Redskins Embrace New Offense

When new Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn took over the team's offense, there were bound to be sweeping changes.  Zorn quickly implemented a West Coast system, relying on slants and short pass routes to supplement the running game.  That's a far cry from the Joe Gibbs' formula, which favored power running between the tackles.  If the first mini-camp is any indication, the Redskin players are happy with the new approach.

Quarterback Jason Campbell is the player most affected by the change in systems, and he has already demonstrated an affinity for the new style, which calls for the offense to be more up-tempo and aggressive.   According to Campbell, Zorn's offense isn't overly difficult to learn, but it does have a lot of subtle nuances as far as technique goes.  

The new scheme is really based on reading the defense and getting the ball in the air as quickly as possible.  Campbell will have far more hands-on control, allowing for some improvisation on the fly, as the wide receivers and quarterback all have to read the play the exact same way.  

There are no set routes for receivers.  Instead, they read the play and adjust their routes according to the defense.  Basically, they're running to get open and not running to reach a predetermined spot.  This obviously makes communication and practice paramount, only placing even greater importance on these pre-season mini-camps.  But considering the progress everyone is making so far, the team should be ready to roll come the first week of the season.