Staff writer Anthony Cotton lists 10 things Broncos fans should know about new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels:
1 At 32 years, 8 months, becomes the fifth-youngest man to be hired as an NFL head coach (Lane Kiffin, Harland Svare, John Michelosen and David Shula).
2 Speaking of Shulas, McDaniels went to John Carroll University in suburban Cleveland; another alumnus is Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.
3 At John Carroll, McDaniels lost the starting quarterback job to Nick Caserio, currently the New England Patriots’ director of player personnel.
4 After moving to wide receiver in college, McDaniels caught 41 passes for 732 yards and seven TDs in his sophomore and junior seasons. Before his final season, though, he left school to become a graduate assistant for Nick Saban at Michigan State.
5 McDaniels was at Michigan State for one year and was out of football in 2000. He sold plastics.
6 The next year, McDaniels was hired by the Patriots.
7 Initially, he worked with the Patriots’ defensive secondary.
8 Between 2006-08, McDaniels served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. During those seasons, New England averaged 28.8 points per game, best in the NFL.
9 McDaniels played for his father in high school; later, his dad, Thom, would coach a high school running back named Maurice Clarett.
10 As a boy, he got a new football every year at Christmas. A cherished possession, he would sleep with a football in his bed until the age of 19.
