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Q&A With Chris Cooley: New Offense

CRobi21

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CRobi21

CRobi21

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http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=34946

Cooley: New Offense Gives Him 'Options'

By Gary Fitzgerald

Redskins.com

March 21, 2008

Chris Cooley played in the West Coast offense in college at Utah State, so he has a foundation of the Redskins' new offensive approach this offseason. He talked about his first impressions of the new offense in an interview with Redskins.com and media:

Q: Do you think you're going to like playing in the West Coast offense again?

"I actually got an early head start on [learning] the offense at the Pro Bowl. Green Bay was the coaching staff at the Pro Bowl and they run the exact same offense--pretty much word for word in what we do now. We didn't get into the whole offense, but we got into it quite a bit of it. I've already spent some time on the field with Coach [Jim Zorn and Jason [Campbell], and I feel like I'll pick it up very quickly. I understand what I'm doing. This is an offense I think I'll be comfortable in."

CooleyBreaksTackleBillsGETTY1.jpg

Chris Cooley (Getty Images) Q: Why is that?

A: "I feel like it's the type of offense where the passes are going to go to the tight end on shorter [pass routes], and then let me run with the ball, which is obviously what I'm best at. I think I'll have the chance to make big plays [downfield], but I'll have more of a chance to carry the ball and make big plays with my legs. Another thing it does--it gives me a lot of options. If I'm running an in-route, then instead of just continuing to run 15 yards into the middle of the field, I can stop if I feel there's a zone in the middle of the field. That's something that's one of my better assets as a football player--finding an open spot or a soft spot and giving the quarterback a target. I feel really comfortable in that type of offense."

Q: Do you think that will help Jason's progress?

A: "We'll have to work together. Our old offense was a completely timing-based offense. We did everything based on being where you're supposed to be, exactly when you're supposed to be there. This isn't that type of offense. This is about getting open. Obviously, there's going to be some timing [patterns] involved. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of schemes involved. But there's also going to be another element in which if you're open somewhere, then you'll get the ball."

Q: Do you think it will be a tough adjustment for Jason, going from a timing-based offense to the West Coast offense?

A: "Well, this is Jason's sixth offense in seven years, so I think he'll be fine. He puts in so much work and so much effort. A lot was made of the last offense being too complicated, and I really don't believe that. It takes a little time to learn anything. And I really believe Jason can do a great job. He's going to put in a lot of work to be our leader."

Q: This is your third NFL offense. Do you think you're going to like this offense the best?

A: "It's too hard to say right now. Obviously, I've liked every offense I've been in. I've felt like a huge part of every offense I've been in. I really understand football well at this point of my career. I feel very comfortable in offense and football terminology. Any way you want to spell out any kind of play, I feel great about understanding it."

Q: Reviewing the West Coast offenses in Seattle and Green Bay in recent years, they haven't used the tight end as much. What gives you confidence that you'll be a huge part of the Redskins' offense?

A: "Good coaches take advantage of their personnel. I do all types of things--I can move all over the field. Coach Zorn and I have talked about that. Coach Zorn even said to me, 'I'm not familiar with doing this with a player, but I'm very excited to be able to move you around and really take advantage of what you can do.' As a matter of fact, I walked out of an offense staff meeting and the last words were, 'We are going to get you the ball.'"

Q: Do you expect Coach Zorn is going to have his own wrinkles on the West Coast offense?

A: "Yeah. What you do is you take a general scheme and go from there. It's basically learning a language--that's the easiest way of explaining it. Basically, you're describing [plays] with words. What happens is the coordinator or the head coach puts his spin on what you're doing from week to week. Then you change [the offensive approach] from team to team based on the opponent and make adjustments. This is a West Coast scheme that a lot of teams run in the NFL. Of course we're going to have a spin on it."

Cooley's biggest year yet!!!

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

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MurrayH81

MurrayH81

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It will be refreshing to see change, in using our best players creatively. When Cooley and CP are involved in moving the ball, the rest of the team benefits from openings elsewhere.

I am very excited about the fresh look our team will have (even as a 3.5 yards and a cloud of dust guy).

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Fieldy

Fieldy

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I can't wait to see Captain Chaos flattening some pukes this year!!! Based on what he, CP and JC have said I have high hopes for they can do with this offense...they all seem to be learning it very well and are the three BIG essential parts of it.

HTTR!!!

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Q: Do you think it will be a tough adjustment for Jason, going from a timing-based offense to the West Coast offense?

A: "Well, this is Jason's sixth offense in seven years, so I think he'll be fine. He puts in so much work and so much effort. A lot was made of the last offense being too complicated, and I really don't believe that. It takes a little time to learn anything. And I really believe Jason can do a great job. He's going to put in a lot of work to be our leader."

This answer sounds almost exactly like what I've heard of Coach Zorn so far. I think he's rubbing off on all the players who have had contact with him. Which probably means they like him.

I'm looking forward to seeing Cooley used a bit like Donald Lee was this year, with maybe 40 more catches than Lee.

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abu69

abu69

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Q: This is your third NFL offense. Do you think you're going to like this offense the best?

A: "It's too hard to say right now. Obviously, I've liked every offense I've been in. I've felt like a huge part of every offense I've been in. I really understand football well at this point of my career. I feel very comfortable in offense and football terminology. Any way you want to spell out any kind of play, I feel great about understanding it."

Cooley was a smart and instinctive football player from Day One. You can tell he really gets it.

Here's hoping this is the offense that becomes like second nature to JC too. Cuz if it does...look out!

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Special K

Special K

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Interesting read...especially b/c I hear confidence in Cooley's answers. From what I've read and heard about Zorn, it seems like he's truly focused on exhausting all assets of the personnel he's "inheirited." I like that about Zorn and I really hope that he's is able to fit Cooley into this new offense and utilize all of Cooley's beastly qualities :D Basically, I'm just really looking forward to see this upcoming season and how all of our key players fit into this new offensive scheme.

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

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Cooley is such a super smart football player. I love this guy. I'm so glad he is on our football team.

More importantly, I love how everybody seems to be on the same page. Everybody seems excited to play for Zorn and everything seems to be coming together so well. Everybody is going to work so hard on the offense to make this work well, with mostly the same players. That should fair well with our D being kept mostly together as well.

We are going to be a very good team next year.

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bulldog

bulldog

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Redskins offense underutilized both Cooley and Portis in the passing game. These are some of our best open field runners and getting them the ball short and letting them run is going to create some big plays down the field. Unfortunately, Al Saunders seemed to be enamored with Betts as a receiver out of the backfield and using the WR in the middle of the field.

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RedskinzOwnU

RedskinzOwnU

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This is my favorite quote: "Good coaches take advantage of their personnel."

This is something we've been missing for the past 4 years on the offensive side of the ball, and the main reason that I am far more optomistic about next year than I would have been under Gibbs.

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[[ghost]]

[[ghost]]

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This is my favorite quote: "Good coaches take advantage of their personnel."

This is something we've been missing for the past 4 years on the offensive side of the ball, and the main reason that I am far more optomistic about next year than I would have been under Gibbs.

I hear ya. Good offenses work around their players, they don't make the players fit their system.

I hope Zorn adapts to our players, and optimizes their abilities. Put the ball in Cooley's hands, let Portis run buck wild, and let Moss run like hell. Now imagine that offense with a big, sure handed receiver to regularly move the chains, and just let Cooley be a flat out playmaker.

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