polamalubeast
06-16-2010, 05:21 AM
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/ravens/2010-06-15-joe-flacco-jim-zorn_N.htm
Jim Zorn's fallback option: Turn Joe Flacco into a Pro Bowler
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Former Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn is a born-again Christian who feels blessed to be reborn as an NFL quarterbacks coach, this time north of the Capital Beltway with the Baltimore Ravens.
No more being second-guessed in the considerable shadow of Hall of Fame Redskins coaching predecessor Joe Gibbs.
Zorn's new gig is all about another Joe — namely grooming third-year quarterback Joe Flacco into a Super Bowl winner. Flacco has led the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. Zorn was hired to help the fast-improving starter develop into a championship closer.
The former Seattle Seahawks quarterback and quarterbacks coach is grateful to be employed 60 miles north of Redskins headquarters — seemingly a world away from his disappointing stint as a first-time head coach.
POWER RANKINGS: Ravens building steam as a Super Bowl contender?
But Zorn, who doesn't swear, has nary a bad word for Redskins owner Daniel Snyder or new general manager Bruce Allen, who dismissed Zorn and his 12-20 ledger in January to hire Mike Shanahan and his Super Bowl-winning résumé.
Zorn's tenure ended with a dismal 4-12 campaign. Three months after Zorn's departure, his primary Redskins project, quarterback Jason Campbell, was shipped to the Oakland Raiders as the franchise continued its housecleaning … not that it bothers Zorn.
"I don't embarrass easily," Zorn says. "I was really frustrated with how things ended yet not frustrated enough to sink in my own house and hide out from everybody.
"The hard part was being 4-12 and how much our players fought and not being able to do it."
Zorn is a passionate, outside-the-box teacher who embraces what's next, be it quickening Flacco's feet and throwing motion or plotting a new mountain biking destination. The 57-year-old with the spiky flattop says of his rocket-armed quarterback, "He is a naturally accurate, good drop-back passer who is very intelligent in this game. We're working on his footwork, rhythm, anticipation and just improving his completion percentage.
"This game is all about movement. You can be a drop-back passer and be a pocket scrambler with subtle movement in the pocket."
Zorn slides his feet sideways to demonstrate.
"I want Joe to be more explosive and sudden, where his body is compressed so he's in a position to be more sudden throwing, because these defensive linemen in this division are very fast. And you have to not only make quick decisions, but you have to make quick movements."
As key as the trade for three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Anquan Boldin and the free agent flier on Donte' Stallworth are to helping Flacco, Zorn's perspective as a former quarterback who played in the league for 11 years might prove just as valuable.
"Jim's awesome, a great guy, down-to-earth," Flacco says. "I love every part of him being my coach."
To enhance their rapport, Zorn and his wife, Joy, recently had Flacco and his girlfriend, Dana, over to their northern Virginia home for a barbecue.
"I have to earn the right to be heard, earn his trust," Zorn says. "There's some validation there in that all he has to do is call some of the guys I've worked with."
Under Zorn and former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren, Matt Hasselbeck developed into a three-time Pro Bowler who led the Seattle to Super Bowl XL in 2006.
Now Zorn will try to improve Flacco's play between the hash marks and down the field.
"I know Joe Flacco can't do some of the things Matt Hasselbeck does," Zorn says. "But can they both be Pro Bowl quarterbacks who are super successful? Absolutely."
Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only Dan Marino, Bernie Kosar, Ben Roethlisberger and Flacco have led their team to the postseason in their first two pro seasons. During their first two years as a starter, only Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Kurt Warner had more combined regular-season and postseason wins than Flacco's 23.
But Flacco has one touchdown pass and six interceptions to go along with a 46.5 quarterback rating in his five playoff starts.
"Joe wants to take that next step," Ravens running back Ray Rice says. "He's a natural-born leader, works hard and is being very vocal. A lot of people think he's laid-back. But 'Joe Cool' can get after you in the huddle."
Flacco wants to become a 4,000-yard passer after throwing for 3,613 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 63.1% of his passes last season. A record 10 quarterbacks threw for 4,000 yards or more in 2009.
Flacco plans to throw to Boldin and Stallworth in the Baltimore area in the coming weeks, and he hopes to fly to Boldin's Arizona home to foster their rapport before training camp.
"We want to come into training camp ready to hit the ground running," Flacco says.
Like his "Joe Cool" nickname-sake, former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Joe Montana, the unflappable Flacco hopes to make his Super Bowl-winning breakthrough in his third season.
For the first time in more than a decade, the Ravens offense has every chance to be better than its punishing defense.
"We believe we have the team," Flacco says.
"We expect to be in the hunt."
Jim Zorn's fallback option: Turn Joe Flacco into a Pro Bowler
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Former Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn is a born-again Christian who feels blessed to be reborn as an NFL quarterbacks coach, this time north of the Capital Beltway with the Baltimore Ravens.
No more being second-guessed in the considerable shadow of Hall of Fame Redskins coaching predecessor Joe Gibbs.
Zorn's new gig is all about another Joe — namely grooming third-year quarterback Joe Flacco into a Super Bowl winner. Flacco has led the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. Zorn was hired to help the fast-improving starter develop into a championship closer.
The former Seattle Seahawks quarterback and quarterbacks coach is grateful to be employed 60 miles north of Redskins headquarters — seemingly a world away from his disappointing stint as a first-time head coach.
POWER RANKINGS: Ravens building steam as a Super Bowl contender?
But Zorn, who doesn't swear, has nary a bad word for Redskins owner Daniel Snyder or new general manager Bruce Allen, who dismissed Zorn and his 12-20 ledger in January to hire Mike Shanahan and his Super Bowl-winning résumé.
Zorn's tenure ended with a dismal 4-12 campaign. Three months after Zorn's departure, his primary Redskins project, quarterback Jason Campbell, was shipped to the Oakland Raiders as the franchise continued its housecleaning … not that it bothers Zorn.
"I don't embarrass easily," Zorn says. "I was really frustrated with how things ended yet not frustrated enough to sink in my own house and hide out from everybody.
"The hard part was being 4-12 and how much our players fought and not being able to do it."
Zorn is a passionate, outside-the-box teacher who embraces what's next, be it quickening Flacco's feet and throwing motion or plotting a new mountain biking destination. The 57-year-old with the spiky flattop says of his rocket-armed quarterback, "He is a naturally accurate, good drop-back passer who is very intelligent in this game. We're working on his footwork, rhythm, anticipation and just improving his completion percentage.
"This game is all about movement. You can be a drop-back passer and be a pocket scrambler with subtle movement in the pocket."
Zorn slides his feet sideways to demonstrate.
"I want Joe to be more explosive and sudden, where his body is compressed so he's in a position to be more sudden throwing, because these defensive linemen in this division are very fast. And you have to not only make quick decisions, but you have to make quick movements."
As key as the trade for three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Anquan Boldin and the free agent flier on Donte' Stallworth are to helping Flacco, Zorn's perspective as a former quarterback who played in the league for 11 years might prove just as valuable.
"Jim's awesome, a great guy, down-to-earth," Flacco says. "I love every part of him being my coach."
To enhance their rapport, Zorn and his wife, Joy, recently had Flacco and his girlfriend, Dana, over to their northern Virginia home for a barbecue.
"I have to earn the right to be heard, earn his trust," Zorn says. "There's some validation there in that all he has to do is call some of the guys I've worked with."
Under Zorn and former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren, Matt Hasselbeck developed into a three-time Pro Bowler who led the Seattle to Super Bowl XL in 2006.
Now Zorn will try to improve Flacco's play between the hash marks and down the field.
"I know Joe Flacco can't do some of the things Matt Hasselbeck does," Zorn says. "But can they both be Pro Bowl quarterbacks who are super successful? Absolutely."
Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only Dan Marino, Bernie Kosar, Ben Roethlisberger and Flacco have led their team to the postseason in their first two pro seasons. During their first two years as a starter, only Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Kurt Warner had more combined regular-season and postseason wins than Flacco's 23.
But Flacco has one touchdown pass and six interceptions to go along with a 46.5 quarterback rating in his five playoff starts.
"Joe wants to take that next step," Ravens running back Ray Rice says. "He's a natural-born leader, works hard and is being very vocal. A lot of people think he's laid-back. But 'Joe Cool' can get after you in the huddle."
Flacco wants to become a 4,000-yard passer after throwing for 3,613 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 63.1% of his passes last season. A record 10 quarterbacks threw for 4,000 yards or more in 2009.
Flacco plans to throw to Boldin and Stallworth in the Baltimore area in the coming weeks, and he hopes to fly to Boldin's Arizona home to foster their rapport before training camp.
"We want to come into training camp ready to hit the ground running," Flacco says.
Like his "Joe Cool" nickname-sake, former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Joe Montana, the unflappable Flacco hopes to make his Super Bowl-winning breakthrough in his third season.
For the first time in more than a decade, the Ravens offense has every chance to be better than its punishing defense.
"We believe we have the team," Flacco says.
"We expect to be in the hunt."