By Fred Greetham
FOX Sports Ohio | The OBR.com
Saturday, December 18th, 2010
BEREA, Ohio -- The Colt McCoy era might have officially begun as Browns coach Eric Mangini announced that not only is McCoy scheduled to start at quarterback Sunday against the Bengals, but the rookie is the planned starter for the rest of the season.
"I am excited," McCoy said. "Today is not a landmark day or anything. I have got to go out there and get better. I've got to go out and improve, and I've got to go out and figure out a way to beat Cincinnati. That's the most important thing."
McCoy started five games when Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace were injured, but the Browns never made him the official starter other than saying they would have a "discussion" when all three were healthy.
It was a moot point as McCoy was injured at Jacksonville and was sidelined the past three games. The discussion occurred, however, and Mangini made the announcement, which was somewhat out of his character as he generally doesn't announce a starter for the next game, let alone the next three.
"I felt like he earned this opportunity, and I want to give it to him and I want to see how he continues to grow," Mangini said. "This is by no stretch just throwing a young guy in for the sake of throwing a young guy in. If I didn't think that he could go out and lead us and be successful doing that then I wouldn't make this decision, but I do feel that way, and I feel strongly about it. That's why I decided to approach it this way."
McCoy took most of the snaps with the first team on Wednesday and Thursday. He has missed the past three weeks with a high ankle sprain after starting consecutive five games while Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace had high ankle sprains.
McCoy said he has been able to stay in the game while he was out.
"I think I've done a pretty good job of knowing the game plan, staying in tune to what we're doing, to what we are trying to do offensively," McCoy said. "Sometimes, it's hard to step right back out and play, but because I've done a good job of staying in the playbook and staying in the game plan, I'll be fine."
Mangini said McCoy is a leader and those abilities are showing up more and more as he develops.
"I see his leadership ability and the more he is out in front, the more it is on display," Mangini said. "I really like the way he took in as much as he could from the guys with more experience when he wasn't playing. He's absorbed as much as he can from the mentors around him, and that's important."
Mangini is impressed with the way McCoy has progressed.
"It's a different experience than what I've seen," he said. "When you look at the environment that he first started in, he's come a long way.
"You're always hoping that what you see is what you get in translating from practice to the game," Mangini said. "The challenge has increased a level and you hope and practice the best you can, but the first time at anything, there's some uncertainty."
McCoy's first four starts were against the Steelers, Saints, Patriots and Jets -- and the Browns won two of those games.
"It was significant because we were able to do more because he made that possible," Mangini said. "What the quarterback can do dictates what we can do and how we call the game. He's going to be running the show on the field, and he has to have a comfort level.
"His ability to do more each week (was important). He did the things we asked him to do well and then there was more the second week and it got better each game."
With McCoy's promotion, Delhomme will be either the backup or the third quarterback. Mangini said he handled the demotion in stride.
"He handled it exactly like I thought Jake Delhomme would handle it," Mangini said. "He couldn't have been more supportive. Colt is extremely lucky to have someone like him. You couldn't ask for a better person to be around, and his influence is invaluable."
Mangini said he's still working through whether Wallace or Delhomme will be the backup. Wallace is used in wildcat packages and if he is the third quarterback, he could only play in the fourth quarter or if McCoy and Delhomme were injured earlier.
Mangini said he consulted on the decision with team president Mike Holmgren, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and quarterbacks coach Carl Smith.
"(Holmgren and I) talked a little about it, as well as Brian and Carl, but ultimately, it was my decision and I let Mike know about it," he said. "(Holmgren's) been great throughout the year and has been a great sounding board. He is more of making sure you've thought through the process."
McCoy is obviously excited, but Mangini used the word
