Decades ago, the name Zampese evoked touchdowns.
Ernie Zampese, assistant coach, helped to get flashy results with three NFL franchises — the “Air Coryell” Chargers after he reunited with former San Diego State mentor Don Coryell; a pair of Rams teams quarterbacked by Jim Everett that finished among the NFL’s top three in points, and, nearly 30 years ago, the last Cowboys team to win a Super Bowl.
At the NFL Combine, Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot mentioned new senior offensive assistant Ken Zampese, Ernie’s son, with hopes he can untrack the TD-challenged franchise.
The problem, as anyone in Georgia could tell you, is you can’t make a Waffle House-quality breakfast without quality waffle batter.
No quarterback with Atlanta calls to mind “Air Coryell” pilot Dan Fouts — much less Troy Aikman.
The Falcons would be NFC South favorites today if they employed the same Jim Everett who, before his much-ed tussle with talk-show host Jim Rome on a Hollywood set, led the NFL in touchdown es twice under Ernie Zampese in the late 1980s.
At least the Falcons aren’t in denial.
New head coach Raheem Morris didn’t try to perfume the air when asked last week about the team’s quarterback play.
“If we had better quarterback play,” said Morris, whose Rams’ defense abetted L.A.’s Super Bowl run three years ago, “I may not be standing here at the podium.”
Hired by Morris last month, Ken Zampese served as an NFL quarterbacks coach in three recent seasons with Washington.
He held the same role for a decade in Cincinnati.
After catching es and returning kicks for the University of San Diego, where he was named special teams player of the year as a senior, Ken began his coaching career at USC, where his dad played tailback for the Trojans in the mid-1950s.
The power of being born into favorable career circumstances is evident on high number of NFL coaching staffs. A last name may open doors, but only successful performances can keep doors open.
Ken Zampese has worked more than 30 years in coaching. Raheem Morris hired him to his sixth NFL franchise.
The puzzle pieces at QB for the Falcons are these:
Desmond Ridder, the main starter last year, had a below-average season, contributing to the dismissal of head coach Arthur Smith, under whom Ryan Tannehill turned around his career with the Titans. Drafted two years ago in the third round, Ridder gives the Falcons a budget-friendly option as a backup and developmental QB.
A large upgrade, health permitting, would be Kirk Cousins, a free agent who should attract interest from several teams and was having a big ‘23 season before his right Achilles tendon gave out in October.
Trade candidates include Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
The No. 8 pick in the draft probably will not allow the Falcons to select the likes of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye without trading up, per former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah.
Behind those three, Jeremiah also assigned first-round projections to J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.
Fontenot will be overseeing his fourth NFL Draft. He has invested a top-10 pick in three offensive players: receiver/tight end Kyle Pitts, receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson.
Almost every one of the QBs he let in a draft — a group that includes the Bears’ Fields and the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett — have yet to pan out. The lone firm exception: Brock Purdy, whom all 32 teams underestimated.
“It’s all about the makeup,” said Fontenot, a former Tulane safety who worked closely with Saints GM Mickey Loomis for 18 years. “It’s got to be the right person.”
Given their defensive backgrounds, Fontenot and Morris figure to sound out the Z & Z duo of Zac Robinson and Zampese when evaluating QBs.
Robinson is Morris’ newly hired offensive coordinator. He played QB for Oklahoma State and worked under Zampese as a Bengals backup.
Robinson, 37, reunited with Zampese, 56, four days after ing Morris’ staff.
He’s yet another member of the Sean McVay coaching tree.
Which means Jeremiah and other draftniks will regard Michigan’s McCarthy as a stylistic fit not only for Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings, among others, but also the Falcons.
Pairing a capable quarterback with the trio of young playmakers could pull Atlanta out of its rut — six losing seasons in the seven years since QB Matt Ryan and Co.’s infamous “28-3” Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.
If the QB misery continues, it’ll be more zzzs, Zac & Zampese notwithstanding.
