clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Really, though, Jim Zorn is the offensive coordinator

News broke (and was documented here thanks to TexSkins) this weekend that Sherman Smith is the new offensive coordinator of the Redskins. That's fantastic. Because per the coaching staff list at the official site, we don't have a quarterbacks coach at all and, as far as I can tell, we have no intention of getting one. (Don Breaux's title? ---. I am not making this up people, 17 years and three Super Bowls later this man's official title with the team is ---. I guess it prevents other teams from laterally hiring him to "guy on the couch," without compensation, that is. We'll take an ice cream cone.)

So poor Jim Zorn is going to have to try his first head coaching gig while also tutoring (tute on!) Jason Campbell as his immediate positional coach. The least he can do is bring in an offensive coordinator to help call plays alleviate unspecified offensive coordinator duties. Per the Official Site, emphasis added:

Head coach Jim Zorn has decided he will be the primary play-called on offense next season...

"While I will call the plays during the games, our entire offensive staff will be putting together our game plan each week and Sherman will lead those efforts both in our offensive staff meetings and in our player meetings," Zorn said.

I haven't the time yet to expound on what I think may or may not be wise with that arrangement, but kudos to Jim Zorn for taking this whole head coaching(, quarterback coaching, offensive coordinating) thing by the Zorns. They'll be time for his family, personal life when his contract is up. In 2013. Assuming he doesn't get fired prior to that. Which I can't do with a straight face.

At the bottom of same article is a big of history trivia per Redskins Historian Mike Richman (who gave a free copy of his Redskins Encyclopedia to me, and I'm sending it to CptChaosSidekick):

In Redskins history, no one has ever been hired as an assistant in the offseason, then promoted to Redskins head coach before the regular season even started.

"The closest the Redskins ever came to this was when owner George Preston Marshall tapped Joe Kuharich, who had been hired as the Redskins' offensive line coach in January 1954, to replace Curly Lambeau as head coach after two exhibition games that season," Richman said.

Lambeau was fired by then owner Preston Marshall (yea, but what did Curly Lambeau ever do right?). His replacement went .448 in Washington.

AOL Fanhouse, Redskins Head Coach Jim Zorn Pulls a 'Billick', Will Call Offensive Plays
The Curly R, The Redskins New Coaching Staff Is Complete