Jim Zorn will replace the retired Joe Gibbs as the head coach for the Washington Redskins. The former quarterback brings an impressive resume from Seattle where Zorn served as QB Coach under Mike Holmgren's direction. Changes to the Redskin organization are likely as Zorn has been involved with a classical West Coast offense for over 5 years. Fans can expect to see the football thrown more often for short yardage gains but Clinton Portis will still play a major roll in running the ball, especially near the goal line.
Zorn started his professional career with the Sea Hawks where he passed for over 10,000 yards over a three-season period. He played for Green Bay, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL), and retired in 1987 after playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Given his experience, he may not mimic the coaching style of the Mike Homgren but could opt for an open style of coaching, making Zorn less predictable than Joe Gibbs.
A hint of Zorn’s coaching style was revealed a in recent pre-season game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Redskins. Rookie quarterback, Colt Brennan, passed several times but was most effective on long-yardage plays instead of short gains that characterize West Coast Offenses. The defense finally settled down in the fourth quarter and managed to neutralize Indianapolis and the skins won their pre-season opener. Fans are hoping that Zorn will inspire both the offense and defense to perform dynamically and adjust to their opposition as they did in the Indianapolis game.
