Browns running backs coach Duce Staley isn't afraid to tell one of his players to start over during individual drills.
Often seen having his running backs run the "Duce Staley Drill" – an agility drill the coach devised for RB Darren Sproles while in Philadelphia – Staley will stop a player if he displays slightly sloppy footwork, telling him to step back to the line and try again.
After practice, the running backs can be seen doing extra conditioning drills, with Staley making sure his players are taking advantage of their time on the field.
"Duce pushes me pretty hard, pushes all of us pretty hard," RB Jerome Ford said before practice Wednesday. "From individual [drills], we're probably the most tired group out of individual than everybody else and then to come after practice and still do conditioning, he pushes us pretty hard."
Ford is primed to take on a major role in the Browns backfield – especially as RB Nick Chubb works to return from a knee injury sustained last season. Last season, Ford was thrust into a starting role after Chubb's injury in Week 2. He finished with 1,132 total yards and nine total touchdowns, an experience that was validating for the young running back, who looks to improve in Year 3.
"Definitely last year showed me that I could do it and I belong," Ford said. "Going into this year, I feel like it's the same thing. Just ready to build off last year."
Staley is well-positioned to help Ford take that leap. Ford said that one skillset he wants to develop this season is pass protection, something head coach Kevin Stefanski said running backs struggle with when they enter the NFL.
Staley is sure to emphasize the importance of protecting the quarterback – even as a running back.
"We talk about it all the time in the room," Staley said. "Not just [Ford], everybody. You've gotta be able to protect the quarterback. Of course, every running back wants the ball. They want to run the ball. But it's all about what you're doing when you don't have the ball."
Staley has been around the running back position at a professional capacity for longer than many of his players have been alive. The South Carolina star was drafted in 1997 by the Eagles and posted three 1,000-yard seasons in Philadelphia. He then finished his 10-year career with a stint in Pittsburgh – where he won the 2005 Super Bowl.
Staley returned to Philadelphia as a coach, adding another Super Bowl championship in 2017 and made stops in Detroit and Carolina before ending up in Cleveland.
The high-energy coach, who is approaching 20 years since his last in-game action, is still a football player at heart.
"I live vicariously through them. I wish I was them. I wish I could still play," Staley said of his players. "I tell these guys all the time, even defensive guys, when you're making a sack, I just made it too. Quarterback, when you just threw a bomb, I just threw it too. So, just being able to have that juice, that energy, our players feed off of that."
Staley, who was well known for his work ethic as a player, is instilling those values in his players. In the offseason, Stefanski said, "you'll hear Duce coaching before you see him," a statement that has proven to be true during training camp.
When a running back makes a big play in 11-on-11, Staley is there with him to celebrate. When a player makes a mistake, Staley is quick to provide his input, always focused on getting better.
Because, although he has a pair of Super Bowl rings, Staley isn't satisfied.
"That'll never stop," Staley said on his determination to win. "That's in my gut."
