Florida Today:Spurrier slowly learning NFL lessons despite urgency

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http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/sportstoryS1122SPURRIER.htm

Spurrier slowly learning NFL lessons despite urgency

Ol' ball coach visits Florida on Sunday to face Dolphins

By Carl Kotala

FLORIDA TODAY

DAVIE -- When Steve Spurrier first arrived in the NFL last season, there were two schools of thought:

The master of the Fun 'n' Gun offense was going to shoot blanks against NFL defenses.

Get ready to see plenty of pictures of Dan Snyder jumping up and down in the owner's box as Spurrier's play-calling magic befuddled defensive coordinators and players alike.

Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out how it's gone so far. Spurrier's Redskins will take a 4-6 record and an offense ranked 22nd in the league into Sunday night's game against the Miami Dolphins (6-4) at Pro Player Stadium.

"All of the defenses in the NFL are so much greater than in college," the ex-Florida Gators coach said when asked what kinds of lessons he's learned since making the jump from the college ranks.

"But gosh, the offensive players, they're supposed to be better, also. To me, that's the biggest thing. The defensive coordinators and the defensive players, they're just really good. They're really good in the NFL."

Although Spurrier's teams have had their moments, the Redskins haven't exactly taken the league by storm. Washington was 7-9 last season with an offense that ranked 20th in the NFL despite a rotating quarterback system that included the forgettable Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel, as well as current starter Patrick Ramsey.

Offseason changes included the departure of running back Stephen Davis and the addition of wide receiver Laveranues Coles.

While Coles has been solid, the Redskins' running game ranks only 24th in the league. In the past two weeks, the ol' ball coach has even done something unprecedented in his 20-year coaching career, giving up the play calling duties to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson -- a move that resulted in a 1-1 record.

Spurrier has moved back into the driver's seat for Sunday's game when the Redskins face the Dolphins' 11th-ranked defense.

"I just need to be more involved," Spurrier said. "I stepped back and watched a little while. Hue did an excellent job, but I need to be talking to the quarterback and you have to have a conversation with him in between (plays). Hue will still be very involved in the play calling. Together, we'll get it done."

Just how long that will take -- and how long Spurrier plans to stick around -- is a whole other matter.

The coach is in the second season of a five-year, $25 million contract that lured him away from Gator country, but there has been speculation that a frustrated Spurrier may not be back next season, although he certainly didn't sound like a guy who plans on quitting.

"All you've got to do is look at the history now and understand that Dan Snyder's not a real patient owner and so forth," Spurrier said. "Certainly, he's expressed complete confidence in me and our coaching staff. So yeah, we feel confident. We believe that we're a few players away, maybe a few this, that and the other away.

"The challenge is still here. Shoot, we're not completely out of everything right now. We just need to play better and make some plays, coach a little bit better and things like that and if we can win a bunch of close games here on out, who knows what can happen? This year's still alive for us."

In order to get on a hot streak, the Redskins will have to do something that has never been a Spurrier specialty -- protect the passer.

Washington quarterbacks have been sacked an NFL-high 32 times this season. Part of the problem is a running game that has been ineffective all season and a relatively immobile quarterback in Ramsey, who, it was just revealed, has been playing with an injured foot all season.

For a guy like Spurrier, who was used to putting up big offensive numbers at Florida, being ranked 17th in the NFL in scoring is an eye-opener.

"Certainly, for a coach that's used to watching a whole bunch of touchdown passes and the ball going up and down the field, it's been different," Spurrier said. "But I understand why it's different. Football is pretty simple. If you're going to throw it, you've got to really have good pass protection. You've got to get guys open. The quarterback's got to play extremely well and so forth. We're just sort of struggling in all areas, to tell you the truth."

One thing Spurrier has not done this season is go back the quarterback carousel that seemed to doom the 2002 team. Ramsey, who is in his second year, has been the Redskins' guy all season, when healthy.

And even though Spurrier is notoriously tough on his quarterbacks, Ramsey said he's learned a lot.

"I've enjoyed it, really," Ramsey said. "I've learned a lot about the passing game. I think that Coach, he's got high expectations, but they're not unattainable. I think I'm a better quarterback for having played for him."

Whether Spurrier's transition to the NFL will ultimately be termed a success or a failure may take a few more seasons -- provided he stays with the Redskins that long.

But if you're looking to see if he regrets making the move, well, you've been inhaling too much swamp gas.

"I've done my thing long enough," he said. "This was the next challenge. It's still a challenge and certainly we've not had much success at all.

"So the challenge is still out there to see if we can build a championship team here."