After being hired as USC’s quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach of the offense, Carl Smith bolted to Cleveland to coach for the Browns less two weeks later.

But in the midst of Smith’s quick departure, head coach Pete Carroll acted swiftly by hiring Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates to replace Smith. On game days, Bates will call plays from the sideline while newly promoted offensive coordinator John Morton will work from the press box.

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who under Bates in Denver, issued the following statement about his former coach:

“Jeremy is one of the best offensive minds in football. He was extremely innovative with our offense and took our playbook to the next level with some of the things he did, keeping defenses off balance and changing our look but at the same time keeping it simple for us players. Some of the things he did were amazing to watch. He was always watching other teams and coming up with new ideas for our offense. He helped me grow into my third NFL season and helped me reach the Pro Bowl along with some of the other goals I set for myself. As a unit, our offense became one of the most productive in the league with Jeremy calling plays. He brought a lot of excitement to the meeting room and on the field. He made me want to come to work every day and get better. Jeremy will do great things in his new role, and USC couldn’t have picked a better guy.”

Sounds pretty good to me.

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