Coaching Career of Jim Zorn (NFL HC 09)

[kdmajoslin]

Thinking of starting a new dynasty...this time with the Redskins as Jim Zorn.

Some basic rules would be custom sliders (one of the one's out there on the slider forum probably ADEMBROWSKI's maybe Pickers.) I'll adjust as the dynasty progresses to keep it interesting.

Drafting: I'll set the Draft Board, but the GM calls the picks. After setting the board, I'll advance the draft to my next pick...this allows the GM to initiate trades on their own. I love the Draft, but it can be too easy building a team if I have sole control of the Draft.

I will avoid the Jack English Draft Path as I feel it is the easiest and most stacked with talent.

I'll give myself a $5M budget for Free Agents and no signing free agents without the bidding process (the exception being rookies during the preseason...because they never come up in the bidding process.)

I'll try to honor the GM's wishes on Training Camp Cuts, but in the end I have the final say as Coach.

Since I'm playing as Jim Zorn, no changes in Philosophy from those already set up.

I will also be using Zorn's West Coast Offense and the Redskins 4-3 Defense as the basis for my custom plans. I'm basically trimming the fat on the exsisting plans so I can add custom plays through the seasons. One aspect of the game I really enjoy but rarely utilize.

Salary Cap: I want to be at least $20M below the cap.

I plan on simming the preseason and playing the season/playoff games.

Starting with 2008 Draft, mainly because my game is glitchy and freezes anytime I try to start in the Preseason.

I'll probably come up with some more as I go.

[kdmajoslin]

Jim Zorn hired as Washington Redskins Head Coach

Updated: February 9, 2008, 9:24 PMET

Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- After a suspenseful month of exhaustive interviews involving at least 10 candidates, the Washington Redskins decided their coach would be: none of the above.

Instead, it will be a first-timer,Jim Zorn taking the mantle from Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs. Two weeks after beinghired as the offensive coordinator, the former Seattle Seahawks quarterback was promoted to head coach Saturday night in a surprise ending to a secretive process that tried fans' patience and produced a new favorite every week.

The 54-year-old Zorn agreed to a five-year contract and will be introduced at a news conference Sunday.

"I've always dreamed of being ahead coach with a franchise rich in tradition like the Redskins," Zornsaid in a statement released by the team. "As a player who had to fight Redskins teams at RFK as well as at our home field, I know about the history ofthis franchise as well as the passion of its fans. I won't let you down."

For the last seven years, Zorn was theSeahawks' quarterbacks coach, helping develop Matt Hasselbeck into a Pro Bowl player. Zorn has never been a coordinator for an NFL team until the Redskins came calling. Now he's making the jump to head coach.

"We're proud that our search was diligent, thorough, and resulted in today's announcement," owner DanSnyder said. "Jim's track record and reputation as a player, great teacher, and as a coach makes us confident that they will translate to successfor the Redskins."

Zorn becomes the sixth coach under Snyder, who bought the team in 1999, and he ends a string of high-profile coaching hires by an owner who had developed a reputation for hiring top names at a top price. Snyder's last three coaches were Marty Schottenheimer, Steve Spurrier and Gibbs. None had a cumulative winning record, although Gibbs took the Redskins to the playoffs in two of his four seasons before his resignation Jan. 8.

Zorn's hiring came after Snyder held marathon sessions with a variety of candidates. Two prominent names, Jim Moraand Steve Spagnuolo, withdrew from consideration to remain with their own teams. Jim Fassel had multiple interviews, but fans were seething when word got out that the former New York Giants coach was a possible finalist.

Others who didn't fit the bill for avariety of reasons included Steve Mariucci, Ron Meeks, Pete Carroll and JimSchwartz. Redskins assistant Gregg Williams had the support of many players,but he had been unsuccessful in his previous stint as a head coach in Buffalo and was fired after meeting four times with Snyder about the job.

Meanwhile, during several of the interviews, candidates mentioned Zorn as a favorable possibility as an offensive coordinator to replace Al Saunders, whose offense had been a disappointment for the last two years.

In the statement released by the team, Snyder -- who has been widely criticized during the coaching search --went into detail to explain how Zorn ended up with the top job.

"We knew of Jim's stellar offensive reputation, so we hired him as coordinator, but we also suspected he would be a strong candidate for head coach," Snyder said. "After our first six-hour interview with him, I told Joe (Gibbs), 'This guy would make aterrific head coach.' But we stayed true to our commitment to interview every candidate."

The Redskins had to wait until theSuper Bowl was played to interview their final candidate, Giants defensive coordinator Spagnuolo. After Spagnuolo announced on Thursday that he'd rather stay with the Giants -- who gave him a new three-year, $6 million contract --Snyder said he invited Zorn to lunch.

"I told him we were considering him as the next head coach, and asked if he wanted to move forward. Without hesitation he said 'absolutely,' and that's all I needed to hear," Snyder said. "We spent two days taking Jim through the same interview process asevery other candidate. Those sessions only confirmed my earlier comment to Joe:Jim Zorn will be a terrific head coach."

In his new role, Zorn will have plenty of guidance. Snyder kept most of Gibbs' staff intact, including veteran assistants Joe Bugel and Greg Blache. Blache was promoted to take charge of the defense after Williams was fired.

"Those guys have been around," Gibbs said from the garage area at Daytona International Speedway, where his team was preparing to compete in Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout exhibition race. "So what they did is continuity-wise, they kept the coaching staff and the support group and the training group and everybody,so he's in a real solid (situation)."

Zorn takes over a team that went 9-7, snatching the NFC's final wild card berth on the last weekend of the regular season, before losing to Seattle in the first round of the playoffs.The team is also well above the salary cap, although it has already started to address that problem by opening contract renegotiations with some of its highest-paid players.

The offense will undergo an overhaul under Zorn, who is expected to install a trimmed down version of the West Coast attack. He will also have to sell himself to players who have expressed disappointment that the job didn't go to Williams, who has been hired as defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Zorn is a longtime local favorite inSeattle. He was the franchise's original starting quarterback in 1976, played nine seasons with the team and is in the Seahawks' Ring of Honor. He returned as an offensive assistant from 1997-98 and again as quarterbacks coach in 2001.

He also coached in college for nine years as a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator at Boise State, Utah State and Minnesota. In between his coaching stints in Seattle, he spent two years coaching quarterbacks with the Detroit Lions.


AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins contributed to his report from Daytona, Fla.

[kdmajoslin]

For once the Redskins show some restraint in Free Agency bringing in no one.

Owner and GM Daniel Snyder had this to say about the Redskins passing on big time talents like RE Justin Smith and CB Asante Samuels, "We are trying something new, fiscal responsibility. I know, who would of thought, you'd ever hear that from me? All kidding aside, we feel confident that with our draft picks we can address our needs at a fraction of the price. If need be, we'll see who is available come training camp."

Fortunately for Smith and Samuels other GM's decided to go the opposite direction.

Here are a few of the top Free Agent signings:

Miami grabs CB Asante Samuels

The Bengals let RE Justin Smith go, only to scoop him up in Free Agency at less then it would of cost them to Franchise him.

FS Eugene Wilson goes to the Saints; New Orleans also augments thier offense with HB Michael Turner

Tennessee adds former Raider CB Nnamdi Asomugha

Denver bring DT Albert Haynesworth and RT Jordan Gross to Colorado

The Patriots add OLB Terrell Suggs

The Chiefs sign the other big time OLB Karlos Dansby

The Falcons decide to go with a veteran at QB and bring in Trent Green

The Packers hope to fill the void left by QB Brett Favre with former Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper.

[kdmajoslin]

1. MIA takes LT Jake Long
2. STL picks OLB Vernon Gholston
3. ATL decides on QB Matt Ryan afterall
4. OAK grabs DT Glenn Dorsey
5. KC is excited to add DE Chris Long
6. NYJ add the most talented player in the draft in HB Darren McFadden
7. NE improves their secondary with CB Leodis McKelvin
8. BAL goes with a defensive pick, grabbing DT Sedrick Ellis
9. CIN adds OLB Jerod Mayo
10. NO lands the steal of the draft in OLB Keith Rivers
11. BUF adds a pass rusher in DE Derrick Harvey
12. DEN beefs up the OL with Ryan Clady
13. CAR looks to replace Jordan Gross with Jeff Otah
14. CHI the Bears add RT Gosider Cherilus
15. DET looks to improve their secondary with Dominique Cromartie
16. ARI grabs the strong armed QB from Delaware, Joe Flacco
17. KC adds some beef on the OL with LT Chris Williams
18. HOU picks DT Kentwan Balmer
19. PHI send this pick to the Bills for a 3rd rounder this year, as well as a 2nd and 3rd next year. BUF adds another defensive guy with CB Mike Jenkins
20. TB picks HB Rashard Mendenhall
21. WAS fills one of their needs with LG Branden Albert
22. DAL adds LT Duane Brown
23. PIT brings in DE Phillip Merling
24. TEN adds LE Lawrence Jackson
25. SEA draft TE Dustin Keller
26. JAX picks CB Aqib Talib
27. SD picks a CB as well, getting Antoine Cason
28. DAL grabs the other Arkansas RB, Felix Jones
29. SF lands a day one starter in SS Kenny Phillips
30. STL feels they got a steal in CB Brandon Flowers
31. NYG bring in the speedster Chris Johnson
32. MIA adds WR Devin Thomas

The rest of the Redskins draft looked like this:

2nd- 19th CB Patrick Lee
3rd- 20th WR Kevin Robinson
3rd- 32nd WR Harry Douglas
5th- 21st CB Tyvon Branch
6th- 20th DE Eric Baker
7th- 21st HB Xavier Omon

Coach Zorn and GM Snyder reportedly were at odds about the 5th round selection of Tyvon Branch. Coach Zorn clearly had no interest in the CB from Connecticut, but in the end GM Snyder calls the shots.

Coach Zorn brought in TCU DE, Tony Bake, Oregon K, Alexis Serna, Auburn FB, Carl Stewart, Weber State LG David Hale, and Texan A&M DT, Hank Smithers as Undrafted Free Agent Rookies.

[kdmajoslin]

Redskins Preseason

Rookie Signings

LG Branden Albert signs a 5yr deal worth $9.1M with a $2M signing bonus and no incentives

CB Patrick Lee agrees to a 4yr deal worth $2.2M with no bonus money

WR Kevin Robinson agrees to a 3yr deal worth $2.1M with a $500K bonus

WR Harry Douglas gets the same deal as Robinson

CB Tyvon Branch gets a 3yr deal worth $750K and no bonus, many feel that Coach Zorn will cut him in camp.

DE Eric Baker signs a 3yr deal worth $650K with no bonus

HB Xavier Omon agrees to a 3yr deal worth $810K with no bonus money.

Week 1 Bills @ Redskins

The Bills rally in the 4th quarter to put up 2 TDs and steal a win from the Redskins. Backup HB Ladell Betts looks sharp when he's on the field, and that is important as his name has been circulated as a possible money saving cut. Final Score Bills 14 Redskins 12

Week 2 Redskins @ Jets

The Redskins lose another one in the final seconds. So far no TD passes from any of the Redskins QBs...which isn't a good sign, especially if your HC is supposed to be a QB Guru. HB Betts continues to look good. Final Score Redskins 12 Jets 13

Week 3 Redskins @ Panthers

Still no spark from the QB position, but rookie HB Xavier Omon shows why he should get the backup job over HB Betts with 14 carries for 65yds and a TD in limited play. This one was decided by the Redskins defense who had 4 INTs. Final Score Redskins 24 Panthers 17

Week 4 Jaguars @ Redskins

QB Jason Campbell gets his first and only TD of the preseason. The Redskins Defense also gets a safety. Redskins win a close one. Final Score Jacksonville 11 Redskins 19

Through the preseason the Redskins have let some well known names go in an effort to save some money. Among those visited by the Turk are:

LG Pete Kendall, briefly tried at C but it didn't work out.

HB Ladell Betts, the surprisingly good performance of rookie Xavier Omon made him expendable.

QB Todd Collins and QB Mark Brunell, there was no way GM Snyder was going to pay Brunell $6M to be a backup and Coach Zorn felt that camp invitee David Green outperformed Collins

FB Mike Sellers lost his job to undrafted rookie free agent Carl Stewart and Coach Zorn wasn't going to pay $1M+ to a backup FB

SS Reed Doughty and Vernon Fox, Coach Zorn moved FS Laron Landry to SS and that pretty much spelled the end of Doughty and Fox's time in Washington.

K Shaun Suisham lost his job to the rookie kicker from Oregon State

With only $5M in the bank, you knew that the Redskins wouln't be bringing in any big names. What they did bring in was rookies, lots of discarded rookies.

QB Colt Brennan
HB Mike Hart
WR Dorien Bryant
TE Mike Peterson
TE Joe Jon Finley
RG Michael McGlynn
RG Andrew Crummey converted to C
MLB Vince Hall
MLB Jeremy Leman
CB Jonathon Wilhite
FS Josh Barrett moved to SS
FS Bobbie Crosby who was a rookie training camp invite from Washington State, who earned a roster spot.

The starting FS spot was filled by Dwight Smith via the Lions. The Redskins gave up a pair of 5th rounders for Smith.

[kdmajoslin]

2008 Roster

QB's
Jason Campbell
David Greene
Colt Brennan (R)

HB's
Clinton Portis
Xavier Omon (R)
Mike Hart (R)

FB's
Carl Stewart (R)

WR's
Santana Moss
Harry Douglas (R)
Kevin Robinson (R)
Antwan Randle El
Dorien Bryant (R)
James Thrash

TE's
Chris Cooley
Mike Peterson (R)
Joe Jon Finley (R)

LT's
Chris Samuels
Kevin Sampson

LG's
Brandon Albert (R)
David Hale (R)

C's
Casey Rabach
Andrew Crummey (R)

RG's
Randy Thomas
Stephen Heyer
Michael McGlynn (R)

RT's
Jon Jansen
Todd Wade

LE's
Tony Bake (R)
Eric Baker (R)

RE's
Andre Carter
Phillip Daneils

DT's
Cornelius Griffin
Hank Smithers (R)
Kedric Golston

LOLB's
Marcus Washington
Khary Campbell

MLB's
London Fletcher-Baker
Vince Hall (R)
Jeremy Leman (R)
HB Blades

ROLB's
Rocky McIntosh
Shawn Barber

CB's
Patrick Lee (R)
Shawn Springs
Fred Smoot
Carlos Rogers
Jonathon Wilhite (R)
Tyvon Branch (R)

FS's
Dwight Smith
Bobbie Crosby (R)

SS's
Laron Landry
Josh Barrett (R)

K's
Alexis Serna (R)

P's
no punter, Serna does Kickoffs, FG's, PAT's and Punts

[FlyersFan30]

Hope you are still doing this and it didn't die. Good work so far

[kdmajoslin]

I've been sick, but hope to add some new entries soon