Rams Name Zampese as Offensive Coordinator : Former San Diego Chargers Aide Is Expected to Enliven Team’s Passing Game

Ram Coach John Robinson says he gets asked two questions at this time of year: “What do coaches do in the offseason?” and “Why the hell don’t you pass more?”

It might be down to just one question next year.

The Rams announced Wednesday that Ernie Zampese, offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers for the last four seasons, would assume the same post with the Rams Monday.

Zampese, 50, had worked under former Charger coach Don Coryell for 14 years and is considered the primary architect of San Diego’s passing attack. The Chargers led the NFL in total offense in six of the eight years Zampese was with the club.

“Ernie is the best offensive coach in football, I think,” said Coryell, who was fired last season. “It’s a great loss for the Chargers and a great gain for the Rams.”

That also summed up the way Robinson feels.

“Ernie was the coordinator of one of the most positive passing environments in football,” Robinson said. “His addition gives us the final touch to what I feel is one of the best staffs in the league. He will assume the role as the overall coordinator of the offense and work primarily in the passing game with Dick Coury (quarterback coach) and Norval Turner (receiver coach).”

Zampese, whose contract with the Chargers had expired, said he had never even considered leaving San Diego and was close to signing a new deal with the Chargers when the Rams called last Thursday.

“This is the best thing to do for me and my family,” he said. “Sometimes in their life everyone needs a change. I love San Diego and hate to think of leaving, but this is a new challenge and I’m excited about pursuing it.”

Zampese will not take credit for designing the Chargers’ current passing game--he says he just followed the path blazed by Coryell and former offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs--but he is excited about his new task with the Rams.

“The Rams are hoping to balance they’re offensive productivity,” he said. “They have been a running team and they hope to throw more effectively. We haven’t really got into the specifics. We’ll discuss that next week. Basically, I will help to develop a passing attack.”

The Rams’ once-lethargic passing game awakened last season with the arrival of rookie quarterback Jim Everett, who started the last 6 games and passed for 1,018 yards and 8 touchdowns. Robinson thinks Zampese can help develop a system to suit Everett’s talents.

“What we’ve attempted to do in San Diego is build an offense based on the players we had,” Zampese said, “and I’m sure that sort of approach will take place with the Rams. Until I study their personnel more, I can’t say exactly what avenue the passing game will follow. I would think that portions of the passing game will be redesigned, though.

“But the running attack won’t be messed with at all. Eric Dickerson will get the football. What the Rams want to do is get enough passing to keep teams from jamming the line with eight or nine defensive guys.”

Zampese was approached about the head coaching positions at Indianapolis and Houston but declined to talk with either club.

“It (a head coaching job) is not my style,” he said. “I’m not the up-front guy . . . I’m uncomfortable in that position.”

Robinson, on the other hand, thinks he and his team are in a most comfortable position.

“It is my intention to make our team more balanced,” Robinson said. “We clearly must improve our passing game. Jim Everett has the talent and our staff has the expertise. Now, we must do it.”

Zampese joined the Chargers for the first time as a defensive backfield coach in 1976. He spent the next two years as a scout with the Jets before returning to San Diego under Coryell in 1979. He coached the receivers for four years and was named offensive coordinator in 1983.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at Allan Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, working under John Madden. It was Madden who introduced Zampese to Robinson. Zampese became the head coach at Hancock in 1964. In 1967, he became an assistant at San Diego State, where he coached the secondary for nine years (1967-75).

Zampese was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where he was a running back in high school. He was a starting tailback at USC in 1955-56 and still holds the Trojan (and Pacific 10) record for longest punt--85 yards.

“I never envisioned leaving San Diego,” he said, “but the more my wife and I talked, the more the excitement of doing something different took over.