Wednesday, December 6
Robiskie is motivator Turner wasn't



ASHBURN, Va. -- There's an attitude adjustment under way at Redskins Park. The tactician's savvy of Norv Turner is out, and the motivational fire of Terry Robiskie is in.

The Washington Redskins fired Turner on Monday and replaced him with passing game coordinator Robiskie, a tough-love coach whose big TV moment this year was his face-to-face sideline yelling match with receiver Albert Connell during a game at Philadelphia.

Terry Robiskie
Terry Robiskie seems to have the kind of fire Redskins players want to see.

"Norv did not threaten players," guard Keith Sims said. "Some guys took advantage of him. Terry -- you're not going to take advantage of him."

Robiskie, 46, has been lobbying for a head coaching position for several years and has been active in the pursuit of more coaching opportunities for blacks. He joins Minnesota's Dennis Green and Tampa Bay's Tony Dungy as the only black coaches in the NFL.

But no one was concerned with Robiskie's color on Monday. They were consumed by his passion and emotions.

His opening speech, in which he promised to hold everyone accountable in his three-game quest to prove his mettle as a head coach, drew a standing ovation from the players.

"Terry has no problem with calling guys out, I promise you that," cornerback Deion Sanders said. "I wish you could hear his pregame speeches on Saturday nights."

While players were reluctant to criticize Turner's motivational skills, they made it clear things would be different under Robiskie. The Redskins (7-6) probably need to win their last three games to make the playoffs.

"Terry is a catalyst," guard Tre Johnson said. "Terry's going to get things done. He's not going to take any trash from anybody. He's going to be a lot more aggressive with how he coaches each individual on the team. He's a motivational guy."

Some of that motivation might have been exhibited Tuesday when Robiskie told the Washington Post he won't replace kicker Eddie Murray, who missed field-goal attempts from 39 and 49 yards in Sunday's 9-7 loss to the New York Giants.

A star running back at LSU in the mid-1970s, Robiskie played three seasons with Oakland and two with Miami. He was an assistant with the Raiders (1982-93) and was one of Turner's first hires with the Redskins in 1994. Originally the receivers coach, Robiskie had his title changed to passing game coordinator last year.

"I don't want to compare my motivational skills to Norv Turner's, but I think depending on what the event is, I could motivate you if I had to," Robiskie said. "Everything I've ever done, I've done it through motivation. When I sit in the receivers' meeting, I do it through motivation. I believe to get anyone to believe in you, trust you, you've got to motivate, and that's my coaching style."

Robiskie said he will call the plays on game day, as Turner did, and will shuffle the coaching staff so he won't have to spend as much time with the receivers. In his first move, he fired special teams coach LeCharls McDaniel. He also said Jeff George will start as quarterback in Sunday's game at Dallas.

"Everybody is going to be under the microscope," Robiskie said. "My receivers know there are some things Terry Robiskie won't stand for. That won't change."





ALSO SEE
D.C. follies: Redskins fire Turner as head coach

Garber: Turner-Snyder divorce was inevitable

Mort Report: Last laugh could be on Snyder


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