Smith Set To Join Redskins

During his time in Seattle, Mitchell, a running back for nine seasons with the St. Louis and Phoenix Cardinals, was heavily involved in diagramming running plays. Zorn plans to lean on Mitchell as well, giving him the freedom to design short-yardage and goal-line plays.

"That's the way we game-planned in Seattle," Mitchell said. "It gave me an opportunity to do some of the things I like to do, but every situation is different. I'm going to do whatever Jim wants me to do, that's why I came here, but it's really not about the X's and O's, it's all about the players.

"You don't win football games because of plays, you win football games because of players executing and making plays. What we have to do is put players in position to make plays. I believe the players here have the talent to be successful, and we're going to work to help them perform at their best."

Redskins Note: In an interview at Daytona International Speedway yesterday, Gibbs said he was excited about the selection of Zorn and portrayed the front-office moves that have followed his resignation as an effort to build on the success of last season.

"I thought Dan did a great job," Gibbs said, referring to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. "It was a tough, real long process there. They were able to keep most of the coaching staff there, so that's exciting. There are only two or three coaches who are probably not going to be there. That's pretty good, considering the size of that coaching staff. So I'd say it's probably, what, 85 percent of the coaching staff that got to stay. Not only that, but all of the medical team and everybody in the equipment room. I think there's been a real continuity to trying to keep the group together."

Staff writer Liz Clarke, in Daytona Beach, Fla., and researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.