It's official - Al Saunders is our new offensive coordinator!

Now that Snyder has recognized that money spent on good coaching is a better dollar for dollar bargain than money spent on talent - is it long before each player has his own coach?

I join in the "This would be a great aquisition." chorus. It essentially gives us two head coach quality coordinators. Either Willliams or Saunders could step in after Gibbs stops coaching and moves up to CEO/General Manager/Redskin Guru and all-around football man.

One question though: Has Saunders worked with/for anyone from the Gibbs/Coryell coaching tree? Just curious.

He worked with Gibbs at USC

He worked with Gibbs at USC


That must of been at least 30 years ago, right TAFKAS?

what exactly is musgraves job?coach gibbs calls the plays,musgrave is the qb's coach,but what is that?i would love saunders coming to dc and dont see the raiders stopping that because al davis in notorerious for being cheap when it comes to coaches,lord knows dan snyder isnt

My understanding is that the QB coach (and other position coaches) tend to work with those players buried deeper than 1-2. So a QB coach will work to develop the young #3-4 quarterbacks in hopes that they will eventually progress.

Its pretty clear that the skins organization is specifically targetting the super bowl next year. Maybe so that Gibbs can win it all and then retire. The first time Danny tried to buy the super bowl, he splurged on overpriced free agent players - this time, he's splurging on coaches. Smart move.

This would be a truly inspired play if Gibbs went this direction. Admitting that you need a new perspective from outside eyes. Not saying Gibbs isn't capable but I am a big fan of inclusive analysis. Get people with differing ideas and let them hash it out. Gibbs is showing that his best atrributes are in management and finding the right people to get the job done. I hope this guy ends up here and is the right guy.

An interesting side discussion. One thing that I have heard some analysts say and something that makes a lot of sense. The only real difference between today's game and the game in the 80's is the salary cap of course. But the real difference with that is that it makes COACHING the most important thing a team has going for it. With players constantly in and out COACHING is the real difference maker today. Maybe Joe has realized that and thinks he needs to upgrade his staff's offensive IQ (for the lack of a better term). He certainly displayed such tendencies when he got Snyder to pony up and keep Williams around at almost any cost.

That must of been at least 30 years ago, right TAFKAS?

Right. Early 1970s. In the mid 1980s, he was the receivers coach and then assistant head coach under Coryell in San Diego. Then he took over as head coach, I think in 1986.

Gibbs has never been against bringing in guys he feels can help improve things. If it's one thing that Gibbs doesn't have it's an ego. Saunders would be an incredible move on the Skins part and we would easily have the best staff in the league.

My understanding is that the QB coach (and other position coaches) tend to work with those players buried deeper than 1-2. So a QB coach will work to develop the young #3-4 quarterbacks in hopes that they will eventually progress.
Depends on the organization and personel. In Balt Fassel works with Boller and Wright while Neuheisel worked with their 3rd stringer. I would guess in Wash that Musgrave(equivalent to Fassel) worked closely with only Campbell while Breaux and Burns worked with Ramsey and Brunell as a group. I think the experience level of the QBs in question determine how much individual coaching they get.

Damn! I sure hope this happens!! I wonder if Sauders is a Gibbs' type of guy? Anybody know about his personality?

ALSO - Wasn't he head coach of San Diego a few years ago?