Bart Scott: Mike Pettine Jr. built for coaching gig because of dad

BEREA, Ohio – Bart Scott played linebacker for 11 seasons under former Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets defensive coach Mike Pettine Jr., now Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine Jr.

Scott turned down Pettine's offer to play a 12th season – as a Browns defensive leader -- to accept a CBS analyst's job.

But Scott knows well how his former coach was shaped for this opportunity by the old-school teachings of his famous father, Mike Pettine Sr., who won 326 games and four state championships coaching Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown, Pa., across 33 seasons.

"The fact that Pettine had a great coach within his family taught him how to motivate, how to organize, how to lead men,'' Scott told USA TODAY Sports. "I'm just happy for Pettine. He's been on the fast track. To be able to get an NFL head coaching job so quick, what better way to be able to show your dad, 'Hey, thank you for everything.'

"His dad's been part of the ride, always talking to him about how to be a better coach and how to be a better man. I don't know why his dad stopped coaching. But he still has the energy to get it done.''

Pettine Sr. retired from Central Bucks West in 1999 as the winningest coach in Pennsylvania prep history. He is still coaching. though, offering his son counsel with the Browns as he did at every NFL stop.

"His dad even drew up a blitz for me with the Jets,'' Scott said of Pettine's 2009-2012 stint as coach Rex Ryan's defensive coordinator. "Pettine never ran it. But his dad showed up politicking for me, saying 'Run this blitz for Bart.'

"So his dad is always going to be on my good list.''

So what did the Browns get in Junior, who is 47?

"He's a definite no-nonsense guy and you have to earn his trust,'' Scott said. "You do that by doing it in practice. He's a smart guy who can really draw blitzes up. And he's young enough to relate to the modern-day athlete.

"He understands that Johnny Manziel is going to be Johnny. He's been around Mark Sanchez in a big market and understands what happens with your quarterback can get overblown. If he feels he has to tighten the reins on Johnny, he will. And he'll do it in a way that Johnny understands.''

Most important, Scott Believes, is that Pettine will bring what the Browns have sorely lacked since the franchise's 1999 rebirth.

"Cleveland has been walking around for a long time without an identity,'' Scott said. "What is a Cleveland Brown? What is their style, their brand? This team is going to attack. They're going to be fearless. Browns fans should be excited because now they're going to have an identity just like when Rex came to New York and the world knew who the Jets were.

"Pettine's a defensive guy and they've got some ferocious playmakers. Their defense is only going to elevate. He's going to get the most out of Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo. With Pettine's system and all those playmakers, they can be a playoff team.

"It's a very thin line between 6-10 and 11-5," Scott said. "The difference can be an aggressive coach who says, 'I believe in you guys. Go get it done.' They'll go as far as their running game takes them.''

Pettine Sr. was harder on his early 1980s quarterback/safety son than any other player during his stellar coaching career.

The son knows why.

"He was a coach who had a reputation for being hard on his players and getting positive results,'' Pettine, Jr. said. "And then, throw on top of that the natural inclination for a parent coaching their own kid to make sure that everybody knew that he wasn't playing favorites. So being extra tough on top of being tough to begin with was not an easy situation.''

If he had to do it over, his dad said, he wouldn't have been so demanding.

"When I look back," the elder Pettine said, "my desire to be prepared was taken to the nth degree, which ended up being unfair to Junior.''

Said his son: "It was a happy day in my life when it went from orders to advice.''

Dad had the final word: "And being ignored.''