USA TODAY International Edition
Haskins’ prep key for Redskins
Saddled with a 0- 5 record and sagging attendance to home games, the Redskins on Monday made the long- anticipated move of firing head coach Jay Gruden.
The first coach fired in the NFL this season, Gruden was the longest- tenured leader in Daniel Snyder’s 20 seasons as owner of Washington’s football team. But in six campaigns, he produced a 35- 49- 1 record, only two winning records and just one playoff appearance.
In a familiar theme, the Redskins were plagued by poor execution on both sides of the ball, a lack of discipline, debilitating injuries, a poor culture and division among the team’s top decision- makers.
This long- dysfunctional franchise finds itself again hitting the reset button as president Bruce Allen announced Monday offensive line coach Bill Callahan has been promoted to interim head coach.
Callahan, who joined the team in 2015, finds himself in a difficult position as he inherits the same problems while trying to figure out how to fix a team that ranks fifth worst in both total offense and defense.
He’ll try to restore order and coax winning ways out of this bunch. But in- season fir
ings rarely produce dramatic turnarounds in the NFL.
So the priority for the next 12 weeks should be one thing: the development of quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
The No. 15 pick of this year’s draft, Haskins dazzled in his one season as a starter at Ohio State and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. However, the Redskins were never on the same page regarding the quarterback. While Snyder, Allen and other members of the front office saw him as the answer for their long- running instability at quarterback, Gruden did not. That’s partly because the coach knew he was entering this season needing a winning record to save his job. He didn’t have time to develop a quarterback.
Throughout training camp, the preseason and the start of the regular season, Gruden maintained that Haskins wasn’t equipped to play at a high level in the NFL.
Coaches have two choices when working with a rookie quarterback: They can strip down their offense and tailor it to the young player’s strengths to get him on the field as quickly as possible, or they can continue to run their offense with a veteran and keeping the rookie on the bench.
Gruden opted for the latter by going with Case Keenum, only playing Haskins for a portion of the Week 4 loss to the Giants in which the rookie threw three interceptions before returning to the bench on Sunday.
Now, however, Callahan and offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell must determine the best way to handle Haskins.
At his first news conference Monday, Callahan made it clear he agrees Haskins isn’t ready to start.
“Not right now. But he will be at some point in time,” said Callahan, whose first game in his new role comes Sunday against the winless Dolphins. “We’re going to continue to develop him and heighten his maturation process.”
It does, however, sound like it’s a matter of when, not if, Haskins does move into that leading role. Callahan repeatedly said he believes the young passer is the team’s future.
However, since joining the team in the spring, the rookie has had to learn an approach and responsibilities that differ greatly from what he was asked to do while running Ohio State’s spread offense in 2018. He has had to learn how to diagnose more complex defenses and run and pass concepts as well as memorize wordy and intricate play calls.
As a backup, Haskins has received only limited snaps in Washington’s offense. Instead, his duties have involved running the scout- team offense while watching Keenum and then Colt McCoy direct Washington’s first- stringers.
Whether it’s for upcoming games against the 49ers or the Vikings or some later date, Callahan wants Haskins equipped. He said he plans to find ways to make Haskins comfortable quickly even though there are only so many practice reps to go around.
People both inside and outside of the organization familiar with Haskins’ game scoff at the notion he is far away from being game- ready. When reports surfaced Monday morning alleging that Haskins still can’t call plays in the huddle or read defenses, two different people familiar with the team called those claims “crazy” and “untrue.” They spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak for the organization.
They also believe that with the right game plan Haskins can compete as a rookie.
Callahan didn’t reveal a timeline for starting Haskins, noting only that he wants him to have “a package of plays that he can go out and execute and know that they are his and have ownership of those plays.”
Callahan’s philosophy of placing a greater emphasis on the run game could position Haskins for greater success.
To date, Washington ranks secondto- last in rushing attempts per game ( 17.6). Gruden has always preferred a pass- first approach.
But establishing the run game can ease pressure on both a battered offensive line and the quarterback. Callahan stressed Washington can improve in this area, and he aims to feature running back Adrian Peterson more prominently.
And if Washington can indeed regain effectiveness on the ground, that will put Haskins — or whoever the team starts at quarterback — in more manageable third- down situations.
This might be a passing league, but the success of teams like the 49ers, Seahawks, Ravens, Colts, Cowboys, Bills, Panthers and Jaguars serves as proof that healthy rushing attacks can indeed lead to overall success on offense. And in several of those cases, an effective ground game has helped young, stilldeveloping quarterbacks succeed on the fly.
At 0- 5, of course, Redskins players, coaches and decision- makers would love to see some wins. But in truth, the season is lost.
Positioning Haskins to play sooner rather than later would translate into a stronger foundation for the rookie while also providing the necessary evaluation opportunities that Washington officials need as they try to determine yet again what direction they should go.