Following in Joe Gibbs' Footsteps: Big Shoes to Fill for Redskins' Coaches

In sports, it is often easier to be the men behind the scenes, staying out of the spotlight and working out of the limelight.  Sure, you might not get the praise you deserve, but you also avoid the bloodthirsty fans that call for your head when something goes wrong.

For 10 years, Jim Zorn did exactly that, building a quality career as an assistant coach in the NFL. 

Always the bridesmaid but never the bride, Zorn quietly became one of the most successful coaches in the league, primarily helping Matt Hasselbeck become one of the premier slingers in football while in the Emerald City, before moving on to the nation's capital in 2008.

Zorn's life changed forever when he was tapped to take over the reins from legendary Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs.  If it wasn't hard enough to become the main man in the NFL, being the successor for a three-time Super Bowl champ like Gibbs is almost career suicide.

Rather than cower from the pressure, Zorn responded to the challenge the same way that he did when he was the quarterback for the Seahawks during their expansion years: with vigor and intensity.  Like building a relationship with Hall of Famer Steve Largent, Zorn soon surrounded himself with the best coaches in the business.

Defensive Coordinator Greg Blache oversees one of the best defenses in the NFL, a unit that has been upgraded even further with the addition of Albert Haynesworth and Brian Orakpo.

In his sixth year with the team, Blache has been in the NFL for the past quarter century, often instilling great work ethics and heart into the players he helps coach. During his time with the 'Skins, his defense has ranked in the top-10 in the NFL each season.

On the other side of the ball, the West Coast offense is in the hands of Sherman Smith, a man who Zorn is familiar with after being his teammate with him back in Seattle. 

Smith, a 22-year veteran, is in his second year with the Redskins after working 13 years as running backs coach with the Tennessee Titans, a skill that has been vital in the success of star runner Clinton Portis.

Finally, no team would be complete without the leadership of the special teams coach.  Danny Smith, in his fifth year with the Redskins, is the head of this unit, crafting it into one of the best in the league.

In 2007, his kickoff unit ranked fourth in the NFL in opponent's starting field position.

Although Zorn has been moved out of the shadows and into the hot seat, he has given himself the best opportunity to be successful in Washington. 

You may never hear their names, but those coordinators and coaches are just as vital to the Redskins' triumphs and failures this year as the players in between the lines.