Gibbs to Zorn

Daniel Snyder has always looked for the big name. When he bought the team (with others), he had Norv Turner as coach. He got an aging Deion Sanders, who didn't want to stay more than a year. Then, after Norv had a bad run of games, he was fired. Snyder really wanted Steve Spurrier, who he hoped, could bring his fun-n-gun style to the NFL and make it work. When the running game fared better, Spurrier decided he didn't want to win with a style he wasn't comfortable with.

Then, Snyder landed his biggest coup: getting Joe Gibbs back. Gibbs had won three Superbowls. He had been gone since winning the Superbowl in 1991. He had gone on to a very successful career in Nascar racing, owning and managing a team. When he came back, it was a bit rough going. In his four years at Washington, he made it to the playoffs twice, but in both cases, required a string of wins at the end just to make it in. He decided not to finish his fifth year, a decision partly prodded by the health of his grandson.

It was thought that Gregg Williams, the defensive coordinator, would take over as head coach. However, when he had to interview four times with Snyder, it was thought that his chances weren't good. They had had four years of watching him coach. If they wanted him, he'd be their man. Four interviews was something of an insult. The defense wanted him, if for no other reason, then to retain continuity.

The Redskins braintrust looked at a variety of coaches. They liked Jim Fassel, formerly coach of the Giants, and top contender the last go-around. They interview Steve Mariucci, former 49ers coach, and former Lions coach. They interviewed Ron Meeks, the African American defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts. It was thought they might interview a coordinator from the Patriots. This didn't happen.

Then, they fired Williams and Al Saunders, the offensive coordinator, and then hired Jim Zorn, and promoted Greg Blatche to defensive coordinator. It seemed like a strange set of moves, hiring a staff before hiring a head coach. The last person the Redskins looked at seriously was Steve Spagnuolo, fresh off a Superbowl win, as the Giants defensive coordinator.

There were other possibilities, but it was never seriously entertained. Bill Cowher, former Steelers coach, wasn't ready to un-retire. Marty Schottenheimer probably wouldn't come back, even if Snyder could admit he wanted him back.

So it seemed strange that the choice went to Jim Zorn. Zorn was the quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks. People had thought he'd be a serious candidate to be an offensive coordinator, and so the Redskins tried to snatch him while they could. Then they decided he interviewed so well, that they would make him head coach.

This isn't so unusual. There are several new coaches in the NFL without previous head coaching experience, and even without coordinator experience. Still, for a guy used to making big hires, Snyder's choice of Zorn was weird, and to many fans, probably disappointing.

Still, you had to admire Snyder for this decision. While many people thought it despicable the way he ran Williams out, given that he appeared to be the players' choice, he made it clear that he (and Vinnie Cerrato) make the big decisions, not the players.

Zorn is remarkably down to earth for a head coach. While folks like Sally Jenkins, in her Washington Post column, told Spagnuolo to stay home, mostly because she felt the Redskins were dysfunctional, and that his career would get derailed going to the Redskins, I'm not so sure that Snyder and Cerrato made a bad decision.

Even if Zorn turns out to be a complete bust, it shows some maturity to pick a guy that isn't a name guy, and see if he's likely to be the next big one.