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Jim Zorn on everything, including Jason Campbell

By Skin Patrol

Doug Farrar of Seahawks.NET has a fantastic article up right now on Jim Zorn on everything, including starting quarterback Jason Campbell. The piece is mostly concerned with the offensive plan and how that will fit given the personnel we have in place, with Zorn commenting on, among other things, how great it is to have a running back who also happens to be a reliable pass blocker (Clinton Portis). Warning on the following video: I didn't pick the music, which is NSFW. I found the clip a while ago and decided not to post it on account of the lyrical content, but after rewatching it I just can't refrain because the hits Clinton Portis lays on would be tacklers (of quarterbacks, receivers, whomever) are simply too good to ignore. Enjoy, but you might turn the volume down, just FYI:

That's not really the part of the article I want to focus on, however. Jim Zorn has previously criticized some aspects of Jason's game and that's fine; it is precisely what a head coach/quarterbacks coach/play caller needs to do to get the most out of his starting QB. It is sounding more like there will be significant tweekage with Campbell's game per the article linked to above, which should be read in full by all. Relevant portions to JC:

"I've seen Jason Campbell at the combine here, over two years ago now. When I see him on video, I remember what I saw here. I think he's got a very good release. I think when he's got to drop the ball off he drops his arm a little bit, so there are techniques to work on there. But his release is very good. I'm surprised by how tall he is with how well he moves his feet. I think that's the think I'm going to work on the most with him, is just his mindset on moving better in the pocket. I don't want to think of himself as only a drop-back passer. I want him to think of himself as a guy who can move as well."...

"He has cited that he's had, what, seven offensive coordinators in the years he's played in college and the pros now. All I can just say is, 'That's the way it goes.' I can't change that. He can't change that. What we can do is not major on that. We can't use that as a reason he can't do something. I mean, he should be able to do a lot of things. That's the way I look at it. You should be able to do everything now that you've had so many offensive coordinators (laughs). It's just the way it is."...

["]We want the ball not only to hit the receiver, but you want to hit the correct shoulder. You want to put the ball in the exact spot you want, not just in the vicinity. So those are things that probably a rookie quarterback they're going to have to make major adjustments."

At some point, the change in offensive coordinators cannot be a crutch for JC because, in this 21st century, coaching changes are par for the course and quarterbacks should be expected to adjust. Does that mean he's to blame if we don't have a seemless transition in '08 from the Saunders->Zorn offensive systems? I'm not willing to go that far just yet, but it will be little consolation to fans if Campbell struggles mightily that he's experienced unfortunate coaching circumstances in his young career. Adaptability is a valuable trait, especially for quarterbacks.

All that said, I have to think that Coach Zorn is going to be a net positive for Jason Campbell. If there is a single person on the team that does benefit from having a quarterbacks coach promoted to head coach, it's Jason Campbell. Skeptics may legitimately question whether Zorn has the experience necessary to run an NFL offense, but few should wonder whether Zorn can coach quarterbacks; he's done a fine job to date and his experience, at least to that limited domain, speaks for itself. Acknowledging that a quarterback is only as good as the system he plays in is bad, I have every confidence that the technical aspects of Jason's game -- his release, accuracy, power, vision, etc. -- will improve.

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