By PFW staff
Feb. 11, 2008

Jim Zorn

The Redskins’ search for a head coach lasted more than a month and ended with someone they already had on staff. Jim Zorn, who was hired by owner Daniel Snyder two weeks ago to be the offensive coordinator for whoever replaced Joe Gibbs, ended up getting the job that had been expected to go to either Jim Fassel, Ron Meeks or Steve Mariucci. Now Zorn, 54, has the challenge of installing his preferred West Coast offense and completing his staff as free agency and draft-related activities quickly approach.

One league official told PFW Monday afternoon that he thought the hiring of Zorn was not necessarily a bad move, but it was proof positive that the Redskins had no firm plan in their search for Gibbs’ replacement and that it’s going to be tough for a coach like Zorn to do what he wants and feels is necessary to coach this team properly. Snyder certainly has more say, along with the recently promoted Vinny Cerrato, over team issues now. With Gibbs, who was team president, the day-to-day moves had more to do with the head coach than with the owner.

That’s not the case now. Though Cerrato still doesn’t carry the title of general manager, he clearly has more power now as the team’s executive vice president of football operations and has gotten even closer to the man who writes the team’s checks. It was Cerrato, Snyder said at Zorn’s first press conference, who convinced him that Zorn was the right man for the job. It was also Cerrato, many believe, who convinced Snyder that Gregg Williams would not have been a good choice for head coach.

There is a belief that the Redskins took stock in public opinion that Fassel and Mariucci would not be popular hires and that picking Zorn allowed them to go with someone they felt comfortable with, as well as appeasing the fans. But that’s a suspect way of doing business. Now, it might turn out that Zorn is a good coach, just as Jason Garrett — who came to Dallas under similar circumstances — probably would have been one, too, had Jerry Jones not hired Wade Phillips first. But the Redskins once again are going way against the grain when it comes to putting a team together.

Ultimately, Zorn’s success will be tied to the development of QB Jason Campbell. Zorn is a former QB, and he’ll be teaching Campbell yet another system — his seventh different offense going back to his freshman year at Auburn. Campbell is a bright, young quarterback with some upside, but he will have to learn to be more precise and make quicker reads. Those are two important characteristics for the West Coast offense.

It’s difficult to match a coach with players already on a roster. An owner must go with the guy he thinks has the best chance to lead the team, and if that means starting over a bit, well, then you make the move. But if Campbell doesn’t work out this year, there will be a strong inclination to go in a different direction offensively. And with an aging defense and some expensive pieces that might need replacing, the Redskins face boom-or-bust potential in Zorn’s first few seasons.