Opening statement:
"How are we doing? I didn't see a lot of you guys out there today. Is it a little cold for you guys (laughter)? The weather has changed, that is for sure. It is getting a little chilly. It feels good."
On if the Browns will practice outside no matter the temperature:
"Oh yeah, as long as we can. As long as the fields hold up, we will go outside. The game is played outside for the most part so yeah, we will be out there."
On if the Browns are ready to name QB Josh McCown Sunday's starter:
"All signs point are pointing in that direction. He had another good practice today and worked hard. We are really trending that way right now."
On if WR Terrelle Pryor Sr. and DB Joe Haden will be able to play:
"Terrelle practiced and was good. Joe was out there practicing on a limited basis, but he practiced and did well. I think there is a good chance for both of those guys. Those guys will kind of go a little bit more through the week, but they did practice today."
On OL John Greco and how impressive his play has been as he shifted positions multiple times on the OL:
"He is a pro, and that is a good thing to have, especially this year with all the injuries and things we have dealt with. In games, it is take the glove off, you have to go snap, and he does not blink. I think this team and his teammates are very important to him, and he has done a good job. We have asked a lot of him, and he has responded to that challenge all the time."
On former Browns Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer and Schottenheimer's influence on him:
"Marty is my guy. Marty brought me into this league. I was at USC coaching with his son Brian (Schottenheimer). I was a coordinator at USC. Brian was one of the coaches on our staff, and when Marty got the head coaching job at the Redskins, he gave me my first opportunity to come in the National Football League and coach his running backs. My time with him, I watched one of the most passionate football coaches I had ever been around. I know everybody has the stories about Marty crying, and that is him because he is so passionate about what he does and how he does it. He taught me a ton about the running game, being tough, just what it meant to be a part of a team because it was his way and that is how he did things. I think all the players respected him because he was a winner. He believed in doing things right. A lot of that has rubbed off on me."
On if Brian Schottenheimer joined him in the move from USC to Washington:
"Yes, me and Brian both were on the staff."
On if Brian Schottenheimer told Marty about him or if Marty already knew of Hue as a coach:
"No, I think Marty came to our games. He came to a lot of the USC games. At the time, he was out of football so he was at our games quite a bit, and hopefully, I made an impression on him and maybe Brian did have a little bit of say in that, but I hope it was because he thought I had a future in football."
On what position Brian Schottenheimer coached:
"Brian coached the quarterbacks."
On what position he coached:
"The running backs coach, and that's what I wanted to do…"
On what position Hue held at USC:
"I was the (offensive) coordinator at USC at that time. Brian at that time coached the tight ends."
On if that was Brian Schottenheimer's first coaching position:
"No, I think he had – he might have had another one prior to that, but it was a good time."
On former Browns QB Bernie Kosar:
"The guy could sling it. He could throw the ball around the park and make plays, and obviously, those were some good teams that you are talking about. Bernie obviously is a household name here, and I have a lot of respect for him. I enjoy seeing him all the time when I get an opportunity to. He is always very pleasant, very good to talk to. We have had him out to practice during the spring. I think our players enjoyed that. We just want some of that magic that he had to rub off on s, because he did it and did it really well."
On the Browns releasing FB Malcolm Johnson and adding FB Danny Vitale:
"As you guys know, we are always trying to improve. If we see an opportunity to get better, we are going to do it. I thought Malcolm had done some good things, but Dan offers a little different skillset. We are going to try to use that as we move forward and give him a chance and see if he can get that done."
On the Browns are ruling out QB Cody Kessler for Sunday:
"No, I'm not. Not yet. I think he has – we have one more day to kind of see where it is. I think we will know more tomorrow. It is looking that way, but not ready to say that for sure."
On QB Joe Callahan's height and size and having quarterbacks who are not the prototypical NFL size:
"What was important was at the time we did not know what was going to happen this week so I don't care how tall, short, whatever it was that was out there. We needed to make sure that if something did not go our way that we had people on the roster. You go through and you find what is out there that can best help you in this particular point in time, and he was there."
On Kessler and QB Robert Griffin III not being the prototypical NFL size and why that does not bother him as a coach:
"I have worked with so many different types – tall types, short types, big, small, whatever you want to call it – I just like quarterbacks, period. We are going to find, as we keep going through this process, what is right and best for us. We have had some guys that have played and it has not really been about their size or any of that. It is can you play the position. I think that has kind of been proven out over time throughout the National Football League. Do you want a big guy who has all the characteristics that you look for? Yes, you would love to have that, but sometimes, it does not sort out that way."
On OL Spencer Drango being limited at practice and if that alludes to another change on the OL:
"You never know. He practiced today so he did some things, and we will see where he is after practice today. It was good to have him back out there. Obviously, he did not practice yesterday so it was his first day back. We will see how it all shakes out here."
On how Drango performed against the Bengals:
"Good, he did some good things. There are some things he needs to improve, but it was good to see him play as many snaps as he did. He got injured a little earlier in the game and went over to the sideline. They told him you are OK from a structural standpoint, and he went right back in. He did not want out. That was really a good sign. He wanted to be out there with those guys battling. He battled hard and battled well."
On Jets QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith and what it does to an organization when there is not stability at the QB position:
"It is tough because I think the team wants to know who the leader is. We can say what we want, but the quarterback is normally the leader of the organization and team. He is the face of the franchise. When there is not that, sometimes things are a little disarrayed. The teams that have that, they have more stability and their teams normally play decently, not that they play great. Every team does not have that quality quarterback, but you have to go keep searching until you can find one. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a veteran player. He has played the game, and he knows how to play. The teams that have those guys, they benefit from having them. The teams that don't, they are always searching and they try to find him."
On the last game that McCown started at QB and if Pryor is used at QB during games based on who is starting the game:
"I don't look at it like that more so than who we are facing and what we need to do to move the ball. Our job on offense is to try to score enough points to win. Some gameplans are different than others and you have to do what you have to do to win. At that time, I did not think that is what we needed, and things have changed weekly as we have gone through this. The most important thing we are trying to do on offense is find a way to score the ball, and we will do that by any means necessary."
On WRs Jordan Payton, Ricardo Louis, and Rashard Higgins progress:
"The last two guys you mentioned have played a lot of football over the last several weeks – Ricardo more than anybody of that group – and then Rashard played more last week, and Jordan is starting to find his way into gameplans and things. Obviously, they are playing a little earlier than maybe we wished, but that is what they are here for. I think those guys are going to get better. They are seeing a lot as young players really early because they were thrust into playing. Sometimes that is good. Sometimes that is bad. At the same time, they are all growing at their pace, and I think they will continue to get better."
On why LB Joe Schobert's playing time decreased:
"He just has to keep playing. He did some good things on special teams. It is about putting a group out there that we think gives us the best chance. At that time last week, he just was not out there as much. This week could be different. He might be out there quite a bit. Whether it is offense, defense or special teams, the goal is to try to beat the other team, defeat the other team. Sometimes you make decisions about who can do what based on what the gameplan is, and that is how you play. You try to play to the strengths of your team and do those things as often as you can."
On the Browns special teams units this season and penalties at inopportune times:
"We are improving. You just said it – I don't like the penalties because we have to play intelligent football. (Special teams coordinator) Coach (Chris) Tabor has done a good job. A lot of the corps guys that he has had in the past are not here. He is developing a lot of young talent that way to give guys a chance, and sometimes that takes time. Our guys are getting better. I really like our specialists. I like our field goal kicker (Cody Parkey). I like our punter (Britton Colquitt). Those guys are really good finds for us. They are doing well. Our coverage units are continuing to get better. They are working hard at it every day. If we can just continue to be consistent and get rid of the penalties, we have a chance to be better as we move over these next nine weeks."
On helping manage Kessler's feelings as he probably wants to play but remains in the concussion protocol:
"Oh yeah, absolutely. He is that way. He wants to be with his teammates, and he wants to be out there. If you leave it to Cody, he would be out there practicing and throwing the ball right now. Our medical staff has done a good job. I think he is starting to get it that this is something that you have to really work through. They say 'concussion protocol' for a reason, and I think he understands that. I do think he is getting better every day. How close he will be up to game time, I don't know that."
On his year coaching with Marty Schottenheimer and the Redskins and if Schottenheimer was fired after that one year:
"Oh, well what are you trying to tell me Tony (laughter)?"
On if Schottenheimer getting fired by the Redskins was a 'welcome to the NFL' moment:
"It was. It was really interesting that first year because he really came there and set the tempo. We had (former Redskins DE) Bruce Smith, we had (former Redskins LB) LaVar Arrington and a lot of good players. We started off 0-5 and then we flipped it. We won eight of the next 11. We played 'Marty Ball,' and 'Marty Ball' was line up and run the ball and play great defense. He had a lasting impression in my opinion of that organization when he left, and he went to San Diego. Obviously, we watched what he did there. He had an outstanding career as a coach. He is somebody I really admire, and I appreciate him giving me it. I am very thankful for the opportunity that he gave me to come to Washington with him."
On Schottenheimer getting fired by the San Diego Chargers after a 14-2 season:
"It happens. Marty is Marty. One thing we all know about Marty, it is Marty's way. Marty does not back down from anybody. He has a belief system. He believes in what he believes. He has won a lot of games, and he knows how to do it. He has shown that everywhere he has been. I have great respect for that. I am kind of like that myself. I kind of believe in what I believe because that is the way you were raised. You have to do those things that you trust and have strong passion about in order to get your team where it needs to be."
On the Browns are not officially named McCown the starting QB now:
"He has had an injury, too. When you go practice, things happen sometimes as you know. Things can change. I have been in this now all year and have been shocked. We get up to the day before and here is somebody out. Until I know for sure – that's why I said I feel really good that it is heading that way – but I want to be for sure from after practice and talking to our medical staff exactly where everything is."
