The Eagles seek their 12th wrestling national poll championship.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerDefending 119-pound state champion Dean Heil is just one of a roster of talented wrestlers driving St. Edward to another impressive season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The rally cry at St. Ignatius this past fall was 11 in '11. The Wildcats pulled it off, winning their 11th state football title.

Not to be outdone -- does the one-upsmanship ever end between these schools? -- St. Edward is going for 12 in '12 this winter. The Eagles seek their 12th wrestling national poll championship.

It won't come easy, and if it happens, it will be well earned.

By the end of this month, second-ranked St. Edward will have wrestled dual meets against the Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 teams in the country, according to two national polls. That's a rare challenge on any level, and the Eagles show signs of being a rare team.

St. Edward owns the No. 2 spot in both the Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat.com polls. It is expected to face consensus No. 1 Blair (N.J.) Academy in a dual-meet tournament Jan. 14 in Brodheadsville, Pa.

"There's going to be so many close, overtime matches. It's going to be nuts," senior Ty Walz said. "I love that atmosphere."

Last week in Rochester, Minn., the Eagles beat the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 teams, including 2011 national champ Apple Valley, Minn., 32-22. St. Edward won two of three overtime bouts against Apple Valley.

The Eagles are fired up for Sunday's Ohio Duals and the Blair match later next week. They want to show how much they have improved since finishing sixth behind champion Blair at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman on Dec. 10.

"Everybody on this team is a stud, and everybody can beat anybody in the country," said Walz, a Virginia Tech recruit. "We're going to get a lot better faster than any other team in the country because of the guys in our room and our coaches."

The Eagles' depth is extraordinary. They return all 14 starters from last year's team, including 10 state place-winners who combined to score 187 points and win the team's 26th state title. Seven are ranked No. 1 in Ohio at their respective weights in Beachwood-based wrestling analyst Josh Lowe's midseason rankings released Sunday. Dean Heil, Mark Martin and Domenic Abounader are defending state champs, and Walz and Greg Kuhar are former cadet and junior national champions, respectively.

St. Edward has an opportunity to at least equal St. Paris Graham's 2009 record of seven individual state champs. Because of their extensive experience, the Eagles also share an appreciation of where they are and where they are headed.

"We've been together for so long. We all know each other pretty well already," senior James Suvak said. "I think that we can beat anybody in the country. But it's all about winning states. Everything is about that -- each individual winning state championships."

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Watching how players move around or change in the shift from the Jim Tressel/Luke Fickell style to the Urban Meyer way should make for an interesting off-season.

View full sizeNeal C. Lauron, Columbus DispatchJunior Reid Fragel had 14 receptions in two seasons as a Buckeyes tight end -- including this two-point conversion against Wisconsin in 2010. But he's eagerly anticipating a move to offensive tackle for the fall of 2012.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Reid Fragel said it was his idea, but Urban Meyer readily agreed. The junior tight end in 2012 will be a senior offensive tackle.

"I'm looking forward to it, I'm not upset about it," Fragel said of the move. "I talked to Urban and he's all for it, so if he's on board, I am, too."

The move for Fragel, a 6-foot-8, 280-pounder, has been a theory mentioned by some since he arrived on campus. The switch is far from a shock, but watching how players move around or change in the shift from the Jim Tressel/Luke Fickell style to the Urban Meyer way should make for an interesting off-season.

Defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins is among the players who has already mentioned that he expects to be lighter. How will players such as running back Jordan Hall and receiver Corey "Philly" Brown fit into Meyer's style of spread offense, maybe by both being more like running back/receiver hybrids?

Fullback Zach Boren could shift to more of an H-back role, lining up as a lead blocker in the I-formation far less often. Two players who didn't make this trip -- running back Rod Smith and receiver T.Y. Williams -- also have to see what their futures hold. Smith missed the team charter, while Williams, from Shaw High School, was suspended because of a violation of team rules. The OSU offensive line silhouette could be a little lighter and leaner.

Fragel could be ideal. He said he'd like to get to 295 or 300 pounds to play tackle. Expect him to get right into the mix to start. Starting tackles Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts are graduating. Sophomores Andrew Norwell and Jack Mewhort, the starting guards at the end of the season, both have tackle experience, but the Buckeyes probably need at least one to stay inside.

Line depth is a problem, and Fragel looks like an answer. He didn't catch any passes in Monday's 24-17 Gator Bowl loss, in which he started in the absence of Jake Stoneburner, leaving him with five catches this season and 14 in his career. But he's ready to give up that part of the game.

He thinks that the Buckeyes could use him to help with the offensive line depth, and he believes it's his best chance to make it in the NFL.

"It's something that needs to happen," Fragel said.

The senior non-seniors: Every year it's difficult for the players who redshirted to watch the teammates from their class who did not redshirt move on and graduate.

For the Class of 2008, their experiences will be vastly different. That class, headlined by Terrelle Pryor, came in with a lot of hype and expectations. Now players such as Mike Brewster, Mike Adams, DeVier Posey and Andrew Sweat are going out after this tough season. But eight redshirts should be returning to get one year of Meyer while trying, in some way, to do what this class set out to do.

"When we came in as a class, we wanted to win it all and win Big Ten championships, and this year was just not how we expected it to go," said tight end Jake Stoneburner, one of those redshirt juniors. "You're angry a little bit and disappointed, but we'll learn from it and put all our anger and all that toward next year."

The other seven redshirt juniors expected back are linebacker Etienne Sabino, safety Orhian Johnson, cornerback Travis Howard, defensive lineman Garrett Goebel, punter Ben Buchanan, safety Zach Domicone and defensive end Nathan Williams. Those fourth-year juniors are always the ones who may more likely lean toward an NFL jump if they are ready.

Stoneburner, who missed the Gator Bowl after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee the week after the Michigan game, said he isn't 100 percent certain he'll be back, but expects to be. Stoneburner said he hurt his knee in Ann Arbor, and that an MRI originally showed a torn ACL. But he said an arthroscopic procedure showed that wasn't the case, and his injury required five to six weeks of recovery. He tried to push it this week to be ready in less than four weeks, but he couldn't pull it off.

Williams, out since the season opener against Akron, also confirmed that he will return and hopes to be ready after major knee surgery.

Coaching staff: Only two spots have yet to be officially announced on Meyer's new staff, which could become official Tuesday. According to several reports, both hires are expected to come from Notre Dame, with Tim Hinton coming aboard as the tight ends coach and Ed Warinner with the offensive line.

Warinner was also the run-game coordinator for the Fighting Irish. Meyer had said previously that he planned to add offensive staff with expertise in something other than the spread offense.

Providing some quick grades from Monday's Gator Bowl final exam. Watch video

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Providing some quick grades from Monday's Gator Bowl final exam.

A -- Ohio State defensive lineman Nathan Williams

The gesture was small. But it seemed to say a lot.

Most of the Buckeyes left the field after Monday's 24-17 loss to Florida before or during the post-game playing of Carmen Ohio. Though the team sings the alma mater at home no matter what, and after wins on the road, singing after losses on the road isn't typically part of the post-game plan. On this afternoon, some of the players stopped on the ramp on the way to the locker room and turned back toward the field to listen. Freshman Ryan Shazier, still on the field, stopped as well. And Williams, a senior, made a point to interrupt his hobble and watch the song. Standing alone in the middle of the field, some Gator Bowl officials and others milling around him, Williams swayed slightly with the music, then formed his arms into the appropriate gestures at the O-Hi-O ending.

Williams hasn't played since the opener at Akron, and at one point I didn't believe he'd be interested in taking a medical redshirt to return next year. But Williams was around during the entire bowl week, limping around practice with ice on his surgically repaired knee to be with his teammates as much as possible. Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock talked a lot this season about how devastating Williams' injury was to the unit, and how much his injury changed plans and hurt the scheme.

So it should be encouraging for OSU fans how involved Williams was this week, that he emphatically re-affirmed his intention to be back in 2012, and even that he stopped for a song.

C -- This bowl experience

When Gator Bowl officials selected this Ohio State-Florida matchup, they said three things mattered in the choice: how well the teams' fans traveled for hotel rooms and other tourist revenue, ticket sales, and TV ratings.

Well, the announced attendance Monday was 61,312, the second-smallest crowd in the last 12 years of the game, better only than the 60,243 for Texas Tech-Virginia in 2008. Last year, Michigan-Mississippi State drew 7,013 more. Officials said both schools returned about half the tickets allotted to them, though the schools are still responsible for picking up that tab. The game itself wasn't very inspiring. So the TV ratings may not be through the roof.

This is always the dilemma for smaller bowls, whether it's best to choose a team and fans who are just happy to be there, or bigger-name schools with better traditions and larger fan bases who may not often fall to that bowl, but will be disappointed when they do.

"I think it would have been better if we'd sold more," OSU athletic director Gene Smith said of the tickets. "We turned a lot back in, but I think that's an issue with a lot of bowls around the country. So I wish we could have had more people, but I was proud of what we had. We got great support here. It's not typical of what we have all the time, but it was still great support."

The crowd did seem to be evenly divided between Ohio State and Florida fans.

F -- Ohio State special teams

Allowing a blocked punt and a kick return for a touchdown cost Ohio State the game, and there's not much more to it than that. It was the second blocked punt allowed this season, to go with a blocked extra point that cost them the Purdue game.

Punter Ben Buchanan said his time to get off the punt was good, but he had nowhere to go as Gators busted through the line.

"I caught the ball and a lot of guys were on me," he said. "We've got to shore that up, because when we get it off, our punt team and coverage has been pretty devastating."

Florida senior running back Chris Rainey blocked the punt, the sixth block of his career, and Graham Stewart returned it 14 yards to give Florida a 21-10 lead in the third quarter.

In the second quarter, a 99-yard kickoff return by sophomore Andre Debose, the third of his career, had given a Florida a 14-7 lead right after the Buckeyes tied the game on a 5-yard slant from Braxton Miller to DeVier Posey. No Buckeye touched Debose, and coach Luke Fickell was talking with Dominic Clarke on the sideline after the play about not keeping it contained.

"Nobody touched him on the kickoff return, so I'm not sure it was straight speed," Fickell said.

There hasn't always been time for Fickell to have a lot of fun this season.

View full sizeKyle Robertson, Columbus DispatchNow an assistant once again in Columbus, Luke Fickell had more ups and downs in one season than most Buckeyes coaches have in a decade.

(Editor's note: This is the last in a series of postgame reports on how Ohio State's head coach for the 2011 season dealt with the pressures of running one of college football's biggest programs.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As Ohio State lined up for an onside kick in the final minute Monday, down a touchdown to Florida after a late score, head coach Luke Fickell and assistant Mike Vrabel were stalking around the sideline, talking to players during a timeout, setting up the Buckeyes' final shot at staying alive.

Best friends and former teammates, Fickell and Vrabel looked like they were having fun.

There hasn't always been time for Fickell to have a lot of fun this season.

If the decision was up to Fickell, he'd stay Ohio State's head coach. But I think there might be 25 percent of him that's looking forward to going back to being an assistant for now, after this 6-7 season filled with problems.

Fickell will be a better coach someday for having lived through this season, but there were parts of this year that he wasn't ready for, that nearly any first-year coach couldn't have been ready for. Next time, he'll manage games better, let his personality out more, have an offensive staff and style of his own choosing. But for now, though he won't stop working, I think he could use a break from being in charge of everything.

Asked about the legacy of his seniors after Monday's Gator Bowl loss, Fickell said, "What we think of their legacy and what you write about their legacy is two completely different things."

So, to the end, he was trying to protect his guys. But now it's time to look at Urban Meyer instead of looking at Luke, to look at somebody else who has been at this level before but hasn't had to deal with getting worn down by the last six months of a chaotic Ohio State season.

"It's on to the next thing," Athletic Director Gene Smith said. "I have great pain for these seniors, I really do. I can't express that enough, because of what they've been through. But there's a finality to everything, so you can look forward to what's next. I know Urban will do a great job, and I couldn't be more proud of what Luke did. But it's time to transition, for all of us."

The Golden Flashes played on cruise control against the Bears of the NAIA, which will likely not be the case when Mid-American Conference play begins on the road Saturday at Buffalo.

KENT, Ohio -- Kent State went about its business in ho-hum fashion Monday night, earning a dominant 90-65 victory over Shawnee State at the M.A.C. Center.

It was Kent's first home game in a month, and was played without the services of starting point guard Mike Porrini, who is nursing a sore toe. After the game, Kent coach Rob Senderoff said Porrini should be back at practice later this week, and available for action by the weekend.

The Golden Flashes (10-3) still played on cruise control against the Bears of the NAIA, which will likely not be the case when Mid-American Conference play begins on the road Saturday at Buffalo.

"It is what it is," Senderoff said. "I'm not going to apologize for being 10-3."

A positive sign was the production from seniors Carlton Guyton and Justin Greene. For Guyton, the MAC's sixth man of year last season, his 15 points, four rebounds and five assists came on the heels of an 11-point, seven-rebound, six-assist game at Arkansas State for his best back-to-back outings of the season.

As for Greene, the conference's defending Player of the Year, his 15 points and five rebounds snapped a two-game streak of failing to score double figures. Kent's leading scorer, Randal Holt, was off his game, finishing with eight points on 2 of 10 shooting.

The Bears (7-7) shot 36.1 percent from the floor and committed 17 turnovers. Kent was 47.6 percent from the field, and 22 of 32 from the line with four players in double figures including Chris Evans (13) and Kris Brewer (10).

That Shawnee State scored 65 points and had 15 offensive rebounds was the real downer for Senderoff, who had many goals for his team going into the game.

"We accomplished some of them, some of them we didn't," he said.

Now it is off to Buffalo (6-4), often a house of horrors for KSU. The Bulls this season have one of the best rebounding teams in the nation.

"We got smacked up there last year (79-54)," Greene said. "We got smacked the year before, and we were smacked there my freshman year."

Even at less than 100 percent effort, the Golden Flashes' athleticism was enough to get them a 44-31 halftime lead Monday.

Greene scored all seven of his first-half points at the line, while Eric Gaines worked the baseline for a pair of hoops and knocked down a 3-pointer to help Kent open up a double-digit lead, which got as high as 89-61 late in the second half.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports. Who will start at quarterback for the Browns next season? What does Terry think of the Cavaliers' rookies? We'll answer those questions and more.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports.

Who will start at quarterback for the Browns next season? What does Terry think of the Cavaliers' rookies?

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Terry's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

Plain Dealer reporter doesn't think Colt McCoy or Matt Flynn of Packers will be handed the reins for next season. Watch video

Cleveland, Ohio - Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Bill Lubinger, who is filling in for Branson Wright (he's off today).

Now that the Browns have wrapped up the 2011 season, which among the group of president Mike Holmgren, GM Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur performed the best this season? Which of them performed the worst? Those are our questions in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer sports writer Dennis Manoloff, who answers those and other questions during the show. He says he thinks the team's starting quarterback in 2012 won't be among the obvious candidates that everyone is talking about right now.

Dman also weighs in on today's story in which Browns DB Sheldon Brown said the Browns are not far away from being a playoff team.

SBTV will return Wednesday with Plain Dealer Ohio State reporter Doug Lesmerises talking Buckeye football and basketball.

How will the Browns address their quarterback situation this offseason? What does Terry think about Kyrie Irving so far? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeThe mood surrounding the Browns is quite different from last offseason when Mike Holmgren first introduced Pat Shurmur.

How will the Browns address their quarterback situation this offseason? What does Terry think about Kyrie Irving so far?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Will Peyton Hillis remain with the Browns?

• Will Pat Shurmur, Mike Holmgren or Tom Heckert lend any clarity to the quarterback situation when they meet with the media this week?

• How will the Browns address other needs this offseason?

• Are you surprised Tristan Thompson has acclimated himself so well defensively early on?

• What options are the Indians left with to try and add a bat?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook.

The Indians continue to add arms to their pitching staff, this time signing RHP Robinson Tejeda to a minor league deal.

Kansas City StarThe Indians have signed former Royals reliever Robinson Tejeda to a minor league contract and will bring him to big league camp.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians continue to add arms for the bullpen. The club announced Tuesday that righthander Robinson Tejeda has signed a minor league contact and received a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training. 

Tejeda, 29, has a 23-27 career mark in the Major Leagues with a 4.42 ERA in 186 games, including 53 starts over seven seasons with Philadelphia, Texas and Kansas City. In the last four seasons with Kansas City, he had a combined ERA of 3.57 in 123 games and his .167 (43-257, 4HR) average against in 2009 was the third lowest total in baseball among pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched. He had held right-handed batters to average of .221 in his career. 

Tejeda split 2011 between Kansas City and Class AAA Omaha he spent five weeks on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. In nine relief appearances with the Royals had a 6.14 ERA, then finished the season at Omaha with a 3.80 ERA in 31 games. 

Cavs try to go above .500 for the first time since Nov. 9, 2009

View full sizeCavaliers coach Byron Scott had a chat with Omri Casspi on Tuesday morning. The message was simple: relax, focus on defense and the offense will eventually come.

Pat Shurmur will meet with the media today at 2 p.m. Get live updates from Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot.

View full sizeAP Photo | Tony DejakPat Shurmur's first year on the sideline didn't produce many wins - or points.

You can get live updates and analysis from the press box from Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) and Mary Kay Cabot (@marykaycabot).

The coach dodges questions about the future of Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis.

APAlmost a year to the day he was hired as Browns coach, Pat Shurmur says he will hire an offensive coordinator to free him up as head coach in his second season.

BEREA -- Browns coach Pat Shurmur said he will search for an offensive coordinator immediately and indicated he would be willing to let him call plays -- if he's the right guy.

 "I want to hire the best coordinator I can. That's the goal," he said.

 When pressed if he would give up play-calling for the right guy, Shurmur said, "That's one of the details we will work out as we go through the process."

 Asked if the coordinator needed to be schooled in the West Coast offense, he said, "I'm trying to find the best guy, so a guy who speaks our language, so to speak, might have a leg up."

 Shurmur declined to comment on potential candidates. Two obvious choices are Brad Childress, with whom Shurmur worked on Andy Reid's staff with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Mike Sherman, a former Mike Holmgren assistant coach in Green Bay.

 Childress was available to him last year, but did not reportedly receive an interview for the position.

 Shurmur said that after he was unable to find the right guy last year, he knew he would hire a coordinator in his second season.

 Shurmur said he did not plan to make any other changes on his coaching staff.

 Other topics:

 * Shurmur declined to say that Colt McCoy would be the starting quarterback in 2012 and he declined to comment on the team's plans at the position. He said McCoy improved during a trying first season at the helm and said he needs to improve during the offseason.

 * While he said he had a "very good conversation" in his exit interview with Peyton Hillis, Shurmur again declined to say whether he wanted the running back to return in 2012.

New coach lays down the law; players write they're done with Tweeting for now.

Urban Meyer at his introductory press conference.

Columbus, Ohio - It didn't take long for new Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer to lay down the law on at least one front: social media.

Meyer, who called a 7 a.m. team meeting for today, has banned his players from Tweeting. A handful of OSU players Tweeted that they were no longer going to be sharing their thoughts on the social-networking site.

Junior tight end Jake Stoneburner Tweeted from his account, @STONEYEleven:

Twitter=Done. Me=back for senior year, leading this team, and shocking the world!! #gobucks #12-0

Tight end Reid Fragel, who is soon to be converted to offensive tackle, chimed in on his Twitter account, @Fragel88:

New staff new rules. No more twitter, not a big deal and probably for the better. Love our fans, love this place. Go Bucks #2012

Check back later today at cleveland.com/osu as Plain Dealer OSU reporter Doug Lesmerises will have more on what happened at this morning's meeting; and news of which OSU players are headed to the Senior Bowl.

"Naming a rookie head coach the OC was a very bad idea from the start, and I was surprised Holmgren did it. The lack of sideline control in certain game situations (the quick snap, handing the ball to a TE on the goal line, various clock management situations) all were clear indicators that Shurmur was being pulled in too many directions. This is a step in the right direction. Now, about that special teams coach..." - sma8or20

View full sizeMcKenna Ewen | Minneapolis Star Tribune | MCTBrad Childress could be on the Browns' list of candidates for offensive coordinator.

"Naming a rookie head coach the OC was a very bad idea from the start, and I was surprised Holmgren did it. The lack of sideline control in certain game situations (the quick snap, handing the ball to a TE on the goal line, various clock management situations) all were clear indicators that Shurmur was being pulled in too many directions. This is a step in the right direction. Now, about that special teams coach..."

"Last year's team had that 'What are we going to do without LeBron?' mentality. This year's team has gotten over it. Good to see." - jfkman1

View full sizeAP Photo | Michael ConroyByron Scott's Cavaliers seem to have a different attitude early on this season.

"Last year's team had that 'What are we going to do without LeBron?' mentality. This year's team has gotten over it. Good to see."

Cleveland Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur talked with the media in Berea after they failed to make the playoff with a 4 - 12 record in 2011. Among the things discussed were the quarterback and running back positions and hiring an offensive coordinator. Watch video

Not only should the Cleveland Browns hire an offensive coordinator, but he should be experienced and be given the right to call the plays, Terry Pluto writes.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns coach Pat Shurmur might still carry his play card around next season, but it would be better for the team if someone else was calling the plays for the offense.

At his season-ending press conference, coach Pat Shurmur said he will hire an offensive coordinator. He said he'd consider also allowing the coordinator to call the plays, something Shurmur did last season.

It was a mistake for team President Mike Holmgren to allow Shurmur -- a rookie head coach -- to also serve as the team's offensive coordinator and play caller. Yes, Holmgren always called his own plays when he coached. Some head coaches still do it, Shurmur estimated that it's "eight or nine." But there are 32 teams, so the vast majority don't.

This season, Shurmur probably fell into the same trap that snares many who are newly promoted. He tried to do both his old job and his new job.

He had been an offensive coordinator for two years in St. Louis before being hired by the Browns. He came to a new team. A losing team thin on talent. A team with Colt McCoy, a quarterback with only eight pro starts. A team preparing to radically change its offense.

Furthermore, there were no off-season practices or chances for Shurmur to build relationships with the players because of the NFL lockout.

Shurmur explained that he "couldn't find the right guy" to be the coordinator last season, so he took the job himself. But he also said he knew that he'd hire a coordinator for 2012.

It seemed a strange approach, but that was the decision.

After a 4-12 record with an offense that ranked 29th, Shurmur and the Browns have taken the first step toward facing reality. The offense was not about to improve simply because the strategy was changed. It takes more than the West Coast approach featuring quick, short and mid-range passes to even raise the offense to mediocrity.

Shurmur likes to call the plays and indicated he still may keep that duty.

But it was encouraging to hear him say: "I want to get the best guy I can. If he's outstanding at calling plays, hey, I want to win games."

Former Minnesota head coach Brad Childress has been mentioned for the job. Shurmur praised Childress, whom he has known for years. But he declined to say if Childress (or anyone else) is a candidate.

The best approach for Shurmur would be to follow the model he used to pick a defensive coordinator. He selected Dick Jauron, who had extensive experience as both a head coach and a defensive coordinator. It paid off quickly as the defense became the strength of the team.

The Browns have experienced growing pains with so many rookie offensive coordinators: Brian Daboll, Maurice Carthon, Terry Robiskie, Rob Chudzinski, Jeff Davidson and Bruce Arians became NFL offensive coordinators for the first time with the Browns.

All six of these men have been coordinators here since 2001.

Experience isn't everything, but it does count for something.

You can expect the Browns to make significant changes to their offense in terms of new players at key positions -- anything from quarterback to running back to wide receiver. A veteran coordinator is crucial at this stage of development.

Just look at what Jauron did for the Browns defense, whose ranking improved from No. 24 to No. 10 this season.

So it's encouraging that Shurmur is serious about his search for an offensive coordinator, and he also should give the coordinator the play-calling duties.

Get live Twitter updates from Tom Reed @PDCavsInsider as the Cavaliers look to get above .500 tonight against the Bobcats.

The Cavaliers look for their second win of the season tonight at home against the new-look Nets. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed @PDCavsInsider in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.

View full sizeAP Photo | David TulisKemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats visit The Q tonight.

Cleveland (2-2) opened its season with a 104-96 home loss to Toronto on Dec. 26, as it missed 14 of 20 3-point attempts. The Cavaliers bounced back to win 105-89 at Detroit two days later, going 7 for 12 from long range.

They struggled to make 3s in their next game, a 5-for-25 performance in a 98-91 overtime loss at Indiana on Dec. 30, but they got back on track in a big way in their first game of 2012.

Cleveland made 16 of 26 attempts from 3-point range Sunday, falling one short of the team record in a 98-82 home win over New Jersey. The Cavs, who made 17 3s in a game in 2008 and again in 2009, are among the league leaders in 3-point shooting at 41.0 percent.

"I'm still not convinced totally that we're a 3-point shooting team, but I think we have some guys that are capable of knocking down some 3s on a consistent basis when we do it in the flow of the game," coach Byron Scott said.

Daniel Gibson has made 9 of 13 attempts from 3-point range this season, and Alonzo Gee is 5 for 10. First overall pick Kyrie Irving was 1 for 7 from long range before making 3 of 4 against the Nets.

"In the preseason I wasn't knocking down anything for a while, so it feels good," said Irving, averaging 13.3 points and 5.5 assists.

Cleveland lost two of three to Charlotte last season, shooting 31.7 percent (19 for 60) from 3-point range. That number figures to increase considering the way the Bobcats are playing.

Charlotte has lost three straight since opening with a 96-95 home win over Milwaukee on Dec. 26. In the last two games, the Bobcats have allowed opponents to shoot 48.7 percent (19 for 39) from beyond the arc and they're near the bottom of the NBA in 3-point field-goal defense at 41.2 percent.

Miami made 7 of 11 3s in handing visiting Charlotte a 129-90 loss Sunday. The Bobcats shot 38.0 percent after posting a 36.1 mark in a 100-79 home loss to Orlando on Dec. 30.

"When you don't play good offensively, then your defense goes down," coach Paul Silas told the Bobcats' official website Sunday. "We gave too many run-outs and layups. We'll play hard against anybody. We came out and had some open looks. If those shots go in, then I think it's a whole different ballgame."

DJ White led the way for Charlotte with 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting against the Heat, but the other four starters shot 7 for 34 and combined to score 19.

"DJ White came in and he did a great job tonight making shots," said forward Corey Maggette, who is 13 for 46 (28.3 percent) this season. "Ultimately, we have to make shots and be confident in ourselves. I put the first blame on myself, because as a veteran, you are supposed to try to get something going. We just have to regroup."

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur is launching a search for offensive coordinator, and he may be willing to give up play-calling duties to the right guy.

Berea -- As he makes plans for his second season, Pat Shurmur's next decision might shape his future as Browns coach.

Shurmur said he will launch a search for an offensive coordinator, a position he chose not to fill in his first season.

Doubling as his own coordinator in his rookie season as a head coach, Shurmur's offense finished 29th in yards and 30th in scoring, and suffered some in-game brownouts that were explained as "communication" problems.

These included a fumbled handoff to tight end Alex Smith, who was rushed into the huddle as a replacement for fullback Owen Marecic at a critical point in a 6-3 loss to St. Louis, and botched clock management that cost the Browns at least a short field goal try at the end of the first half in a 20-14 loss in Baltimore.

Shurmur said he intended all along to hire a coordinator in his second season when he failed to find "the right guy" a year ago.

"We're going to work quickly, but I'm not going to be hasty," he said of the search. "I want to get the right guy. That's a relationship that's very, very important."

Shurmur seems more inclined to give the right candidate play-calling responsibilities -- something he would not do last year. He said, "That's one of the details we'll get worked out as we go through the process."

A year ago, Shurmur interviewed at least three candidates for coordinator. Two took jobs elsewhere -- Bill Musgrave with the Vikings and Mike McCoy re-signed with Denver under new coach John Fox. The third reported interviewee was Mark Whipple, who joined Shurmur's staff as quarterbacks coach.

Shurmur said Tuesday the new coordinator "may come from the staff," which points to Whipple as a contender.

Whipple was offensive coordinator at the University of Miami in 2009 and '10. He previously worked one season in Philadelphia with Shurmur on Andy Reid's staff and was quarterbacks coach for the Steelers from 2004 to '06.

Other potential candidates could include Brad Childress, who worked with Shurmur in Philadelphia for six years, the last four as Reid's offensive coordinator; and Mike Sherman, who was a Mike Holmgren assistant coach in Green Bay and his offensive coordinator one year in Seattle before returning to Green Bay as head coach. Sherman was fired as Texas A&M head coach last month and reportedly will receive NFL head coach interviews.

Shurmur said he would not identify candidates for the job. He said of Childress: "I know Brad very well. He and I worked together for a long time. I think he's a terrific coach."

Asked if the candidate has to have experience in the West Coast offense, Shurmur said: "I'm trying to find the best guy, so a guy who speaks our language . . . I think might have a little bit of a leg up.

"The coordinator role is like having another decision-maker amongst your staff that has the title of being able to say we're going to do this or do that. I think it's important that I get the right guy. His final role . . . there's a lot of different models. There's eight or nine teams where the head coach calls the plays, and they have a coordinator. And then there's other teams that have a different [setup].

"The offensive coordinator is responsible for the offensive coaches. He's mainly responsible for putting the plan together, directing the offense and doing a lot of things that I did as a head coach.

"The game-day thing, calling plays, that's a fun thing for all of us to do. I want the best guy I can get. If he's outstanding at calling plays . . . listen, I want to win games, so I'm going to get the guy that helps us win."

The hire comes at a critical time in the franchise's endless search for respectability. In their expansion era, the Browns have ranked 23rd or worst in offense in 12 of 13 seasons. They were eighth in 2007 under coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who is being mentioned as a head coach candidate in Jacksonville.

The Browns are contemplating a thorough upgrade on offense, which could include a new quarterback, new receivers and possibly a new running back.

Shurmur declined Tuesday to speculate on the future of quarterback Colt McCoy and again refused to say he wanted potential free agent Peyton Hillis to return as the feature running back.

As for any other changes to his coaching staff, Shurmur said he didn't plan any "at this point." He left open the door, pending coaches being made available by other teams.

The Browns had several breakdowns on special teams -- yielding two kick returns for touchdowns and a touchdown on a fake punt, having two field goals blocked and having two critical long snaps go awry. But Shurmur defended special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.

"I think as players and coaches, we all need to improve. And I did see some improvement in areas that make me think we're going to get better," Shurmur said of the special teams.

If Colt McCoy is to be the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback in 2012, he will have to beat out the competition. Watch video

Don Wright, Associated PressAfter starting 13 games this season, Colt McCoy will have to earn the starting quarterback job in training camp, coach Pat Shurmur says.

It's game on for Colt McCoy.

After being handed the Browns' starting quarterback job in 2011, he's going to have to win it in 2012.

"There's going to be some competition and I expect that Colt will improve just like I expect Seneca [Wallace] will improve and whoever the quarterbacks are here," said coach Pat Shurmur in his exit press conference Tuesday. "The best quarterback will play when we start the season."

Shurmur stressed that he thinks McCoy will improve in the West Coast offense with an off-season to work in it -- something the quarterback didn't have in 2011.

"As we go forward here with Colt, he's done some really good things," said Shurmur. "[We'll] get him back healthy, and get him in an off-season where he has a chance to develop. It's critical that he gets better. He'd tell you the same thing. We'll move forward with that in mind and we'll do what we have to do to put the best quarterback on the field for our franchise."

He made it clear he's not ruling out McCoy as "the guy" for the Browns.

"I'm not admitting anything yet because I want to see these guys develop," said Shurmur. "If you produce well enough, you become elite. If you don't, then you may end up being average, and then if you don't then, you move on. I'm expecting the quarterbacks that are here to develop through the off-season and we're going to play the best one."

Shurmur said the Browns' triumvirate -- himself, General Manager Tom Heckert and team President Mike Holmgren -- hasn't yet finished conversations about McCoy.

"I think we see Colt as a guy that's improved, a guy who's going to really benefit from an off-season," said Shurmur. "We're on the same page."

That doesn't mean the Browns won't use their No. 4 overall pick in April's draft on a quarterback. The top two passers are Stanford's Andrew Luck, who appears likely to go No. 1 overall to Indianapolis, and Baylor's Robert Griffin III. Another name to watch is Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (6-4, 222 pounds).

"We evaluate all the good players because you never know how things are going to turn out," said Shurmur. "So we're ready to move regardless of what position."

As for the top quarterbacks in the draft, Shurmur said, "I probably should stay away from talking about future draft picks at this point."

Shurmur said remarks made by McCoy's father, Brad McCoy, that his son shouldn't have been sent back into the Dec. 8 game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh after the big hit by James Harrison will have no bearing on McCoy's future.

"Absolutely none," said Shurmur. "I addressed that the first day. I understand why [Brad McCoy was upset]. We had a conversation after it and I'm sure Colt's talked to his dad and that has nothing to do with Colt as we move forward."

Shurmur agreed with Holmgren's recent statement that it takes about three years to play fast in the West Coast system. The Browns were 4-9 in games started by McCoy this season and his quarterback rating of 74.6 was 27th in the NFL.

"It takes more than one [year] for sure," said Shurmur. "For a quarterback in any system, there's a learning curve. This was a year without an off-season, so you've got to speed it up."

Shurmur said he saw McCoy improve in several key areas throughout the season.

"I saw him become more efficient on some of the basic progressions," he said. "I saw him make some better plays outside the pocket later in the year. Leadership, being able to get guys lined up properly. All the real things you're looking for from a quarterback."

He also said he has no problem with McCoy's arm strength.

"I think he throws the ball well enough," said Shurmur. "There's so much more that goes into playing quarterback than just pure arm strength. I think you've seen through the years examples of guys that, No. 1, have had extremely strong arms and couldn't succeed. On the other side, guys that have been very efficient and not had very strong arms and won lots of games."

McCoy finished 27th in the league with a 57.2 completion percentage and 33rd with 5.90 average gain per pass. But Shurmur saw strides in accuracy.

"That's one of the things that improved as the year went along," he said. "There are a lot of components to accuracy, getting used to the receivers, being comfortable with the progressions and the timing of the throws. A lot of that comes with practice, so it didn't surprise me as time went along and we continued to run '72X shallow cross,' he became more and more efficient executing it. That just confirmed for me, just keep practicing."

So there you have it. Bring it on and let the best man win.

Hillis gone? Shurmur had a positive postseason meeting with running back Peyton Hillis on Monday, but declined to say if the team wants him back. Hillis will be an unrestricted free agent in March.

"We just had a chance to sit down and really talk about what happened during the year," said Shurmur. "We had an all-star player that we had high hopes for that got injured and then I watched him fight back from injury and I watched him compete well at the end of the season. And we talked about those things and how a season can be a mini-journey. As we move forward, we're just hopeful it works out for everybody. But that's one of those questions I really can't answer at this point."

He said the Browns will "look at all options at running back. And I want to see a Montario Hardesty that's healthy and I think he's hopefully finally getting back. This will be one of the first off-seasons he hasn't been dealing with an injury, so that will really help him develop."

Of what he liked about Hillis at the end of the season: "I thought he ran the ball hard, especially at ground level, when he hits it up in there, they're pretty good collisions. He's a very strong, physical runner. That was very obvious when he was in there as compared to when he wasn't."

High on Josh: Shurmur praised Josh Cribbs, who at times this season expressed his desire to contribute more.

"I really like Josh," said Shurmur. "He's tough and he's competitive and he finds a way to get things done. He tackles guys covering kicks and then he runs back kicks and a lot of times it doesn't look real flashy, but he gets things done. He finds a way to make plays in big games. So I have a strong appreciation for what he is and he'll be back next year. I think that's good."

As for Cribbs' development at receiver, Shurmur said: "His workload on special teams is large and so when he gets in there, he finds a way to get production. Like we saw the other night, he had a huge impact on the game. I think he made improvements playing receiver for sure."

Eight signed: The Browns signed eight players to future contracts. Six of them finished the season on the team's practice squad. Returning are: offensive lineman Dominic Alford, linebacker Craig Robertson, offensive lineman Jarrod Shaw, defensive back David Sims, running back Armond Smith and receiver Owen Spencer. Also signed were kicker Jeff Wolfert, who was in the Browns' 2011 training camp, and offensive lineman Stanley Daniels.

-- Plain Dealer reporter Tony Grossi contributed to this report