your success. A QB named "Colt". Well, it didn't really work for Colt Brennan but he's no "Colt McCoy".

 

The point is that, even as an alum, I was extremely nervous about my NFL team drafting my favorite college player (at least one with this many question marks). Two years ago, perhaps blinded by the man crush, I would've said that he'd be great. Last year, watching highlights after reading what all of the "draft experts" had to say, I could see the chinks in the armor. 3rd round seemed like a good pick though. Low risk. If he ended up being great....you look awesome. If he didn't, no problem...you only spent a third rounder.

 

Then, you wind up having to throw the kid to the wolves at Pittsburgh. I was bracing myself with one eye open like it was a semi vs a Smart car. I watched the game cheering for that ol' Texas magic that the kid had used to silence any and every critic while at Texas and, despite the loss, he made me proud. He put up a top yardage performance against the Steelers and even though they didn't win, I saw a glimmer of that poise and quick release that I fell in love with and I was quietly excited. Follow that up with a hostile environment in New Orleans. Yes, the defense won the game but the complexion changed so quickly to a big lead that there was no reason for the kid to throw more than he did. That was the right thing to do. What can you say about New England? The throws on the run and the EXCITEMENT of that scramble TD was VINTAGE Colt McCoy.

 

Now, I/we are left with excitement. I'm hoping that the alarm clock doesn't go off and I wake up and it was all a dream. I am hoping the clock doesn't strike midnight and the stagecoach doesn't turn into a pumpkin. I keep asking myself "Why the pessimism?" and I don't know. Maybe it's just that it's the NFL and this league is tough and will chew you up and spit you out. What I do know is that this all alternates with optimism because this all parallels what he did his first year playing at Texas. While coach Mangini isn't quick to name him the starter, there is a certain positivity to his comments and the body language of Brian Daboll and the offensive line tells me that everyone loves the kid. They should. He's a winner.

[Bodogjoe]

Let me go on record right now and express my expectations for McCoy in the NFL: zilch, zero, NADA.

 

I thought here's a system qb who's spent 90% of his time in college out of the shotgun throwing 5-yard outs for his 75% completion rate. He doesn't have the arm strength, blah, blah, blah.

 

Great kid and a great leader, but if he can't play, who cares? And then did you see the pre-season?

 

But color me impressed to this point. Look, I know it's only been three games, but this kid is making throws we haven't seen around here since #19 was side-armin' it on a dime. Do you ever remember a string of three games against solid defenses like this from the following?: Couch, Holcomb, Garcia, Dilfer, Dorsey, Frye, Anderson, Quinn, or even Vinny T.?

 

The other thing is the decision-making. Sure, he threw a few questionable passes downfield last Sunday in tight one-on-one coverage, but he is trusting his players to make plays. They didn't work to Stuckey or Cribbs, but Moore made a play on one of them. On other plays, the ball comes out BEFORE it really has to and it's right where it has to be. The game looks like it has slowed down considerably for him.

 

I know we want to live in the moment and that's great because it's a big game on Sunday, but let me talk about the draft in April. If Colt can prove over the next two months that he's the guy we can go with for the foreseeable future, that is huge on two levels. First, it makes Heckert's first draft un-freaking-believable. Haden, Ward, McCoy, and Lauvao as starters for the next several years. That's four starters from one draft and you know Hardesty will be back next year. That's three impact guys at key positions on the field, including the most important one of all. Second, having a QB already in place going into next year's draft would be extremely beneficial. Now the Browns can attack other areas on the field -- like WIDE RECEIVER Mr. Heckert!!. They can also begin to address the front seven on defense at the front end of the draft and in free agency.

 

So in my eyes, the real Colt Effect is on the draft and free agency this upcoming winter and spring. But for now, let's put that on the back burner. Let's concentrate on enjoying this team for the next eight weeks and see if they can make a run. At the very least, we will decide (home vs. BAL, home vs. PIT the last two weeks) who will wear the division crown. If we can't get into the playoffs, let's at least play spoiler the last two weeks.

I am with you 100%, I did not think he was NFL caliber. Thought it was just gonna be another story of a great college QB thats not so hot in the pros. He has really impressed me and proved me wrong. Never been more happy to be wrong though.

[rich4eagle]

I was pleased as can be when we drafted McCoy, he was the guy I wanted as I assumed Bradford would go first. Further I was even more pleased that it was a third round pick. I would not have waited that long. Arm strength in the NFL is way less important than situational awareness, pocket presence, reading defenses, instinct, brain strength, and making plays in crucial situations. That is was Colt did at Texas and there is no reason to believe it will not continue in the pros. He arm is good enough. I think the naysayers were more worried about his height than his arm.

 

If Drew Brees is tall enough and Joe Montana had enough arm..............Colt is tall enough and has enough arm............and he can run too

 

Winners win in college............Colt won mightily........the pundits go goofy over the JaMarcus Russells with the cannon arm ......................and Nothing else

[timpiker]

It's a nice problem to have as long as he/the Browns can maintain it.

 

Colt has this knack for making believers out of non-believers. Going back to spring football 2006, Texas had lost Vince Young to the NFL. The program was at an all-time high having just won a national championship. The question of who was going to lead the team was obviously up front. True freshman Jevan Snead had all of the accolades coming out of high school (big time arm, blah, blah) and Sherrod Harris was the "next VY"; And then there was "that other kid" from Tuscola. I remember to this day my first thought was "Damn, the kid is scrawny". I will tell you though that after Mack Brown named him the starter, he came out guns blazing. He tied a national record for TDs by a freshman and he never looked back. He played well against North Texas in his first game going 12 of 19 for 178 yards with 3 touchdowns through the air, two of them to Sweed. McCoy also ran for 38 yards, including a touchdown run. The next week, in only his second college start ever, he QB'd the #2 Longhorns vs #1 Ohio State in front of the largest crowd to ever see a football game in the state of Texas. Of course, Ohio State won this time with the true freshman putting up 19 of 32 for 154 with 1 TD and 1 INT. At this point, however, you were hoping he could get better against quality teams. We were amazed at his poise but we wanted to see him elevate the play of those around him against quality opponents. We soon got our wish as Colt led a comeback victory over arch-rival Oklahoma. "The Legend" had begun. You see, Colt McCoy the QB was great. Colt McCoy, the person, was even better. Perhaps it was that theory in the book "Freakonomics" that states that your name has a predictive value in your success. A QB named "Colt". Well, it didn't really work for Colt Brennan but he's no "Colt McCoy".

 

The point is that, even as an alum, I was extremely nervous about my NFL team drafting my favorite college player (at least one with this many question marks). Two years ago, perhaps blinded by the man crush, I would've said that he'd be great. Last year, watching highlights after reading what all of the "draft experts" had to say, I could see the chinks in the armor. 3rd round seemed like a good pick though. Low risk. If he ended up being great....you look awesome. If he didn't, no problem...you only spent a third rounder.

 

Then, you wind up having to throw the kid to the wolves at Pittsburgh. I was bracing myself with one eye open like it was a semi vs a Smart car. I watched the game cheering for that ol' Texas magic that the kid had used to silence any and every critic while at Texas and, despite the loss, he made me proud. He put up a top yardage performance against the Steelers and even though they didn't win, I saw a glimmer of that poise and quick release that I fell in love with and I was quietly excited. Follow that up with a hostile environment in New Orleans. Yes, the defense won the game but the complexion changed so quickly to a big lead that there was no reason for the kid to throw more than he did. That was the right thing to do. What can you say about New England? The throws on the run and the EXCITEMENT of that scramble TD was VINTAGE Colt McCoy.

 

Now, I/we are left with excitement. I'm hoping that the alarm clock doesn't go off and I wake up and it was all a dream. I am hoping the clock doesn't strike midnight and the stagecoach doesn't turn into a pumpkin. I keep asking myself "Why the pessimism?" and I don't know. Maybe it's just that it's the NFL and this league is tough and will chew you up and spit you out. What I do know is that this all alternates with optimism because this all parallels what he did his first year playing at Texas. While coach Mangini isn't quick to name him the starter, there is a certain positivity to his comments and the body language of Brian Daboll and the offensive line tells me that everyone loves the kid. They should. He's a winner.

 

Thank you for sharing this. Why do we feel like we're in a "dream" and the alarm clocks about to go off? Probably because we're Browns fans and are used to having ours hearts crushed. The recent paly of the team and Colt McCoy sure does make us feel good doesn't it !