Riggo's Rag
FanSided

Scott Turner, Ken Zampese bring a sense of Déjà vu to the Redskins

By Rik Forgo

24 Oct 1999: A close up of Coach Norv Turner of the Washington Redskins looks on from the sidelines during the game against Dallas Cowboys at the Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Redskins 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport
24 Oct 1999: A close up of Coach Norv Turner of the Washington Redskins looks on from the sidelines during the game against Dallas Cowboys at the Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Redskins 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
24 Oct 1999: A close up of Coach Norv Turner of the Washington Redskins looks on from the sidelines during the game against Dallas Cowboys at the Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Redskins 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport
24 Oct 1999: A close up of Coach Norv Turner of the Washington Redskins looks on from the sidelines during the game against Dallas Cowboys at the Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Redskins 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport /

The high-efficiency experience of the elder Turner and Zampese

After years of orchestrating Coryell’s offensive circus act for the Chargers, Zampese took on a challenging offensive coordinator job in Los Angeles. The Rams had just traded away career rushing leader Eric Dickerson to Indianapolis, and no one was sure where the offense was going to come from next.

Zampese, who along with then-wide receivers coach Norv Turner and quarterbacks coach Mike Martz, reinvented the Rams offense and, behind quarterback Jim Everett and running back Greg Bell, became the third-best offense in the league. Zampese would keep orchestrating that offense through 1993.

Meanwhile, Norv Turner took the offensive coordinator job at Dallas, in what would be his most successful years as a coach. He managed the offenses in two Super Bowl wins for the Cowboys. Having Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin certainly helped, but Turner’s offenses have been solid everywhere he has coached.

Turner’s head coaching credentials have been questioned after mediocre campaigns in Washington, Oakland and San Diego, but his offensive coordinator credentials have been solid, including two seasons in Carolina under Rivera.

Likewise, Zampese’s offenses lit up the scoreboard wherever he landed, and he was a natural fit to replace Turner in Dallas after he left to become Redskins head coach after the 1993 season.

Home/Commanders History