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Submit your photos for Northeast Ohio Media Group's new Photo of the Week that features fall sports.

Terry Francona won the American League manager of the year award in 2013 with the Indians. Here's how he can win it again in 2015.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – This is going to be tricky.

In his last 10 seasons as a big league manager, Terry Francona has produced a winning season 10 times. Six times he's managed a team to the postseason and twice those teams have won World Series titles.

Yet he's been named manager of the year only once by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Francona was so honored in 2013 after the Indians won 92 games to capture the first wild card spot in the postseason.

In light of Baltimore's Buck Showalter and Washington's Matt Williams being named American and National League Managers of the Year, respectively, Tuesday night, here are five things that have to happen for Francona to win the award in 2015.

No.1: All the usual boxes have to be checked.

Corey Kluber has to reaffirm he's a No.1 starter after his great season this year. Behind him, a breakout season from Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer or T.J. House is needed.

The bullpen must be productive and durable for a third straight season, while the defense makes marked improvement.

Offensively, the required bounce-back seasons of Nick Swisher, Jason Kipnis, Michael Bourn and David Murphy have to happen. Maybe that's being too optimistic. How out three out of four?

Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes must continue to be cornerstones of the offense, while Carlos Santana avoids his horrible start from this year and finally moves his batting average into the .280 neighborhood.

No.2: Francona has to have a hook.

Showalter's third manager of the year award was fueled by the unexpectedness of the Orioles winning the AL East. It was the Orioles first division title in 17 years, triggering just their second postseason appearance since 1997.

Williams, meanwhile, played the rookie card with the Nationals. The fact that he took over a team primed to win didn't matter. All that counted was him leading the Nationals to the NL East title by 17 games in his first year as a big league manager.

Francona knows all about hooks. He had two of them working for him in 2013.

The Indians came out of nowhere to make the postseason for the first time since 2007. He also did it in his first year on the job with the Tribe.

No.3: Francona has this one covered.

If you're managing the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Tigers, Giants or Angels – any team with a payroll pushing $200 million or Miguel Cabrera hitting third – it's going to be hard to win the manager of the year award.

In his first year as Boston's manager in 2004, Francona led the Red Sox to their first World Series title since 1918. He broke the Curse of the Bambino, but the manager of the year award went to Showalter, managing Texas at the time.

A lot of that has to do with the BBWAA voting being limited to the regular season, but the point is clear. If a manager goes into the season with a stacked lineup, a big payroll and wins 100 games because he's supposed to win 100 games, so what?

A guy off the street could manage a club like that, right?

No. 4: Francona needs a heart-tugging, us-against-the-world, feel-good story.

The Orioles won this year despite losing All-Stars Matt Wieters and Manny Machado to injuries and DH Chris Davis to a PED suspension.

Clint Hurdle finished second in the NL balloting for leading the Pirates to the postseason for the second straight year. What's the catch? Hey, it's the Pirates and before the last two years all they did for 20 straight seasons was lose.

A similar storyline worked for Kansas City's Ned Yost, who finished third in the AL balloting behind Showalter and Mike Scioscia of the Angels. Yost and the Royals not only squeezed into the postseason, but made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.

The Tribe's scriptwriters better get started on the first draft right now. How about something involving Francisco Lindor and a white horse? Scratch the white horse. How about he comes to town on Francona's red scooter.

No.5: Of course, Francona could put his 2013 manager of the year award on the mantle piece and forget about it.

Then follow the path of Bruce Bochy this year. Bochy, under the cover of wild-card darkness, led the Giants to the postseason and then surprisingly to their third World Series title in the last five years.

Bochy finished third in the NL Manager of the Year balloting, but so what? They're still celebrating in San Francisco.

If Francona and the Indians did that in 2015, ending a 67-year World Series title drought, he would always be Cleveland's manager of the year.

"I feel like it comes down to me, if he can guard me, if he can cover me, and I felt like he couldn't guard me. So I felt like I just had to do my job and I was going to get open," Thomas said. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The hint for opposing defenses is right there in Michael Thomas' Twitter handle: @cantguardmike.

Against the two defenses taking the most risks to match up with Ohio State receivers one-on-one and allow the safeties to come up in run support, Thomas has shown that. Just like he did against Virginia Tech by taking a slant 53 yards for a touchdown in game two, Thomas took a slant 79 yards for a score in Saturday's 49-37 win over Michigan State, breaking one tackle and making the defense pay. His touchdown tied the score at 21 with 3:19 left in the second quarter and set up the Buckeyes to take a lead into halftime after Devin Smith's touchdown catch soon after.

Thomas made it look easy both times. Inside position off the line, catch, break tackle, go. Here's how he said he thought of it.

"First, win the one-on-one matchup. Once I won that, catch the ball. Then after that, score," Thomas said.

A California native and the nephew of former NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson, Thomas said his personality is "straight forward. I tell it how it is."

Here's how it is: Thomas provides the OSU offense a way to make defenses think twice about one-one-one press coverage without forcing quarterback J.T. Barrett into a difficult throw. Lead him on the pass a bit, and Thomas might take care of the rest.

"You see he's a big receiver," Barrett said of the 6-foot-3, 209-pounder. "Love him on slant routes. He's not afraid to take a hit if he has to. He did a great job breaking a tackle, and then he just got away."

Thomas leads the Buckeyes with 31 catches, and his 538 receiving yards and seven catches ranks second behind Devin Smith. He'll try to add to that output when No. 8 Ohio State (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) visits No. 25 Minnesota (7-2, 4-1) in below freezing temperatures on Saturday.

"I'll still catch the ball," Thomas said. "You don't feel anything. You're just numb. If you drop it and it hit your hands, it's kind of embarrassing."

Here are seven more thoughts from Thomas on why the other team can't guard Mike, or at least why Michigan State couldn't guard Mike on that slant Saturday.

• Thomas was motivated to pick up Dontre Wilson after his fumbled kickoff: "I saw how he reacted when he got up, how disappointed he was. I kind of didn't want to go over to tell him anything, so I just told him I have his back. I felt the only way I could prove it to him was make a play. And then the defense got that three-and-out and the guy missed the field goal, so I felt the next play coach was going to call, we were going to need to get a spark on offense."

• He's not just about getting a first down: "Coach Meyer told me the play he was going to call, I felt like he wasn't calling it just to get a first down. So when I caught the ball I knew I had to do something with it."

View full sizeWhat Ohio State receiver Michael Thomas looks like from the other direction when he runs away on a slant.Carlos Osorio, Associated Press

• Thomas has a clear idea of why the slant works for him: "It's coaching, technique and being physical. And just having a plan before the play comes. My alignment, where I line up, where I split, using my hands, and just having the will to run after the catch.

"The way the play was set up was for the safety to cover Jalin (Marshall) in the slot, and it was one-on-one with me and the corner, and I knew once I caught it and I broke the tackle, I was going to score."

• Film told Thomas he could win his matchup against his corner: "During the week I watched a lot of film on him, and I knew if I did my job, me vs. him I was going to get it done. So I felt like I was going to win any time the play was called to come to me.

"It's man-to-man. I feel like it comes down to me, if he can guard me, if he can cover me, and I felt like he couldn't guard me. So I felt like I just had to do my job and I was going to get open."

• All he needs is Barrett to give him a chance: "He has great accuracy. I tell him, 'Just don't get sacked, bro. If you've got to come to me, come to me.'"

• Breaking tackles - that's weight room work in action: "I feel like a lot of our success has to do with our training. There was a lot of time left in the game after the fumble, and people kind of got down, but we still had to make plays. We still had to keep fighting. So I felt like a good statement would be let them know I'm here to play, let them know I've got their backs, so I had to make a play, you know?"

• What can defenses do to stop that slant? "I mean, if you go man-to-man, I'm going to still have to win. I don't know how they're going to adjust to it."

Take a look at Thomas' biggest plays this season, especially these first two slants:

Vs. Michigan State

Vs. Virginia Tech

Not a slant, still good, vs. Kent State

Seniors Esa Ahmad, Dererk Pardon and Brian Parker headline the boys basketball senior commits.

Seniors Esa Ahmad, Dererk Pardon and Brian Parker headline the boys basketball senior commits.

Prior to the season, LeBron James admitted something about his new team: if things don't go well, Dion Waiters will get most of the blame.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Prior to the season, LeBron James admitted something about his new team: If things don't go well, Dion Waiters will get most of the blame.

"I told him, with every team there is a guy they want to kind of place the blame on, and it will be Dion on our team," James said in September. "I told him he can't get involved in that, what people say about you. The only way to rewrite the notion of 'can Dion play in this' is to play the right way and to dominate the opposition every night. That's all he should worry about it."

It's been an eventful season for Waiters already, who has been moved to the second unit after starting the first three games. He also missed the national anthem last Wednesday in Utah, leading to him having to clarify some locker room comments about the situation. 

If James is right about Waiters then his name will come up in trade speculation throughout the season. ESPN's Bradford Doolittle is already exploring the arguments for and against trading Waiters, with some possible destinations. 

"Waiters' inability, and unwillingness, to play a passive offensive role is understandable, but it's also why this time last year he was a hot name in trade rumors. Given the chemistry issues on the Cavs, the defensive holes on the roster and the long-term payroll structure Cleveland will have to create, Waiters' name is going to keep getting floated. According to sources, the Cavs shopped Waiters in August to nearly every team with no takers. That could change.

"It's far too premature to call for a shake-up of the Cavs. But if one must happen eventually, Waiters is probably going to be the odd man out. And that's going to be good news for some other team."

So which team does Doolittle believe makes the best trade partner? His hometown Philadelphia 76ers. 

"To say the Sixers need talent is obvious, but they also could use a young veteran a little further along in his development to complement raw talents such as Nerlens Noel and injured rookie Joel Embiid. They need playmakers on the perimeter to augment second-year point guard Michael Carter-Williams, whose true calling is as a box-score-stuffing playmaker. Waiters and MCW teamed up in the backcourt on a terrific 34-win Syracuse team until the latter fell out of the rotation.

"The Sixers have the future payroll flexibility to accommodate a Waiters extension. And perhaps best of all: Waiters is a Philly native, and his Twitter feed reads like it is generated by the media relations department of the Philadelphia Eagles."

(Should Cleveland Cavaliers trade Dion Waiters?)

More Cavs links

LeBron James and Cavaliers show their strength in win over Pelicans (SI.com)

ESPN's NBA Front Office discusses Cleveland's early season problems (ESPN.com)

LeBron James' home opener jersey is up for auction (Bleacher Report)

More NBA links

Kobe Bryant sets NBA mark for missed field goals (ESPN.com)

Derrick Rose taking long-term approach with injuries (Chicago Tribune)

Kawhi Leonard: 'Pretty sure I'll be in a Spurs jersey' for life (USA Today)

Bay football coach Run Rutt joins the Forward Progress podcast today at 3 p.m.

Bay football coach Run Rutt joins the Forward Progress podcast today at 3 p.m.

Midweek headlines from around college football.

No. 5 Alabama survived a scare at LSU on Saturday and consensus No. 1 Mississippi State coasted past Tennessee-Martin to set up a marquee matchup few would have circled on the calendar before the season.

Here's a look at Saturday's top-5 pairing and other midweek headlines from around college football:

First down: Bulldogs, Tide clash with plenty at stake

Saturday will mark the second time in three seasons an undefeated Mississippi State team travels to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for a make-or-break game. Much has changed in two short years, and now the Bulldogs look more than capable of returning home from a trip to Alabama with an undefeated season intact.

Leading the way this year for Mississippi State has been a trio of players -- including quarterback Dak Prescott -- who tasted defeat in Bryant-Denny Stadium two years ago, writes Michael Bonner of the Clarion-Ledger:

Prescott completed 4 of 6 passes when MSU and Alabama last met in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Josh Robinson carried the ball once for 15 yards. Benardrick McKinney recorded four tackles and a sack. All three were freshmen.

Two years later as juniors, Prescott's evolved into a Heisman Trophy candidate. Robinson could challenge the single-season rushing record. McKinney is tabbed as a first-round draft pick.

On the other sideline, Alabama has a tall task ahead of it in knocking off the nation's No. 1 team, made even tougher coming on the heels of a bruising, overtime contest on the road in Baton Rouge. The good news for the Crimson Tide is that if they survive this weekend there will be no questioning the strength of their schedule: (via AL.com)

It would be enough of an accomplishment for Alabama to hand the No. 1 Bulldogs their first loss if the Tide were coming off a sparring partner like UT Martin. Knock them off a week after winning a 15-round decision against LSU, and there will be no more doubts about whether Alabama belongs in the playoff.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is preparing his team for what he believes will be its "most physical game yet," and one that will leave no doubts about the quality of the victor. (via the Clarion-Ledger)

Second down: Heisman chatter

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) carries the ball in the second half during an NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, in Salt Lake City. Oregon won 51-27. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)Rick Bowmer 

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is in the midst of a historic season for the No. 2-ranked Ducks, and with two games left on the schedule against teams with a combined six wins before the Pac-12 championship game, he's also a strong favorite in the Heisman race. (via OregonLive.com)

Dak Prescott could gain ground on Mariota with a big game against the Crimson Tide while knocking Alabama receiver Amari Cooper out of the Heisman mix. In the Big Ten, No. 16 Nebraska's trip to No. 20 Wisconsin will feature two all-conference running backs and likely decide who will meet Ohio State in the conference championship game: (via USA TODAY)

• TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin is blooming late in the Heisman race after leading the No. 4 Horned Frogs to a dominating victory against then-No. 7 Kansas State. (via Sports Illustrated)

Third down: Weird headlines

• When No. 9 Auburn and No. 15 Georgia meet Saturday there will be a lot more breakfast food at stake than usual, writes AL.com's Brandon Marcello:

Gus Malzahn's favorite post-victory restaurant will provide free waffles, hashbrowns and coffee for a day in Auburn if the Tigers win. If Georgia wins, the free meals will be provided in Athens, Ga., according to SaturdayDownSouth.com.

• No. 3 Florida State trailed then-No. 25 Louisville 21-7 at halftime on Oct. 31 before taking over in the second half en route to a 42-31 victory. The first-half score combined with gambling allegations against UAB defensive end Chris Rabb, a friend of Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston, resulted in questions for coach Jimbo Fisher about the possibility of point shaving: (via Yahoo! Sports)

"Nah, how many reports do we get on guys all the time?" Fisher said. "We send it to the proper channels, they handle it and move on. When I was at LSU, when I was at Auburn, you hear things and people are sending things in all the time. We send it to the proper channels, they handle it and you move on."

• LSU athletic director Joe Alleva issued a statement apologizing for a vulgar chant that came from the student section in Saturday's hotly-contested Alabama game, condemning the action and promising reprisals if it happens again. (via NOLA.com)

Fourth down: Gurley returns, plus injury updates

• Georgia running back Todd Gurley returns from a four-game suspension this week and will immediately claim his usual spot on the Bulldogs' depth chart: (via Montgomery Advertiser)

"Todd's our starter," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "That's pretty plain and simple, at tailback."

• No. 9 Auburn's leading receiver D'haquille Williams will be evaluated week-to-week after suffering a sprained MCL and bruised right knee in Saturday's loss to Texas A&M. Tight end C.J. Uzomah and wide receiver Melvin Ray took over in William's absence and will be asked to do the same against Georgia if Williams is unable to play. (via AL.com)

• Ameer Abdullah made it through a full practice wearing a knee brace Monday, more than a week after suffering an injury early against Purdue on Nov. 1. Abdullah's status for this weekend's game against Wisconsin isn't completely certain but offensive coordinator Tim Beck said Abdullah "looked pretty good." (via The Associated Press)

The Buckeyes will play outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium at Minnesota for the second time on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There will be a bit of a chill in the air in Minnesota on Saturday. It's Big Ten football. Ohio State will kick off against Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium at noon, 11 a..m local time in Minneapolis. At least the Big Ten didn't put the thing at night.

"It's going to be cold, I imagine, Minnesota in November," Urban Meyer said Monday. "And I don't know. I heard there's no snow or rain (forecast) right now. I think they're a very good running team. Might limit some of the throw game stuff and their defense is kind of built to stop the run."

The latest Minneapolis forecast, according to weather.com, calls for a temperature around 28 degrees, with a 40 percent chance of snow Saturday, though it's called for later in the day. Ohio State is prepping for the cold, and Minnesota might not be happy about the help the Buckeyes are getting.

Here's a tweet from Minnesota's strength and conditioning coach, Chad Pearson.

I'm hearing a local NFL team is letting our opponent borrow their sideline-heating equipment for the game. Dislike.

— Chad Pearson (@chadpearson42) November 12, 2014

A Minnesota reporter and then the Vikings' public relations guy confirmed Wednesday that the Buckeyes are borrowing the heaters from the Minnesota Vikings. And that's normal.

Heatergate story: U of M asked #Vikings if Ohio St. could use two heated benches that are the Vikes. Vikes said yes, and would for anyone.

— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) November 12, 2014

Re: heated benches story, Gophers contacted Vikings equipment staff & asked to use benches for visiting team. We agreed.

— Jeff Anderson (@andersonj) November 12, 2014

But first, Minnesota has to get the current snow out the stadium. The stadium people put out the call for shovelers to clear the Golden Gophers' home field late Tuesday and again Wednesday.

Day 1 of 2014 Snow Removal. New systems working great. pic.twitter.com/6cNAGQAwfp

— TCF Bank Stadium (@TCFBankStadium) November 11, 2014

Shovelers - $10/hour. Shifts Wednesday available from 1p-5pm and 6p-10p. Must be 18 - bring your friends!

— TCF Bank Stadium (@TCFBankStadium) November 11, 2014

Shovelers: bring two forms of ID, one of which needs to be a social security card or birth certificate. Shovels are provided!

— TCF Bank Stadium (@TCFBankStadium) November 12, 2014

Meanwhile, now that the old Metrodome is gone, Minnesota high school football teams are trying to figure out what to do with the snow this weekend for the first outdoor high school football playoff games in 25 years, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The Gophers also used to play at the Metrodome before moving to their new outdoor home at TCF Bank Stadium in 2009. The NFL's Vikings are also using TCF Bank Stadium this season and next season while a new dome is built.

The Buckeyes and Gophers have been on a three-year break in the Big Ten schedule, with this their first meeting since 2010. But Ohio State has played in TCF Bank Stadium once before, winning 52-10 in that last matchup four years ago.

As the Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten off to an uneven start the noise surrounding the team has gotten louder. Dealing with distractions will be a running theme to the Cavs' season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten off to an uneven start the noise surrounding the team has gotten louder. Dealing with distractions will be a running theme to the Cavs' season. 

The latest example came a few days ago. As the Cleveland Cavaliers were preparing for the showdown against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, speculation about Kevin Love's future came from Sam Smith, respected NBA writer for Bulls.com. 

The Cavs have played six games and already the possibility of Love, the third member of Cleveland's Big Three, opting out of his deal and going to the Los Angeles Lakers has started. It's something the team will have to get used to, especially if they fall short of expectations.

The Love-to-Los Angeles chatter has been going on for years. Every time Minnesota missed the playoffs or the Timberwolves made another baffling roster decision, the questions came up. 

I give my thoughts on the latest rumor involving Love and why going to the Lakers doesn't seem likely. 

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to follow Fedor on Twitter.

Keep up with the latest from Berea today as Browns players and coaches hold interviews, along with Texans coach Bill O'Brien.

BEREA, Ohio - The Cleveland Browns are preparing for Sunday's game at FirstEnergy Stadium against the Houston Texans. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m.

Today in Berea, Browns coach Mike Pettine will meet the media. Also, the Browns will practice and players will be available; and Texans coach Bill O'Brien and a player also will answer questions from the media.

Follow the latest updates from today's events with Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed in Berea in the comments below.

Ohio State was ranked second on a list of the schools with the most football and basketball success.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Where does Ohio State rank among the best football and basketball schools in the nation? Second according to a video released Tuesday on NCAA.com

Right behind Michigan.

The NCAA put together a list of the top five schools with the most success in both football and men's basketball. The Buckeyes, who claim seven football national championships and have reached the Final Four in basketball 11 times, were No. 2 on the list.

Michigan, which has won more football games than any other school and claims 11 national championships, has also played in six basketball national championships, winning its only basketball title in 1989.

Michigan State added more Big Ten presence to the list, coming in at No. 4 behind No. 3 Florida. The Spartans and Gators are the only two programs with multiple championships in each sport.

The Spartans claim six football championships, and have won two basketball championships.

The Gators have five combined national titles in football and basketball, including two in each from 2006-2008. Florida is the only school to win a national title in football and basketball in the same year (2006).

UCLA, the most dominant basketball power on the list, came in at No. 5. The Bruins have an NCAA record 11 national championships in basketball, and have ranked in the top 10 in football at least once in the last nine decades.

Watch live tonight as we preview the Houston Texans and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How will the Browns deal with success? Is it time to start talking about Brian Hoyer's contract again?

Watch Browns Insider with Tom Reed, Bud Shaw and Dan Labbe live tonight at 7:30 p.m.

The three will talk about all things Browns, including a look ahead to Sunday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

You can join them to ask your questions about the Browns in the comments section below.

Come back at 7:30 p.m. to watch the live show, now available both on desktop and mobile devices.

The sport is a version of tennis played on a smaller surface with paddles -- and it has exploded in popularity in Cleveland the last 15 years.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Scott Pollock is actually not a tennis player. That might sound unusual given his passion for something that is a very close relative of tennis. 

But in the eyes of platform tennis – or paddle tennis – players, it's not that unique because many see a clear difference. 

"It's kind of a running joke that people who play tennis find tennis pretty boring after they play paddle," said Pollock, vice president of the Greater Cleveland Platform Tennis Association. 

Paddle tennis has the same scoring rules as tennis, is played on a smaller, elevated court with a "paddle" instead of a racquet, and players are allowed only one serve attempt. It is most commonly a doubles game. Typically played in the winter, the playing surfaces are raised so that heaters can be placed beneath them to quickly melt off any snow. 

"It's a little bit faster, and a little bit more strategic than tennis," Pollock said. 

According to the GCPTA, paddle tennis has exploded in the last 15 years in the Cleveland area, with the organization's membership increasing to more than 350 players this year from what once was about 75 in 2000. 

An example of Cleveland's dedication to the sport: the 40^th Cleveland Masters platform tennis tournament will be held on East Side paddle courts this weekend. About 200 players from Cleveland and across the country are expected to participate in the tournament. 

Platform tennis was first played in the 1920s, with founders erecting a court on the side of the hill to keep the court level and to help with snow removal, according to the American Platform Tennis Association. 

Platform tennis has been played in Cleveland regularly since the 1960s, primarily in country club settings. The GCPTA is hoping to expand the sport by introducing public courts – and exposing the sport to more who might be interested. 

"What's great about platform tennis is we have 8-years-olds playing and we have 70-year-olds playing," Pollock said. "The demographic is very wide and it incorporates a lot of people into the sport." 

As part of this weekend's tournament, a series of clinics 4-7 p.m. and a free exhibition match 7-8 p.m. will be held at the Wembley Club in Chagrin Falls. Additionally, the finals on Sunday at 9 a.m. the Cleveland Racquet Club in Pepper Pike will be free to the public. 

More information can be found at: http://clemasters.squarespace.com/

John Carroll graduate Don Shula has great memories about Northeast Ohio -- except for one.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Before Don Shula became the winningest coach in the NFL, finished with the NFL's only undefeated season, won two Super Bowls and became a Hall of Famer, he developed his craft under the heavy influence of coach Paul Brown.

Shula, a native of Grand River, Ohio, began his college career at John Carroll under coach Herb Eisele. Coach Eisele spent his off-seasons in every football clinic held by Brown. Those clinics developed Eisele's football acumen.

"Our terminology and playbook was the Browns playbook," Shula said. "So when I was drafted by the Browns, I had a head start on the terminology and it was easier for me to pick things up. Playing for the Browns was like a dream come true."

With the exception of a nightmare title game, there were very few blemishes on the outstanding career of Shula. And in Part 10 of this 17-part series, The Plain Dealer will continue to profile the men who participated in the 1964 NFL Championship season. Last week's feature was on the gregarious offensive tackle Dick Schafrath, who would become a state senator. Today is a look at the Browns' impact on Shula and a championship loss he would love to forget.

Shula played cornerback and running back for John Carroll, which included a game in which he rushed for over 100 yards against Syracuse his senior year. The Browns selected Shula in the ninth round of the 1951 draft. He played in the defensive backfield for two years before he was dealt to the Baltimore Colts as part of a 15-player trade. Shula played for the Colts for four seasons. He finished his career in 1957 with Washington. Shula had 21 interceptions over his career.

Shula got his first coaching job later that year as an assistant at Virginia. He followed that stint as an assistant at Iowa State. In 1959, Shula became an assistant at Kentucky under coach Blanton Collier. Collier was an assistant with the Browns when Shula was there as a player.

"I was so fortunate to play for him, and to work for him at Kentucky," Shula said. "He was a great teacher. I don't think he ever played football, but he gained so much knowledge from watching and studying other teams. He parlayed that into making himself into a great coach and a great teacher."

Lessons learned at Kentucky transitioned Shula to the Detroit Lions as defensive back coach in 1960. He remained there until 1963 when the Colts made him the youngest head coach in league history at age 33.

The Colts finished 8-6 in Shula's first season. He guided a team packed with future Hall of Famers to 12-2 the following season and into the 1964 Championship against the Browns, now led by his mentor, Collier. Shula's Colts had the top-scoring offense with quarterback Johnny Unitas, wide receiver Raymond Berry and running back Lenny Moore. The defense was number one in the league in fewest points allowed.

The Colts were easily the heavy favorite. The Browns (10-3-1) just made it in. They lost two of three before a must win in the final regular season game over the New York Giants propelled them to the championship.

Despite being the favorite, Shula knew better.

"Jim Brown was unbelievable, so you had to put a lot of focus on him," Shula said.

Shula's focus was not enough. Brown rushed for 114 yards, the defense stifled the Colts' offensive attack and the air attack from Ryan to Collins sealed the Colts' fate. Collins caught three touchdown passes and was named the game's MVP.

"Gary Collins and Ryan had career days against us." Shula said. "Everything worked for them. But what really upset me is when the Browns called a timeout [late in the game] to get another touchdown."

Ryan threw a 51-yard TD pass to Collins to cap off a 27-0 victory.

"That play stuck with us," Shula said. "In the Pro Bowl the following week, some of our players didn't take too kindly to it. Ryan was the QB for the other team for a few plays until [Hall of Fame defensive end] Gino Marchetti got to him."

Marchetti knocked Ryan out. But Shula and the Colts would not get true revenge until the 1968 NFL Championship here in Cleveland. Shaw High School graduate Tom Matte scored three TD's to lead the Colts to a 34-0 victory. Baltimore moved to Super Bowl III, the famous 16-7 loss to the AFL's New York Jets.

"Those were some great memories," said Shula, who also celebrated 25 years with Shula's American Steakhouse last week. "Especially when it was time for us to have the big game. All of my relatives in [Painesville and Grand River] were happy too."

 

THE DON SHULA FILE

Name: Donald Shula
College: John Carroll
Baltimore Colts coaching career: 1963-69
1964 season: Led Colts to 12-2 record. Won coach of the year award. 
1964 Championship: Lost title game to mentor Blanton Collier. 
Resides: Miami-Dade County, Fla.
Occupation: Lent his name to Shula's Steakhouses.
 
• Read original Plain Dealer story from week 10 of the '64 season.

• Previous profiles in this series: Ernie Green; Ross Fichtner; Jim Ninowski, Walter Beach, Mike Lucci, Colts RB Tom Matte, Paul Warfield, John Wooten and Dick Schafrath.

Browns safety Tashaun Gipson has a concussion and might not be able to play against the Texans. Jim Leonhard and Jordan Poyer would likely split time in his absence. Jordan Cameron is also still recovering from his concussion.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns safety Tashaun Gipson, who's been playing at a Pro Bowl clip, has been diagnosed with a concussion and was not outside for Wednesday's practice.

Coach Mike Pettine said Gipson likely suffered the concussion in the second quarter in Cincinnati when he stripped rookie running back Jeremy Hill of the ball. He said Gipson got knee'd in the head.

He added that Gipson hasn't been ruled out yet for the Texans, and that it's a tight window to get him back on the field by Sunday. If Gipson can't play, it will be a huge blow for the Browns.

He leads the NFL with six interceptions and is a major reason the Browns are 6-3 and in first place this season. What's more, he has four in the last four games. In addition to his six picks, Gipson forced running back Jeremy Hill to fumble in Browns' territory in the second quarter of Thursday night's 24-3 rout of the Bengals.

Since 2013, his 11 interceptions are most in the league, while his two interception-returns for TDs are tied for first.

Other quick-hitters from Pettine's pre-practice press conference and Wednesday's practice:

*  Tight end Jordan Cameron (concussion) was absent from the field for the second straight day. He's missed the past two games.

* Safety Johnson Bademosi (concussion) and defensive end Phil Taylor (knee) were also idle.

* Receiver Andrew Hawkins (thigh/knee) and center Nick McDonald (calf) were limited after both sat out on Tuesday.

* Pettine said that if McDonald can't play, either John Greco will move back to center or Ryan Seymour will step in. Originally a seventh-round pick of the Seahawks in 2013, Seymour was signed to the Browns active roster from their practice squad on Oct. 17th. He's been taking some snaps at center in practice.

* Pettine on running back Ben Tate not being satisfied with his role: "Ben's a competitor. And while I don't think it's good practice to kind of air how you feel publicly ... it's understandable. I think if you sat with every player and said, 'What's your agenda? What's your goal? How do you think your playing time should be handled? What do you see your role as?,' we're not going to bat 1.000.

"There are going to be times where we have to choose as a staff what we feel is best for the team over what the individual feels is best for him. I just think this is an example of that. Ben's a guy that wants the ball, wants to be out there, wants to be the guy. And so it's understandable when we started Terrance over him and had the results that we had."

* Pettine praised Texans' right end J.J. Watt, who's on his way to NFL Defensive MVP honors this season. Watt has three TDs, is tied for seventh with 8.5 sacksand leads the NFL with 29 quarterback hits. He also shares the league lead with four fumble recoveries.

* Pettine also praised Texans rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett for his big arm, but acknowledged he's an unknown. This is his first NFL start. He noted that Mallett, like Brian Hoyer, learned a lot from Tom Brady when he backed him up in New England.

Get live updates from Urban Meyer's radio show on 97.1 The Fan, and chat about Ohio State football as the Buckeyes prepare for Saturday's game against Minnesota.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will preview the Buckeyes' game against Minnesota during his Thursday radio show on 97.1 The Fan. Meyer's show will begin at noon.

No. 8 Ohio State (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) and No. 25 Minnesota (7-2, 4-1) will kick off at noon on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Get live updates from Meyer's radio show and chat about the Buckeyes in the comments section below.

Saturday's game suddenly carries a bit more meaning with the Gophers creeping into the College Football Playoff rankings this week after a win over Iowa last Saturday.

The Buckeyes are coming off their biggest win of the Urban Meyer era, a 49-37 win over then-No. 8 Michigan State that has Ohio State in the driver's seat in the Big Ten East Division.

Minnesota is in a three-team race in the West Division with No. 16 Nebraska and No. 20 Wisconsin, which play each other this week.

"I think Aaron and Shannon did a great job of playing together last year, but it was probably hard for them," senior Sam Thompson said. "They both grew up being the best point guards on their team, so when you have to play together or share the position, it does have an impact on you."

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Shannon Scott looks back at the last three year with fond memories, but he'll never admit to what is probably true. 

Scott will never say that he didn't come to Ohio State to be the second option at point guard his first three years, that he sometimes felt limited in his game co-existing with Aaron Craft or that he may have reached his full potential sooner under different circumstances. 

He prefers to stay short with it. 

"It was hard sometimes," Scott said. Because this wasn't the plan. 

A former four-star prospect of Alpheretta, Ga., Scott committed to Ohio State before anyone – maybe even Matta – knew that Craft was going to blossom into one of the best defenders in college basketball. 

Craft was an emotional leader, a player who made enough gritty plays that it became routine to hear opposing coaches praise him. In other words, Thad Matta's favorite type of player that he had no choice but to keep on the court. 

View full sizeShannon Scott, now a senior, is stepping into a crucial role as Ohio State's point guard. He has waited four years for this opportunity. Nati Harnik, AP 

• What does life without Aaron Craft mean for the Buckeyes and the Big Ten?

But Matta couldn't keep Scott on the bench, either. So the two point guards played together, Scott spending more time off the ball. That's not his natural game, and he said that impacted his play at times a year ago. 

"It got confusing at times trying to figure out where to be on the court and sometimes that would have an impact on me," Scott said. "We grew to know each other's games very well, so it was fine for the most part, but sometimes there was some confusion and it didn't always feel natural." 

A former McDonald's All-American, Scott didn't play much his freshman year, found a role coming off the bench his sophomore year and then cracked the starting lineup at the beginning of last season.

But Scott pulled himself out of the starting lineup in February after Ohio State lost five of six games hoping the change would halt the Buckeyes' struggles. Maybe that move also was a strategic plan for him to find more comfort, as it allowed him to play point guard more. 

"I think Aaron and Shannon did a great job of playing together last year, but it was probably hard for them," senior Sam Thompson said. "They both grew up being the best point guards on their team, so when you have to play together or share the position, it does have an impact on you."

View full sizeAaron Craft was Ohio State's primary point guard the last three years. Shannon Scott will now step into that role as a senior.Associated Press 

As much as Matta wishes Craft, who exhausted his eligibility last year, was still on the team, this could open up a whole new world for Scott.

A return to his natural role could reveal a significantly elevated level of play for the senior.

And it's not like Scott hasn't shown flashes of very good basketball. Though he has struggled with his shot at times, Scott's quickness has helped Ohio State push the tempo on offense, and his defense was nearly on par with Craft's. 

Now it's about the confidence, it's about taking control of the team and playing without apprehension. No longer will he have to wonder if he's in the right spot or whether to shoot or to pass or whatever. 

"I have to take my game to the next level," Scott said. 

Ohio State is expecting it. 

Now with a whole new group of shooters – including freshmen D'Angelo Russell, who will likely start at shooting guard, and Keita Bates-Diop – Scott can thrive as a distributor. If he gets his jumper going, he could be very dangerous. 

"I have always wanted Shannon to be very aggressive in terms of his ability to push the basketball – he's extremely fast, extremely quick," Matta said. "I think he understands what I want him to do and how I want him to do it." 

For three years, Scott waited for this clarity. 

The moment has finally arrived. 

Talk Ohio State Buckeyes with Doug Lesmerises during the weekly podcast today at 2 p.m.

View full sizeDoug Lesmerises will talk about J.T. Barrett and Ohio State's game with Minnesota on today's podcast at 2 p.m.Allison Carey, The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Doug Lesmerises today at 2 p.m. as he talks all about Ohio State.

Doug will talk with cleveland.com's Chris Fedor about Ohio State's win against Michigan State, the upcoming game against Minnesota, whether the Buckeyes should be higher in the playoff picture and the start of Ohio State hoops. 

You can jump in the comments section below and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Doug's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

Upcoming game with Bowling Green and Toledo could be a look at a Dec. 5 MAC Championship showdown in Detroit's Ford Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bowling Green and Toledo can consider the coming week a prelude to a possible Mid-American Conference football championship, while Kent State looks back for a glint of potential future success after battling the two.

"We just went toe-to-toe with two of the best teams in the conference, mainly with freshmen and sophomores,'' KSU head football coach Paul Haynes said following Kent's 30-20 setback at Bowling Green.

That victory secured the defending MAC champs a second straight MAC East Division title. Their next game is at Toledo, where the Rockets are currently tied for first in the MAC West with Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.

Bowling Green (7-3, 5-1) and Toledo (6-4, 5-1) can look at their games against Kent State and see identical final scores, 30-20, from games that went down to the wire after each team had taken 20-0 leads over the Flashes.

Considering BG has the division title in hand, a road setback will not derail its Dec. 5 trip to Ford Field for the MAC title game. But the Rockets have to keep a winning pace with NIU and WMU, who play each other to end the season.

The BG-Toledo game next Wednesday at Toledo (ESPN2) comes on the heels of UT's road loss at NIU (8-2, 5-1) while the Falcons have won their last two, over Akron and KSU.

The Flashes (1-8, 0-6) have been surprisingly resilient this season, despite their record. Against BG, sophomore quarterback Colin Reardon came off the bench to effectively outscore BG, 20-10, by going 24 of 37 passing for 284 yards, 3 TD and 4 INT. It was the interceptions that kept the Flashes from pulling the upset as all but the last one came with the Flashes driving in BG territory.

"We've got to learn when not to force it,'' Haynes said. "We are moving the football. Let's play another down."

Kent travels to Buffalo (4-6, 2-4) on Wednesday night on ESPNU, before ending its season at home against the rival Akron Zips (4-6, 2-4). KSU has no bowl aspirations, but the Flashes can dash bowl dreams for both the Bulls, coming off a 55-24 victory over Akron, and the Zips as both need to finish at .500 to be bowl eligible.

How good could the Buckeyes be behind seniors Shannon Scott and Sam Thompson and freshmen star D'Angelo Russell? Good enough to compete with Wisconsin – a trendy pick to make a return trip to the Final Four – for a Big Ten championship?

COLUMBUS, Ohio – There are some questions surrounding the Ohio State basketball team, but here's one that isn't: Are the Buckeyes going to be good this year? 

The answer? Yes. 

But just how good could the Buckeyes be behind seniors Shannon Scott and Sam Thompson and freshmen star D'Angelo Russell? Good enough to compete with Wisconsin – a trendy pick to make a return trip to the Final Four – for a Big Ten championship?

Maybe. Ohio State and Wisconsin don't play each other until the regular season finale in Columbus, a game that could very well decide the conference championship. 

Doug, Bill and I gathered outside of Value City Arena in the cold to put together a video filled with our record predictions, breakdowns of the team and how we see the season panning out. 

Here are other must-read basketball stories as part of our hoops preview:

• Senior PG Shannon Scott will finally do what he came to here for - can he lift the Buckeyes?

• Ohio State basketball: What does life without Aaron Craft mean for the Buckeyes and the Big Ten?

• Getting inside Thad Matta's head before the Ohio State basketball season: Buckeye Breakfast