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Chargers Find Their Man: Henning : Washington Redskins Assistant Expected to Be Named Coach Today

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Times Staff Writer

Highly placed officials from the Chargers and Washington Redskins organizations confirmed Wednesday that Redskin assistant Dan Henning will be the next Charger coach.

The official announcement is expected today after Henning and Steve Ortmayer, the Chargers’ director of football operations, meet to finalize contract details.

The other finalists to replace Al Saunders were Charger defensive coordinator Ron Lynn, Charger special teams coach Wayne Sevier, former California and Illinois Coach Mike White and Chicago Bears running backs coach Johnny Roland.

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Neither White nor Lynn chose to comment, although Lynn said he had talked to Henning last week in Indianapolis at the scouting combine workouts. Lynn is expected to be retained as Henning’s defensive coordinator.

Henning was the only candidate with head coaching experience. He was 22-41-1 in four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (1983-86). But the Falcons have won only eight games in the two seasons since he left.

Jerry Rhome, Charger offensive coordinator, worked with Henning in Washington where both were assistants on the Redskin team that won Super Bowl XXII in San Diego. It is not immediately known whether Henning will move to retain Rhome.

Henning and Ortmayer also will have to decide on an offensive line coach. Jerry Wampfler left the Chargers this week to become an assistant with the Detroit Lions.

Henning’s offensive line coach in Atlanta was Larry Beightol, currently the offensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay Coach Ray Perkins recently asked Beightol if he planned to join Henning in San Diego. Beightol told Perkins he would leave only if offered a promotion.

Meanwhile, Perkins signed Beightol to a two-year contract extension. That doesn’t rule out Beightol as a possible Charger assistant, maybe even offensive coordinator. But Henning almost certainly will run the Charger offense if named.

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Henning almost took the Raiders’ coaching job last year. But he and Raider owner Al Davis reportedly disagreed on whom would have final say on the 45-man roster. Henning’s attributes are a quick mind, an indefatigable work ethic and the ability to conceive innovative offensive strategy.

Those qualities attracted Davis and, more recently, Ortmayer, who worked under Davis in the Raider organization before coming to San Diego two years ago.

Ortmayer and Charger owner Alex Spanos were unavailable for comment Wednesday.

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