The fact that Colt McCoy threw 13 of his 34 passes to Greg Little -- on a day when Little was dropping four -- tells you a lot about the Browns receivers.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerAs Greg Little has drawn more attention from Colt McCoy, Little's inexperience as a wide receiver has become more evident. That shouldn't be a surprise, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Browns notebook about the West Coast offense, the snapper and linebackers.

1. The fact that Colt McCoy threw 13 of his 34 passes to Greg Little -- on a day when Little was dropping four -- tells you a lot about the Browns receivers. Remember how the West Coast offense was supposed to bring significant improvement to Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie and Joshua Cribbs? Well, the two top receivers of late are Jordan Norwood and Little.

2. It wasn't supposed to be that way. Not that these guys should turn into Jerry Rice, but Massaquoi and Robiskie are worse now than before. Robiskie was waived, signed by Jacksonville. Not sure what's up with Massaquoi, who is supposed to be recovered from his concussion but sure doesn't play like it. He has two catches in the last two games. He was almost invisible in the 23-20 loss at Cincinnati. Massaquoi played 49 of 68 snaps and was targeted with three passes against the Bengals.

3. Cribbs is not a pure receiver, and the West Coast is not about to transform him into one. He can be used creatively and does have more catches (six) of at least 20 yards than anyone on the team. But the West Coast has not been magic for anyone in an orange helmet. The decline of Robiskie and Massaquoi has made Little the focal point, with no relief when he's having a bad game.

4. This is not dismissing the West Coast offense. The front office and Pat Shurmur are sold on it. But it does reveal that the Browns need a major upgrade at receiver. Little has a chance to be very effective, but it's ridiculous and unfair to compare him to A.J. Green or any other top draft pick. He was a 59th selection who sat out last season at North Carolina because he took money from an agent. Is it a surprise that this season has been up and down for him when there are no veteran receivers talented enough to be the main target for McCoy?

5. The discouraging part of this story is the front office watched Robiskie and Massaquoi struggle last season under former coach Eric Mangini. Their only move was drafting Little -- while insisting the remaining receivers would be better.

6. Perhaps concussions have derailed Massaquoi -- this is his second in two years. But Robiskie, Massaquoi and Cribbs never showed the spark in the previous two seasons that you see from outstanding receivers. Some of that also was blamed on former quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, along with the previous coaching staff. But those explanations are no longer valid.

7. It sounds as if the Browns may bring in another long snapper. Not only did Shurmur say that a snapper can't slump, he mentioned that Ryan Pontbriand's snap that led to Phil Dawson's 54-yard field goal was "high." In addition, Pontbriand has struggled with other snaps that were nicely handled by holder Brad Maynard.

8. The Pontbriand situation is tough for the Browns because he made Pro Bowls in 2007 and 2008. He's never had problems since joining the team in 2003. But the long snapper is in an unforgiving position with little margin for error. It's obvious he's having some confidence issues.

9. After Sunday's game, Cribbs said the return game has been "mediocre at best." He was talking about his own performance. With a 26.3 average, Cribbs ranks seventh in the NFL in kickoff returns. But there have been no touchdowns. He ranks 22nd in punt returns at 9.0.

10. I'll simply say that I have never seen so many special-team breakdowns on field goals since the team returned in 1999. The Browns rank 27th out of 32 teams in terms of giving up field position on kickoffs.

11. With Scott Fujita possibly out for the season with surgery to repair his broken hand, the linebackers now show their lack of depth. Kaluka Maiava (battling a sore knee) will start for Fujita. They have Titus Brown as a backup.

12. I asked Shurmur about throwing more passes (screens, swing passes, etc.) to the running backs to counter some of the blitzes the Browns are receiving. They threw two each to Peyton Hillis and Chris Ogbonnaya, both backs have good hands. The passes did nothing -- a combined zero yards. So perhaps that's why Shurmur said he saw no need to throw more -- but I'd like see the ball go to them more often through the air.

In the aftermath of the death of sophomore Paul McGhee, Aurora coach Bob Mihalik had to play the role of parent and pastor.

View full sizeGus Chan, The Plain DealerIn the minutes before the Greemen's state semifinal against Avon, Aurora coach Bob Mihalik was able to find words that both inspired and consoled his players just a day after the death of sophomore Paulie McGhee.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Coaching is a calling for many men and women.

Those who take seriously their leadership responsibilities can have as much impact on kids' lives as parents and pastors. Aurora football coach Bob Mihalik was thrust into the roles of both last week following sophomore Paulie McGhee's death in a traffic accident Thanksgiving Day.

Mihalik's task was to help teach 60 boys how to grieve while preparing them to play a violent game the next day, to say nothing of managing his own, overwhelming sadness.

Three hours before Friday's state semifinal against Avon, Mihalik and I talked in an empty Aurora classroom about how much he liked McGhee, and how awful he felt for McGhee's family, the football team, the school and the community in which Mihalik lives. Mihalik could barely speak without breaking down in tears. I wondered how he possibly could lead a team that was in the same condition, if not worse.

The next time I saw him, Mihalik was pacing in a dark corner underneath the Byers Field stands, gathering his thoughts before addressing the team. Mihalik entered the white, cinder-block locker room and walked down three steps as the team gathered in front of him, each player on one knee.

Mihalik steadied himself, placing his right hand on the massive shoulder pads of 300-pound lineman Greg Biben.

The room was silent.

View full sizeAurora H.S."We are not going out tonight to win the game for Paulie," the coach said. "Our job tonight is to go out and play the game the way he played the game, the way he would want us to play."

"Here we are boys," Mihalik began.

"The next stage of our journey.

"It's been a heck of a two days. I want you to know I've never been more proud of a group of young men as I have been of you guys. The way you've conducted yourselves and handled yourselves is a testament to you as young men, your families, and the strength of our football team, and our team's families.

"I thank you for that.

"Tonight, we try to get some normalcy back, if that's possible. We get to play the game we love to play. For 48 minutes, we get to play the game Paulie McGhee loved to play.

"I told you last night, our task tonight is a very simple one. We are not going out tonight to win the game for Paulie. Our job tonight is to go out and play the game the way he played the game, the way he would want us to play -- with confidence, with no fear, with reckless abandon, and above all, with a smile on our face. With a smile on our face, and have fun, because that's what he was all about, gentlemen.

"That's what you've got to do tonight. I know you're emotional, but you've got to harness that the right way and do that for each other.

"I heard a quote today, and I think it's very appropriate for what we're up against tonight. The quote was this: 'Football teams that have something to play for -- some thing to play for -- are very good, and are very dangerous.'

"Obviously, there's lot to play for tonight, for Aurora and Avon both -- a berth in the state championship.

"The second part of that quote is, 'Football teams that have someone to play for -- some one to play for -- are unbeatable.'

"We have some one to play for tonight."

Mihalik paused. His jaw quivered and his eyes welled.

"Sixty-one strong fellas. Sixty people in this room, and one big blond angel looking down on us."

The season's journey ended that night in a 43-20 loss to Avon. Aurora summoned extraordinary courage to play hard, but lost to a better team.

On Sunday, more than 1,500 people attended a wake in the Aurora High gym. McGhee was laid to rest in a private ceremony Monday. He was 16.

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Kapp and former defensive line star Angelo Mosca fight during a luncheon on Friday, with Kapp landing a haymaker punch. Kapp's tough quarterbacking style helped keep the Browns out of the 1969 season Super Bowl.

Associated PressJoe Kapp, age 73, apparently remains as aggressive as when he played quarterback for 12 professional seasons.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Joe Kapp, in his prime as a professional quarterback, threw a football that acted like a knuckleball, but at age 73 throws a punch like a haymaker -- as shown in a video below.

Kapp quarterbacked the Minnesota Vikings to the 1969 season Super Bowl, a 23-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. To get there, Minnesota defeated the Cleveland Browns, 27-7, in the old National Football League championship game, as then reported by The Plain Dealer's Chuck Heaton in his game story. Cleveland.com's Browns history database includes the Plain Dealer game stories for every regular season and playoff game in Browns history, including Heaton's game report on the Vikings' stunning 51-3 wallop of the Browns earlier in that 1969 season.

Kapp was known as a tough-guy type field leader with an unconventional style, as is vividly shown below in another video, the Vikings' 1969 highlight film that includes both Minnesota romps over the Browns. He had established that reputation during his eight-year career in the Canadian Football League before joining the Vikings. Older Browns fans might remember how Kapp collided with star Browns linebacker Jim Houston on a running play in the title game, knocking out Houston -- a play included in the video.

As it turns out, Kapp and an old CFL rival have long memories, as reported in a New York Daily News story and shown in a video below that has gone viral.

Nina Mandell writes for the New York Daily News that Kapp and former CFL star defensive lineman Angelo Mosca, 74, got into it during a luncheon on Friday in Vancouver:

The two have had it in for each other since a contentious Grey Cup in 1963, the CBC reported. When they were both due onstage, the luncheon's host, comedian Ron James, told Kapp to give Mosca a sprig from a table setting as a "peace offering."

It had the opposite effect, a video posted on YouTube shows.

First, Mosca told Kapp where he could put the peace offering, the drama began.

"Joe Kapp, the 73-year-old quarterback -- proof positive don't mix your meds with your liquor -- hauled off and nailed him and the fight was on," a horrified James told CBC News.

Mosca smacked Kapp with his cane, and Kapp punched Mosca.

Kapp then turned to the crowd and yells "Sportsmanship!"

Video: Former CFL stars Joe Kapp, 73, and Angelo Mosca, 74, fight during a luncheon on Friday in Vancouver:

Video: Joe Kapp is prominent in the 1969 Vikings' highlight film, including footage from Minnesota's 51-3 rout over the Browns in a regular season game -- about 6:10 into the video -- and the Vikings' 27-7 NFL title game win over the Browns about 22:40 in.

Greg Little addressed his four drops on Sunday and spoke of his drive to become an elite receiver such as Cincinnati's A.J. Green. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Greg Little repeatedly dropped the ball Sunday afternoon, and again after it when he ducked out of the locker room without speaking to the media.

But he set about correcting both of those mistakes on Monday. He faced the music and stated his determination to become an elite receiver like Cincinnati's A.J. Green.

"It was kind of like when basketball players have a bad day shooting free throws," he said. "Sometimes you can't throw it into the ocean. Sometimes you just can't ever hang onto it. It's definitely something I can learn and grow from. Obviously I was definitely upset at my performance, but I just took the time to cool off and come back and get better."

Little, who also caught his first career touchdown pass, admitted he bolted the locker room while most reporters were listening to coach Pat Shurmur's press conference.

"I got dressed and I figured everybody would come up to me at once, but nobody really showed up so I kinda left a little earlier than I usually do, that's correct," he said.

Shurmur acknowledged that Little should have stuck around for the postgame interviews, but found a positive in his decision.

"Now, that's not the proper way to handle it," said Shurmur. "We have a responsibility to answer your questions. But it tells me it bothered him, and I can work with that."

Why?

"Because I think it matters to him and I think he'll find a way to listen to us when we try to help him. That's why."

Here's how much it matters to Little: He clung to the football after his first career TD -- a 3-yarder at the end of the half -- and cradled it into the locker room. "Then I took it home and put it on my nightstand and watched it all night," he said.

But in the light of day, the four drops still loomed large for Shurmur, who restated his belief in his rookie receiver.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerThe drop by Greg Little in the fourth quarter denied the Browns a shorter field goal attempt for Phil Dawson. "It was kind of like when basketball players have a bad day shooting free throws," Little said Monday. "Sometimes you can't throw it into the ocean. Sometimes you just can't ever hang onto it."

"You cannot drop the football -- it's an no-no," said Shurmur. "He dropped too many balls. Catching the football is very important -- focus and concentration. Forget the last play and move on to the next play. I don't expect that to be a trend. I expect it to be something he'll learn from. I'm excited about him getting out there to practice so we can work on that not happening again."

Isn't it possible that Little's role as the Browns' No. 1 receiver was too much, too soon? He started only one full year at receiver at North Carolina and sat out all last season on a suspension. He had no off-season to work with the coaches, learn the system and shake the rust off.

"Nope," said Shurmur. "He's no longer a rookie in my eyes. He's a played a lot of football, and he's steadily become more and more productive, and more and more professional."

But targeting him 13 times in Cincinnati? And a team-high 87 times this season? He leads the team and all NFL rookies with 47 receptions, but is he ready to be the go-to guy with the game on the line?

"You definitely want to be the player, and if you don't, it's just not for you," said Little. "You want to be the player where great things are expected of you and I always want to be that and with that comes great scrutiny too. I can take as many blows as anyone can dish out and I'll be fine. I think I've kind of shown that I have the ability. I've just kind of got to do it every week."

Can he be like Green? The No. 4 overall pick who soared up over Joe Haden to snatch a game-breaking 51-yard pass play?

"Why not A.J. Green?" said Shurmur. "You want explosive, consistent guys that can do it all the time."

Little has no doubt he can make the play that Green did.

"I think we both have similar abilities," he said. "I just felt like he made two big plays and I made kind of one. But he's a very good player in some of the things he does and so am I. I just didn't have the day that he had."

Is there any reason he can't become to the Browns what Green is to the 7-4 Bengals?

"No. Not at all," said Green. "We have a great quarterback, we have a great line, we have a great running back, we have a great supporting cast on the outside and I think we have all the pieces in the right place. We have to execute when the ball is thrown."

Little gave credit to Bengals cornerback Nate Clements on the third-down incomplete pass over the middle that set up Phil Dawson's 55-yard field goal attempt.

"He's definitely a crafty vet," said Little. "He has his techniques and how he defends guys. I commend him. It just definitely made me a better player as well to some things I can work on."

But he's looking forward to making that play the next time.

"The position [Shurmur] puts me in when the game's on the line, he believes in me," he said. "I came up with those balls before and that's what he knows that I'm capable of doing."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Tebow's quarterback rating during crunch time is off the charts.

Associated PressDenver coach John Fox greets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) after Tebow's 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Decker (87) during the Broncos' 16-13 overtime win over the Chargers in San Diego on Sunday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado -- Tim Tebow might want to update his autobiography, and not just because it’s a best-seller.

In “Through My Eyes,” the Denver Broncos' unconventional quarterback writes about how those who finish strong in football or life will achieve success and even greatness.

He devoted just two pages to the topic but has enough material now to write several chapters.

Since taking over as the Broncos’ starter a month and a half ago, Tebow has engineered three fourth-quarter comebacks, two of which set up overtime wins for Denver, and another win at Oakland in which he rallied the Broncos from a halftime deficit to win going away.

He’s 6-3 in his NFL career and four of those wins involved fourth-quarter comebacks. Denver is 4-14 over the last two seasons in the games Tebow hasn't started.

The Broncos (6-5) are riding a four-game winning streak that includes triumphs on the road against each of their AFC West opponents, including the division-leading Raiders.

All these comebacks are breeding confidence.

“Big time. I’d say our mentality changed to where it’s not, ‘Oh-oh, here we go again,’ it’s, ‘OK, give us the ball, we’re going to go and score,’” wide receiver Eric Decker said.

Tebow, who hasn’t completed more than half his passes in any game this season but has thrown eight touchdown passes and just one interception in 143 passes, still struggles before coming through at crunch time.

Tebow's quarterback rating during the first three quarters of games this season is not impressive -- below 70. But in the fourth quarters, it's a superb 107.8. And, when the score is within seven points during the fourth quarter, Tebow's quarterback rating is a brilliant 126.4.

The Broncos are winning games with more audacity than artistry.

“Whatever it takes,” running back Willis McGahee said. “That is our motto right now.”

In four of their wins under Tebow this year, the Broncos have scored 18, 17, 17 and 16 points, usually the recipe for losses and a restless fan base, not wild celebrations and cheerful flights home.

“We would love to go and blow a team out, but if not, we’re going to fight and scratch and claw to pull (out) these so-called ugly victories,” safety Brian Dawkins said. “I’ll tell you what, though ... we’ll take ugly victories any day.”

Tebow’s been among the first to deflect any credit for the wins, pointing out Denver’s creative play-calling, strong ground game, stout defense and superb special teams as the passing game makes incremental progress week to week.

For the first time all season, Tebow completed at least half of his passes Sunday, going 9 for 18 for 143 yards in Denver’s 16-13 overtime win at San Diego, and he had strikes of 39 yards to Decker and 23 to Dante Rosario on the game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter.

“He’s getting better as a passer right before our eyes,” analyst Steve Mariucci said on the NFL Network. “This is such a fun story because it’s so unique. We haven’t seen this before. Of all of the option quarterbacks that have come into the league, they move them to receiver, or you play Wildcat, or you go play defense. Here is a team that’s playing option football - you’ve got to be kidding me - and the kid is winning games.”

“It’s not necessarily all option.” Tebow said. “Yes, we put it in and teams have to be honest and play the gap some, but I think it’s a variety of things. It’s great coaching and it’s keeping the defense off balance. Whether it’s option, whether it’s zone read, whether it’s unbalance, whether it’s play action, I think a defense has to prepare for a lot of different looks and you have to credit our coaches for that.”

Tebow’s average completion this season has gone for 13.1 yards, well above the league average.

“He’s getting a better feel,” coach John Fox said Monday. “And like the old adage, the more you do it, the better you get. I think (quarterbacks coach) Adam Gase and (offensive coordinator) Mike McCoy have done a terrific job with him before practice, after practice and he’s done a terrific job of being willing to do the extra work. That’s part of being a pro, and he’s proved to be a good one.”

Decker said Tebow’s strides are most evident in his decisions.

“I think he’s only got one interception this year and it’s a credit to him for not forcing a bad ball or doing something stupid,” Decker said. “Because punting the ball’s not a bad thing, either. The way our defense is playing right now, why not get them inside the 20 and let our defense go to work?”

The talk around Tebow, however, is more about his legs than his erratic arm.

On Sunday, he carried 22 times for 67 yards - the most carries by a quarterback in a game since at least 1950, according to STATS LLC. Tebow has rushed for 455 yards and three touchdowns in 78 carries this season, an impressive 5.8 yards per try.

Fox said Monday it’s harder to monitor Tebow’s carries than his tailbacks’ but “in a lot of ways, the quarterback is more exposed in the pass game than he is in the run game because you can’t defend yourself.”

With Tebow running the offense, the Broncos have scored 11 times in the fourth quarter or overtime compared to 10 scoring drives in the first three quarters combined.

Finishing strong is something Tebow did plenty of times at Florida and he wrote about it in his book.

“You have to finish in football; you have to learn how to finish in the weight room, through the line, finishing a sprint; everything gets hard. Finish,” Tebow wrote.

“Eventually some people are going to start going slower, but the people who can finish and finish at the same pace or stronger than when they started, those are the ones who are going to succeed; those are the ones who are going to be great.”

Linebacker Wesley Woodyard said Denver’s defenders know that if they can keep the game within reach, Tebow will pull out some of his last-minute magic.

“It does have an effect on us,” he said.

Whether Tebow looks pretty doing it or not.

“I’m sure he’s still going to have some haters,” linebacker Von Miller said. “But he’s been leading our team consistently. You don’t have to throw for 400 yards, all you have to do is manage the game right.”

Notes: Fox described CB-KR Cassius Vaughn’s right ankle injury as significant. ... John Elway, who ignited an Internet firestorm a week ago when he said on his weekly radio show that he didn’t know if his QB of the future was on the roster, said on 102.3 FM in Denver on Monday that he meant no disrespect to Tebow: “It wasn’t meant to be a strike at Timmy at all.”

Watch video as Urban Meyer addressed the media after being named the 24th head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes today in Columbus.

Lynn Ischay, PDUrban Meyer

Watch video as Urban Meyer addressed the media after being named the 24th head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes today in Columbus.

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

Defensive end Emmanuel Stephens could also be lost with chest injury, while Colt McCoy nurses a sore elbow

Joshua Gunter | The Plain DealerBrowns linebacker Scott Fujita could be lost for the season after injuring his hand in Sunday's loss to Cincinnati.

BEREA, Ohio -- Linebacker Scott Fujita, one of the leaders of the Browns' young defense, will undergo surgery on his broken right hand this week and will likely be placed on injured reserve for the final five games.

"He's going to miss some significant time," said coach Pat Shurmur. "We haven't made any final decisions on [injured reserve]. Of course, that's an option."

If Fujita goes on IR, the Browns might add a linebacker. In the meantime, the plan is to move Chris Gocong to strongside and plug Kaluka Maiava in on the weakside. However, Maiava suffered a knee injury in Cincinnati and his status for Sunday's game against the Ravens is uncertain. If he can't play, Titus Brown will get the nod.

Middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson knows what a blow it is to lose Fujita, who missed the last seven games of last season with a knee injury.

"It's huge," said Jackson. "I mean, he's a veteran guy who controls his side of the defense. We work well together out there, but we have to move forward. We're not gonna be able to replace him, but we've got guys that are capable of making plays. That's a part of the game."

Fujita helps Jackson make the defensive calls and get everyone aligned. He's a major reason the defense is sixth overall and ninth in points allowed.

"He makes a ton of plays, he works his tail off and he loves to play the game," said Jackson. "He helps me out and we see things. We have the luxury of changing some things if we see it. I've got to step up my preparation a bit. Everyone has to step up a little bit, so we can try to move forward and not see a major drop off."

Bumps and bruises: Colt McCoy now has an elbow injury to go along with his sore shoulder.

McCoy came down hard on his right elbow after an eight-yard scramble on the fourth play of the game and had it wrapped afterward in the locker room. But Shurmur said he thinks McCoy will be okay.

"He'll work this week. He'll be at practice," Shurmur said. "We'll just see Wednesday how he feels. I think it's a bruise soreness."

Shurmur reiterated that McCoy was trying to throw the ball away on his second-half interception but got hit and the ball remained in play.

"A couple of throws got away from him, but he battled," said Shurmur.

Another starter sidelined: After just two games as the starting right defensive end, Emmanuel Stephens suffered a pectoral injury and will also "miss a significant amount of time. We'll leave it at that right now," Shurmur said.

It sounds like Stephens is a strong candidate for injured reserve. But it's not a matter of just plugging Jayme Mitchell back into his old spot. Mitchell was inactive for the Bengals game with his ankle injury and might not be ready to play yet.

Auston English and Brian Schaefering alternated at end in Stephens' absence.

Safety Mike Adams sprained his shoulder and is day-to-day. Cornerback Dimitri Patterson was better after Phil Taylor fell on his ankle Sunday. Montario Hardesty's status is uncertain after his calf tightened in pre-game warmups.

Snapper crisis: Ryan Pontbriand is suddenly on the hotseat. Shurmur admitted the Browns are considering their options at long snapper after the dribbler that caused Phil Dawson to come up short on a 55-yard field goal attempt.

"We've had discussions behind the scenes [about a new snapper] and we haven't finalized our thoughts on that," said Shurmur. "It's important that we all produce and produce well. We can't be in slumps. It's important that we all perform, and we've got to perform all the time."

Cribbs' outburst no problem: Shurmur said he was happy to hear that Josh Cribbs stopped himself from going too far when he vented in the post-game locker room.

"Good for him. Let me answer the questions," said Shurmur.

Cribbs, who caught one of the four passes thrown his way for eight yards, was frustrated about a number of things, including his lack of opportunities.

"I know exactly what was bothering him," said Shurmur. "We lost, 23-20. ... We were ahead in the game and we didn't win. We can say it a bunch of different ways, but I think that's what it is."

He said he'd rather see passion than apathy.

"You want guys [who] are disappointed," he said. "It's like I used to help coach my son's Little League baseball team. You see kids strike out all the time, right? You can work with the guys that throw their bats, because they're angry. Because they care. The guys that just drop their bat and walk back, no big deal, those are tougher guys to get better.

"So this behavior -- although we have to talk about the behavior -- that's the important thing."

Jackson said he understands his teammate's frustration, but "I'm sure if he could take back those words just [because of] the perception of it -- you want to lead by example and you've got to stay tough. One thing you can count on with Cribbs is when you turn that tape on on Sunday, he's going to give you everything he has, so I understand his emotion."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

A 10-year head coach with two national championships who grew up in Ashtabula, Meyer is the coach from central casting sent to save the program after a season of suffering. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer pulled out the contract, the 24th head coach in Ohio State history referencing the document, written on pink paper, that he believes will change his life.

It wasn't the contract that will pay the 47-year-old more than $4 million per year, plus perks and incentives, over the next six seasons to lead the Buckeyes. It was the contract written up by his 21-year-old daughter, Nicki, that the Meyer family hopes will allow him, less than a year after retiring as the coach at Florida, to get back into football with more balance and less of the unhealthy obsession with what he called "the pursuit of perfection."

"It's tougher than any other contract I've signed in my life," Meyer said Monday.

Less than six months after forcing former coach Jim Tressel to resign in the wake of NCAA violations, and just two days after ending a 6-6 season under replacement Luke Fickell, Ohio State administrators know it was some combination of fate and luck that landed a candidate like Meyer in their laps. A 10-year head coach with two national championships who grew up in Ashtabula and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State, Meyer is the coach from central casting sent to save the program after a season of suffering.

The primary question centers on the way he left the game a year ago, after previously retiring and quickly unretiring in 2009. If he's ready, he's a potential home run hire, as legendary OSU linebacker and Meyer friend Chris Spielman said.

"His passion for Ohio State is there. He knows what he is," Spielman said. "He's a Buckeye."

That's assuming Meyer is truly ready to jump back in, after taking on too much responsibility and refusing to delegate to his assistants in his final years with the Gators. Because of that, Meyer said he had second, third, fourth and fifth thoughts before taking this job.

He said he'll start at Ohio State the way he did at Florida, where he beat the Buckeyes for the 2006 national title in his second season.

"That was a guy that did have balance, a guy that took care of himself, a guy that did not try to get involved and change everything," Meyer said, noting the change he then couldn't stop and didn't like. "I've been to a place that I'm not going to go back. ... I was there. I'm not going back."

Meyer's wife, Shelley, who grew up in central Ohio, said it was the pressure to continue winning, after taking a second national title with a win over Oklahoma in 2008, along with the loss of several key assistants that pushed her husband over the edge.

"When you win two national championships, what's good enough? There's nothing ever good enough again," Shelly Meyer said.

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said Meyer will be forced to take vacations. Shelley Meyer said opportunities to watch their children -- Nicki, a Georgia Tech volleyball player; Gigi, Florida Gulf Coast volleyball player; and 13-year-old Nathan -- play sports will be finagled. And Urban and Shelly Meyer called the decision to retain Fickell, who will serve a significant role on the defensive staff and could have a title like assistant head coach, important in helping to share the load.

"We had great conversations about his health issues," Smith said. "We had a great deal of research done on him. And I feel confident that we'll work very hard to make sure we meet the requirement of his daughter's contract."

Meyer's real contract includes potential raises approved by the OSU Board of Trustees each year. He'll also receive a $250,000 signing bonus and three retention bonuses, in 2014, 2016 and 2018, for a total of $2.4 million. All told, that would bring his average guaranteed compensation, if he serves his full six-year term, to $4.44 million per year. According to the USA Today's coaching salary database, that would rank Meyer third among 2011 contracts, behind only Texas' Mack Brown and Alabama's Nick Saban. Tressel would have been slated to earn $3.77 million in 2012.

Additionally, Meyer can earn up to another $300,000 per year in bonuses for the academic achievement of his players; $50,000 for winning the Big Ten Leaders Division; $100,000 for winning a Big Ten title; $150,000 for any BCS bowl game; and $250,000 for the national title game.

If Meyer can match his success at Florida, where he went 65-15 in six seasons including those two national titles, most associated with Ohio State would consider him worth it.

"I think it's very possible he can be just as successful, just as effective, just as great a coach without having to sleep in the office," Spielman said.

Meyer, after one season away missing coaching while serving as an ESPN broadcaster, believes it, too. But he said only the Ohio State job would have brought him back right now.

"It's a decision I'm very proud of, a decision that was not thought of overnight, a decision that had a lot of prayer, a lot of research," Meyer said. "At the end of the day, to tell you that we're excited to be back is not a strong-enough statement. We're grateful to be welcomed back home."

Wet, windy weather made success hard to find for many hunters out in the woods on Monday for the opener of the popular deer gun season.

D'Arcy Egan, The Plain DealerAllen Lea (left) and Terry Eberling of the Division of Wildlife check the teeth of a deer to determine its age, then measure the antlers to help wildlife biologists figure out if there is enough nutrition available for them. Last year's bountiful crop of acorns, report wildlife experts, has resulted in a healthy, vibrant deer herd.

  LODI, OHIO - A wet and windy opening day of the deer gun season resulted in a small, soggy bunch of successful sportsmen stopping at Mack's Food Mart in Lodi on Monday evening. 

 The local shop is a check station, still needed by the local Amish hunters in this new era of electronic check-in of big game. Mack's Food Mart also butchers white-tailed deer, converting bucks and does into ground meat, jerky and smokies, the highly-seasoned sticks of venison that - with ample amounts of beer - can brighten even a Cleveland Browns game on a Sunday afternoon.

"It's been pretty quiet around here all day," said Allen Lea, an assistant supervisor of wildlife management for the local office of the Division of Wildlife. "You got here just in time for the big rush."

The "big rush" was a pair of large-antlered bucks that arrived at dusk. In past years, more than half a hundred deer would be dropped off here on opening day. Monday's chilly, wet weather had made the deer hunting difficult, with only a couple of dozen hunters dropping off their prizes. It is also likely the dull, grey skies and rain enticed many hunters to postpone their annual opening-day foray into the wood lots of Medina County, hoping for better weather.

The largest percentage of deer killed around the Buckeye State are usually taken on opening morning of the deer gun season. As it turned out, the largest buck brought on Monday was taken on Sunday night. Archer Brian Milla of Hinckley was hunting in Harrison County over the weekend with his son, Matt, when the big buck strolled past his stand.

Lea and Terry Eberling, a wildlife technician at the Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area, admired the antlered bucks, but were more interested in younger deer. They were charged with checking out young bucks that are less than two years old. The men checked the teeth of the deer brought in to determine their age, then measured antler growth.

"We can get the best handle on the health of the local deer herd by checking the young deer," said Lea. "If there is a problem, such as too many deer in an area or a general lack of nutrition, the antler growth can be stunted."

But not always.

Two young bucks that had been killed by hunters on Monday just 300 yards apart were both estimated at 1.5 years old. While one had small spike antlers on its head, the other sprouted antlers that had grown into an 9-point set, more likely to attract a hunter's attention.

"That's genetics," said Lea. "It takes good genetics and good nutrition to produce trophy antlers."

 Cathy Neer of Homerville and Chad Eader of Lodi make up the team of deer processors at Mack's Food Mart. Neer was disappointed in the meager number of deer arriving on Monday.

 "I've been cutting deer for more than 20 years, and look forward to this week," she said. "We have a calendar in the store that lets me count down the last 30 days before the gun season begins. Last year, we had 53 deer checked in on opening day. I think we'll still see lots of deer, but we may have to wait until Wednesday, or for the weekend."

The basic venison package, she said, is a mix of steaks, ground venison, jerky and smokies costing $75 to $125, depending upon the weight of the deer.

 "The funny thing about it is that I don't like to eat venison, not even the jerky," said Neer, with a laugh. "I'm more of a rib-eye kind of girl."

 Early accidents: There were two hunting mishaps reported on Monday. A hunter in Portage County shot himself in the foot, and a hunter in Lawrence County along the Ohio River was shot and killed. There are no details available on either firearms accident. 

No matter what signs of improvement surface, the scoreboard usually tells a familiar story. Links to numerous Browns stories.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerBrowns coach Pat Shurmur and quarterback Colt McCoy during Cleveland's 23-20 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns fans are known for their (often unfounded) optimism.

But how long will they scrap for the slimmest glimmer of hope in the midst of loss after loss after loss?

After all, not only are the Browns 4-7 this season, but they have lost 136 of the 204 games they've played -- counting the ONE playoff game, a loss of course -- since returning to the NFL as a franchise in 1999.

The latest frustration stems from the Browns' 23-20 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday. Cleveland seemed primed to pull the upset, leading, 17-7, at halftime.

Vic Carucci writes for clevelandbrowns.com that the Browns' inability to finish off a would-be win is a familiar story that's getting old:

It’s getting old to say that there is progress to be found in a loss. It’s getting old to talk about encouraging signs, such as the Browns’ offense scoring its first first-quarter touchdown of the season … or Peyton Hillis returning from his hamstring injury and putting a little bit of spark into Cleveland’s offense with more the tough, straight-ahead running reminiscent of his strong 2010 season …

Or seeing 10-point leads at halftime and in the third quarter … or having a defense that made critical stops, including a goal-line stand, and forced a fumble … or going toe-to-toe with an opponent that is very much in the thick in the playoff race.

But there is just too much about this Browns team that frustrates and leaves so little room for encouragement.

The Browns get another opportunity against an AFC North rival on Sunday in Cleveland, when they play the division-contending Baltimore Ravens (8-3).

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot's story that rookie wide receiver Greg Little knows he must stop dropping passes; some observations on the Browns by Terry Pluto; video by David I. Andersen of Browns talking with the media on Monday; Cabot's report that linebacker Scott Fujita will need surgery on a broken hand and could go on injured reserve; Tony Grossi's podcast; and, much more.

About the Browns

The Browns need more playmakers, Steve Doerschuk writes for the Canton Repository.

Browns kick returner/wide receiver Josh Cribbs voices his frustration after another loss. By Brian Dulik for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

Browns running back Peyton Hillis does a good job in his return. By Mike McLain for the Warren Tribune Chronicle.

The Browns linebackers will have to shuffle without Scott Fujita, Nate Ulrich writes for the Akron Beacon Journal.

An early report on the possibility of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis playing against the Browns, by Matt Vensel for the Baltimore Sun. And, the Ravens need to be patient in trying to get Lewis back on the field, Jamison Hensley writes for ESPN.com.

Browns players of the week, by Mike Wilkening for Pro Football Weekly.

Because of an accident, former lineman Scott Bolzan can not remember his time with the Browns during the 1985-86 seasons. By Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal. Ridenour also writes about a potential breakthrough in helping Bolzan re-gain his pre-accident memories.

Browns wide receiver Greg Little was upset with his performance after dropping passes against the Bengals. By Jeff Schudel for the News Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Revisiting the Browns' loss to the Bengals, by Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Browns notes, including on long snapper Ryan Pontbriand and quarterback Colt McCoy. By Jeff Schudel for the News Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Things learned about the Browns from the loss at Cincinnati. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

So big is Meyer's name, as the most attractive one out there, that Jim Tressel's name never came up in Monday's 45-minute news conference.

View full sizeLynn Ischay, The Plain DealerIf Meyer becomes in the Big Ten what he already was at Florida, winning two national championships in the six years for which he is signed, he would justify all of Monday's rock-star vibe, says Bill Livingston.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An Ohio State official announced the countdown to presumptive greatness Monday evening. The first look at the new coach was 15 minutes away. Then five, next three, and finally it was one minute, with the television cameras told to prepare for the close-up.

We have ignition! Urban Renewal was in the room.

His family was with Urban Meyer, but they were off to the side, as usual at such events. Applause greeted Meyer's appearance, his introduction by athletic director Gene Smith and the conclusion of his remarks. During the news conference, a camera woman from the Big Ten Network fainted, which was sometimes the reaction in the audience when the Beatles were big.

After Jim Tressel was forced out by scandal, Ohio State signed an almost inconceivably bigger name, given its disarray, with a gaudier record, which was achieved at Florida, a glamour school. Meyer brings an unprecedented magnitude of star power to Ohio State coaching.

The Buckeyes weren't very good this season, but they were very, very lucky in their timing. Penn State became a toxic job after the child-molestation scandal. Arizona State, Illinois, UCLA and Kansas are hardly comparable to Ohio State. His hiring even stops the local angst following Michigan's first victory in eight years just after it began.

There has simply never been anyone like Meyer to come here. In 1951, Woody Hayes was a short-tempered guy from a school outside Cincinnati that had to have "of Ohio" put after its name to avoid being confused, at least eventually, with the Miami of palm trees and rogue boosters.

In 2001, Tressel was a former Division 1-AA coach with a big name in the Mahoning Valley.

In between were Earle Bruce, one of Woody's boys, a former Hayes assistant coach, remembered as "Old 9-and-3," and John Cooper, an outlander from Tennessee, who couldn't beat Michigan or win bowl games. Their previous jobs were at Miami (Ohio), Iowa State, Arizona State and Youngstown State. Meyer's previous stop was at ESPN for a year, during which he said he found the "balance" he had lacked during life at the top.

A diffuse focus, worrying about dirt other schools were sweeping under rugs, as well as neglecting his family drove him from coaching.

"He was stressed out. I saw it. At the 2009 SEC Championship game that he lost [to Alabama]. He was playing for [a spot in] the national championship game. He should have been like this," said Bruce, chopping his hand straight ahead, like a cleaver mincing meat.

"Instead, he was like this," said Bruce, sticking his hand out to the side, like a driver signaling a turn down a strange street.

Meyer says he won't go to "that place" again, psychologically.

Hayes set the standards for excellence at Ohio State, and Tressel restored them. But if Meyer becomes in the less ferocious Big Ten what he already was at Florida in the cut-throat, pace-setting Southeastern Conference, by winning two national championships in the six years for which he is signed, he would justify all the rock-star vibe.

Meyer has already had a transformative effect on the college game, leading turnarounds at Bowling Green and, particularly, Utah. With the Utes, he began the surge of programs from outside the power conferences to appearances and victories in BCS bowl games with a Fiesta Bowl triumph over Pittsburgh.

At Florida, he and his staff used the weeks of preparation before the 2006 BCS Championship Game to take away everything Ohio State had, including Heisman Trophy quarterback Troy Smith's patented spin move in the pocket, and to exploit everything Ohio State lacked, mainly speed.

He has been able to wed the Big Ten's I-formation power game to the Sun Belt's spread game with its emphasis on creating favorable matchups in space. A big running back like Carlos Hyde and a darting waterbug at quarterback in Braxton Miller are already in place. Such an exciting dual-purpose quarterback is a re-run too, with the emphasis on "run." Meyer coached Florida's Tim Tebow to the 2007 Heisman.

"I like the way [Miller] throws. Obviously, he's a ridiculous athlete. But you can stop ridiculous athletes by loading up. And I like his delivery," said Meyer.

Perhaps he was projecting the Miller of more refined coaching than that bestowed by former quarterback coach Nick Sicilano, who can turn princes into frogs.

A native Ohioan, Meyer is connected to the folklore game of Hayes. He is a key designer of today's game of space and speed. He is an indefatigable recruiter. He said he got weepy when he saw the Ohio State band march out of the tunnel at the opener this season for the first time in almost a quarter-century.

"He gets it," said Smith.

Only Alabama's Nick Saban, with two national championships at two different schools, has a more illustrious reputation in college football. So big is Meyer's name on the marquee, as the most attractive name out there, that Tressel's name never came up in the 45-minute news conference.

Maybe the lights are so bright following Meyer that they eclipsed him. Maybe the scandal follows Tressel like the tail of a kite.

If the latter is true, the kite runner is coaching Ohio State now, and the program is expected to land in its customary lofty place soon.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Four Flashes scored in double figures, led by Mike Porrini and Randal Holt with 15 points each.

KENT, Ohio -- Kent State is still searching for its early-season rhythm, but at least the Golden Flashes may have found their grit.

They used a tenacious five minutes of defense and some timely free throws to overcome Louisiana-Lafayette, 76-67, before 2,638 in the M.A.C. Center Monday night.

"We knew we couldn't lose another home game, not like that," guard Mike Porrini said.

An offense lacking patience appeared several times, particularly when Kent (3-1) seemed on the verge of opening the game up. But unlike its loss to Cleveland State, when Kent was 1-of-17 beyond the arc, they were 10-of-16 against the Ragin Cajuns.

"We wanted them to shoot 25 [3-pointers]," Louisiana-Lafayette coach Bob Marlin said. "But we lost the 3-point game by 15 points."

Kent's ongoing problems with flubbed fast breaks continued. But once the UL-L took a 66-64 lead with 5:20 to play, Kent just applied the defensive clamps, and made tough plays at the offensive end.

"We just need to play," Porrini said. "We'll find our rhythm. And once we find our rhythm, we'll be fine. We'll get rolling, soon."

A Randal Holt 3-pointer gave Kent the lead for good, 67-66, with 4:22 to play. And the defense kept getting tighter and tighter.

"We thought we out-played Kent the majority of the game," Marlin said. "We were able to get what we wanted, except for the last five minutes."

Kent got a blocked shot from Justin Greene, a turnover on the sidelines, a 35-second shot-clock violation, another block from Greene and a block from Porrini.

"I think our guys just didn't want to lose," Kent coach Rob Senderoff said.

At the offensive end, Kent went 6-of-8 from the line in the last three minutes, and got a dagger 3-pointer from Carlton Guyton with 1:05 to play to put the Flashes up, 72-66.

Four Flashes scored in double figures -- Porrini and Holt with 15 points each, 14 from Greene and 12 from Guyton. Sprinkled in was a second-half jawing match between Marlin and Porrini that was far from the grins and handshakes the two shared after the final whistle.

"It was me," Marlin said. "I got caught up in the moment, and I apologize, because I don't like guys talking to my players. The game was heated, and [Porrini] is the heart and soul of their team. He's an impressive young man. And I told him to continue to lead."

Kent State was much more patient in the opening minutes, with freshman Dev Manley and junior Chris Evans starting over junior guard Randal Holt and senior forward Justin Manns. The teams traded baskets through the first few minutes before Kent went on a 12-2 run to grab a 25-15 lead.

But just when the Flashes were about to pull away, the Ragin Cajuns answered with an 11-5 run. The Flashes had a golden opportunity to get a double-digit lead before the half, but the quick trigger that doomed Kent against Cleveland State returned, as an ill-advised 3-pointer gave the Cajuns the ball with plenty of time to score the last hoop, closing to 36-30.

Browns are 4-6. Ravens are 8-3 and in an AFC North first-place tie with Pittsburgh.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerThe Browns' Peyton Hillis (40) running with the football at Baltimore last Sept. 26, when he rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown in 22 carries during Cleveland's 24-17 loss to the Ravens.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns play the Baltimore Ravens at Browns Stadium on Sunday, kickoff at 4:05 p.m.

It's the first of the two annual meetings between the AFC North rivals. The Browns visit the Ravens on Christmas Eve, playing at 1 p.m. that Saturday afternoon.

Cleveland is 4-7 and last in the division standings. The Ravens are 8-3 and tied for first place with the Pittsburgh Steelers, one game ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Ravens have won 17 games -- including the last six -- and the Browns have won seven in the series between the teams.

The teams never met, of course, until 1999. That's because the Ravens once were the Browns, as virtually any Cleveland fan will remember. Browns owner Art Modell moved the original Browns to Baltimore following the 1995 season. The new Browns began play as an expansion team in 1999.

Cleveland.com's Browns history database includes Plain Dealer game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history, from 1946 through 2010. This page links to the PD stories on all 24 Browns-Ravens games, including Tony Grossi's reports on the Browns' 24-17 loss at Baltimore last Sept. 26, and their 20-10 loss at home to the Ravens last Dec. 26.

The Browns' game results this season: 27-17 loss to Cincinnati; 27-19 win at Indianapolis; 17-16 win over Miami; 31-13 loss to Tennessee; 24-17 loss at Oakland; 6-3 win over Seattle; 20-10 loss at San Francisco; 30-12 loss at Houston; 13-12 loss to St. Louis; 14-10 win over Jacksonville; 23-20 loss at Cincinnati.

The Ravens' game results: 35-7 win over Pittsburgh; 26-13 loss at Tennessee; 37-7 win at St. Louis; 34-17 win over the New York Jets; 29-14 win over Houston; 12-7 loss at Jacksonville; 30-27 win over Arizona; 23-20 win at Pittsburgh; 22-17 loss at Seattle; 31-24 win over Cincinnati; 16-6 win over San Francisco.

After the most obvious coaching search in college football history, following maybe the most trying year in program history, Ohio State has claimed the throne as the luckiest college football program in America.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Shelley Meyer often carries a lucky Buckeye on her, but in the hallway outside her husband's introductory news conference on Monday night, she didn't have it at the moment.

There was, however, a bag of about 25 Buckeyes in the car.

Somewhere else, with the way Ohio State's luck has turned, there must have been a bag of a few million.

After the most obvious coaching search in college football history, following maybe the most trying year in program history, Ohio State has claimed the throne as the luckiest college football program in America.

There's no guarantee that Urban Meyer will win at Ohio State, though there will be a lot of assumptions. But consider where Ohio State would be without Meyer to understand how nearly miraculous it is that the Jim Tressel-Terrelle Pryor-NCAA fiasco that ate up most of 2011 will be replaced in 2012 by Urban Meyer-Braxton Miller and a whole lot of optimism.

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said Monday that no other candidates were interviewed or contacted about the job. Without Meyer, retaining Luke Fickell may have been an option, as would have Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, both former OSU players, which Meyer is not. But he's nearly everything else the Buckeyes would want.

"I don't think Ohio State's broke," Meyer said in his first news conference as the new boss Monday.

For about the last 11 months, that's exactly what everyone else thought. Now, the Buckeyes' NCAA sanctions are almost an afterthought.

Ohio State athletic Gene Smith repeated again Monday what's been anticipated -- an NCAA ruling sometime in mid-to-late December that doesn't include a bowl ban. The Buckeyes will head to a bowl this season, most likely the Gator Bowl, maybe against Meyer's old Florida team, with Fickell coaching and Meyer recruiting and putting his staff together. If that happens, a 6-6 team may be in the most buzzed-about bowl outside the national title game.

Former OSU coach Earle Bruce, Meyer's mentor, was mentioned a lot on Monday, but one name didn't come up at all, a name -- Jim Tressel -- Ohio State hasn't brought up much since May 30. A year ago, Tressel was Ohio State football. Now, Meyer is.

That isn't to dismiss what Tressel accomplished on and off the field before his NCAA violations cost him his job. No matter how successful Meyer is, matching the six-year on-field run of Big Ten titles under Tressel, especially with a conference title game, will be nearly impossible to match. But Meyer may be the only candidate who could allow Tressel loyalists to embrace their former coach and the current coach without hesitation.

Sure, you loved that guy, but how can you not love this guy? He loves Woody Hayes. And the OSU band.

Luke Fickell, the guy stuck in the tough spot between Tressel and Meyer? Heck, if you liked him, he's sticking around, too.

Josh Harris, who played quarterback for Meyer at Bowling Green, was at the news conference and said of his old boss, "He's like Oprah. Everything he touches turns to gold."

The Buckeyes then are freaking out like the guests on Oprah's old Favorite Things episodes. "You get a coach! And you get a coach! And you get a coach!"

Smith said the coach search went like this: Smith put together a list, took it to the search committee, Meyer was the top guy, talked to him on Nov. 20, visited him on Nov. 23, told Fickell that same night he wasn't the guy, presented the offer to Meyer on Sunday, and Meyer accepted it Monday morning.

Certainly, some more behind-the-scenes chit-chat may have been involved. But in the end, any discussion essentially would have boiled down to this:

"Urban Meyer? Urban Meyer."

"A year ago, I was convinced I was done coaching," Meyer said.

It turns out that conviction was the best thing Ohio State could have hoped for. The Buckeyes were able to move this quickly because Meyer, an ESPN broadcaster, was otherwise unemployed and unencumbered. Smith said he originally was going to wait until after the regular season to talk to Meyer, but chose to move more quickly in order to let the entire football staff know what their futures would be.

Now Ohio State knows its future, too.

Monday made 1,785 days since Meyer, with the Florida Gators, took down Tressel and the Buckeyes in the BCS National Championship. Former Buckeye Brandon Mitchell, on hand Monday as a law student member of the Board of Trustees, smiled as he remembered Meyer pumping up the crowd after the Gators' final touchdown. Mitchell, with a laugh, said he'll remind Meyer of that next time they talk.

But even then, Meyer had some scarlet in his blood. When Meyer returned to broadcast the Buckeyes' opener against Akron this season, watching the Ohio State band before the game, he teared up, remembering his time as an OSU graduate assistant.

"I was wiping tears out of my eyes and all the memories came back," Meyer said.

It should be the Buckeyes with tears in their eyes now. Tears of joy over how their luck has turned.

Luke Fickell is staying on as an Ohio State assistant, and will coach the bowl game, as Urban Meyer looks to round out the rest of his staff.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain Dealer"I thought that he's a man's man," Urban Meyer said of retaining former head coach Luke Fickell for the Buckeyes' 2012 staff in a position yet to be determined. "Obviously he's everything that you hope for from an Ohio State former player."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Luke Fickell will remain on Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State in a significant role yet to be determined. That decision, encouraged but not required by Ohio State, was made by Meyer after meeting with Fickell for nearly four hours on Sunday night and then again Monday morning.

"There's no doubt I wanted him to be a part of this team," Meyer said Monday as he was introduced as Ohio State's new head coach. "I thought that he's a man's man. Obviously he's everything that you hope for from an Ohio State former player."

Meyer said Fickell's role has not yet been determined, and it may depend on how the rest of the staff comes together. Though he may not wind up as the defensive coordinator, a title like associate head coach could be in line. Either way, a source said that Fickell will retain the salary he made as the head coach this season, when his salary more than doubled to $775,000.

That falls in line with athletic director Gene Smith's pledge that "we'll put in place the resources necessary to attract the staff that Urban feels he needs." That means a change from the philosophy of recent times, when the Buckeyes' assistants made far less than those at other major schools, particularly in the SEC.

"I had to change my thought process and philosophy and that's the way leadership evolves," Smith said, citing other Big Ten schools' increasing assistant salaries as part of his evolution. "You can't get stuck, you've got to be able to change."

Fickell also has one more game left as head coach, at the Buckeyes' bowl game while Meyer focuses on recruiting and putting together his staff. Meyer will attend some bowl practices though, and use that time to get to know his players as well as some of the other assistants.

"I think Ohio State deserves the best group of assistant coaches in America," Meyer said. "Some will be on this staff. Some will be from anywhere in the country. The calls I've been getting and people's interest in this great university is overwhelming."

So the current assistants who work through the bowl will be auditioning a bit. Running backs coach Stan Drayton, who previously worked for Meyer at Florida, is at the top of the list among candidates to stay. Meyer, an offensive coach, said he will hire an offensive coordinator. Recently fired Arizona coach Mike Stoops, a Youngstown native and former Oklahoma defensive coordinator, has been mentioned as a possibility as the defensive coordinator.

On Michigan: Ohio State is on a one-game losing streak in the rivalry. So what does Meyer think of Michigan?

"Obviously that's the game of games. That's the game that I grew up watching. It's a game that I thought both teams played very hard. It's also a team that the next game is 362 days away," Meyer said.

"So I understand the significance of it. And I remember my experience in that game [as a graduate assistant in 1986 and 1987] was the first year when Jim Harbaugh guaranteed to win here in Ohio Stadium, and the second one was Coach [Earle] Bruce's final game at Michigan, and we were able to beat Bo Schembechler and Michigan. So the one thing I know about that game, as much as there is dislike and hatred across college football in some rivalries, there's a share of that, but there's also a lot of respect in that rivalry, and I'm looking forward to coaching in it."

On recruiting: Meyer has more than two months to reel in some more recruits, and perhaps change the minds of some currently committed to other schools, before National Signing Day in early February. Ohio roots were of great interest in this hire, and Meyer got right to work on those Monday, calling currently uncertain OSU commit Bri'onte Dunn of Canton GlenOak. Asked about Northeast Ohio, Meyer emphasized its importance.

"I'm from Ashtabula. I know Cleveland very well. I've recruited Ohio," Meyer said. "In my opening comments, I mentioned the respect I have. I started my career as a high school coach at Cincinnati Saint Xavier. I love these coaches here. It's a state where you have a high school coaches association, several thousand coaches show up to it.

"Football is really, really important in the state of Ohio. Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, this is as good of football as there is in America. It's certainly as well-coached as any in America. So to say that I'm excited to go recruit Cleveland is not a strong-enough statement. I'll be on the phone tonight with a couple of guys. I can't wait to get back involved in that."

Thad Matta and Mike Krzyzewski meet for just the second time Tuesday night in a sold-out Value City Arena as the No. 2 Buckeyes host the No. 3 Blue Devils.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerThad Matta (with Jared Sullinger during last year's NCAA Tournament) has transformed the Buckeyes into consistent winners, leading them to five NCAA tournament appearances in his first seven seasons.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The first time Thad Matta faced Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils he was a 36-year-old coach on the come, a budding basketball architect still in the business of building great teams, not programs.

It was March 28, 2004 and Matta had his upstart Xavier Musketeers in the Elite Eight, his final game before becoming coach at Ohio State. Seven years later, he can cite specific details of the 66-63 loss, exact moments when players fouled out and how a blown defensive assignment led to a game-tying, 3-point shot from Duke's Loul Deng.

But Matta's most memorable encounter with Krzyzewski -- the all-time winningest Division I coach -- occurred four months after the game as the men were scouting a high-school showcase.

"Coach K stopped me and said, 'I believe you just got one of the best jobs in the country,'" Matta said. "He said, 'I've looked at Ohio State for the last 25 years and I think you can win there. ... He saw something here that I saw."

The two coaches meet for just the second time Tuesday night in a sold-out Value City Arena as the No. 2 Buckeyes host the No. 3 Blue Devils. While the stakes aren't nearly as high, Matta's coaching profile has been significantly elevated.

Just as Krzyzewski had forecast.

Matta, 44, has transformed the Buckeyes into consistent winners, leading them to five NCAA tournament appearances in his first seven seasons. He's made basketball relevant again in a city that plans its schedule around football Saturdays and the spring game. The hiring of Urban Meyer on Monday dominated headlines here, but he will not be introduced at the Duke game as many had anticipated. The night belongs to two basketball coaches and the programs they have established.

"There are similarities between them," said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, who played for Krzyzewski from 1983-86. "They are both well-prepared and detail-oriented. They are very demanding of their players, but they also put their players first."

Matta is two wins shy of 300 -- or 609 behind the coach who made LeBron James an Olympic champion in 2008. Matta is not in Krzyzewski's strata when it comes to NCAA championships (four) or Final Fours (11), but he's quietly racking up the accomplishments. He even owns a slightly higher winning percentage (.772) than Coach K (.762) although Matta would never allow anyone at OSU to tout that statistic.

"Thad doesn't always get the credit for what he's achieved because he's humble and he's not a self promoter," Bilas said. "But he's done it in the regular season and he's done it in the postseason."

Here's a stat that Matta will make a matter of public record -- 51 percent. It's what OSU's all-time winning percentage was in the Big Ten before he took the job. It speaks to the dramatic swings in fortune of a program that captured an NCAA title in 1960 and played for three others.

When the Buckeyes won the 2006 conference championship, it was their first in 14 years. Matta has claimed four regular-season and three tournament crowns. He is 85-35 in Big Ten play.

He said Krzyzewski's approach to program building is the template for any aspiring coach.

"You look at what Coach K has done and it's astonishing, it's incredible," Matta said. "He's definitely a guy who has built a program the right way. The biggest thing is his sustained success over the long haul."

Ohio State video coordinator Greg Paulus, who played for Duke from 2006-09, said both programs are imbued with the personalities of their respective coaches. Each is an excellent recruiter who lets his program sell itself. When Buckeyes forward Jared Sullinger -- who received his first scholarship offer as an eighth grader -- weighed his options, he needed only to speak his brother, J.J. The family's oldest son played on Matta's first two OSU teams.

"My brother told me Coach Matta changed that program around single-handedly with the mindset and energy that he brought to it," Jared Sullinger said. "That was coming from a big brother and I thought, 'Why not follow his lead?'

"What makes Coach Matta a good coach is he's the same guy every day and he's looking for the same thing out of the players which is to get better."

The fact OSU opened the season as the nation's third-ranked team despite only returning three experienced players reflects the respect the program has accrued.

Matta is excited for his young club to get another big early-season test after beating Florida on Nov. 15, the same night Krzyzewski surpassed Bob Knight as the winningest coach.

"You come out of this game and you're going to know a lot about your team and it's only November," Matta said. "That's the beauty of what we have here."

Which team will win the AFC North?

Joshua Gunter/ The Plain DealerBaltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis (52) makes a hit on Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis (40).

The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for first place in the AFC North. The teams split the two-game series.

With five games left, the Steelers host the Bengals, Browns, Rams and visit the 49ers and the Browns.

The Ravens visit the Browns, Chargers, Bengals and host the Browns and the Colts.

Which team will win the division?

The Cleveland Browns didn't make the grade last Sunday.

AP photoScott Fujita and Chris Gocong sack Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell.

Professor Reporter Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com gives out his latest grades when it comes to the Cleveland Browns' performance last Sunday at Cincinnati.

And after Sunday's loss, Ulrich makes it clear that the Browns (4-7) have plenty to work on as they prepare for their home game Sunday against Baltimore (8-3).

When it comes to the offensive line, Ulrich gives it a D. Ulrich writes how McCoy took two sacks and six quarterback hits. Right tackle Tony Pashos and right guard Shawn Lauvao gave up the sacks.

McCoy absorbed a blow from defensive tackle Geno Atkins as he threw his interception into the hands of safety Reggie Nelson.

The defense received a C- overall with the secondary earning a D plus.

Cornerback Joe Haden should have had tighter coverage on rookie wide receiver A.J. Green when he made catches of 35 and 51 yards. The latter led to the Bengals’ game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. Rookie strong safety Eric Hagg was beat in coverage during tight end Jermaine Gresham’s 22-yard touchdown reception. Free safety Mike Adams was involved in tackling Benson to put the finishing touches on the Browns’ goal-line stand.

More Cleveland Browns

Little was more than a little upset (The News-Herald).

The Cleveland Browns could use a few more playmakers (CantonRep.com).

Scott Fujita out with a broken hand (The Chronicle-Telegram).

Greg Little knows dropped balls will hold him back (Cleveland.com).

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Jacksonville Jaguars fire Jack Del Rio. Mel Tucker will reportedly take over as interim coach.

Sam Riche, MCTJack Del Rio

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.  — The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired coach Jack Del Rio after a 3-8 start, parting ways with him during his ninth season.

Del Rio's job security had been tenuous since owner Wayne Weaver said the coach needed to make the playoffs to secure a 10th season in Jacksonville. The Jaguars were essentially eliminated with Sunday's 20-13 loss to Houston.

The Jaguars are struggling to sell tickets and host a Monday night game against San Diego.

Del Rio leaves with a 69-73 record, including 1-2 in two playoffs appearances. The Jaguars didn't win the AFC South in any of his nine seasons.

Weaver considered firing Del Rio after last season, but kept him partly because of the uncertainty surrounding the NFL lockout.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, a former assistant with the Browns and Ohio State, will reportedly be named interim head coach.