Gibbs begins to assess team

Joined by 10 of his newly hired assistant coaches and nearly the club’s entire scouting department, Joe Gibbs yesterday began reviewing films of his Washington Redskins in action this season.

The 63-year-old coach emerged at 8p.m. from a long day’s work with the energy and enthusiasm of someone two decades younger.

“It was a great exchange,” Gibbs said. “We started looking at our personnel. We had a good, productive day. … There’s only one way to do this. It’s a hard job, hard from the standpoint of time and demands. … That’s the only way I know how to do it.”

Gibbs said he still has “quite a bit to go” to finalize his entire staff, and he continues to be hampered by NFL rules that make it difficult to talk with coaches still under contract with other clubs. Among the positions he is looking to fill are a running backs and a wide receivers coach, plus several members of his defensive staff.

The process has been further delayed by the slow-moving Buffalo Bills, who yesterday announced the hiring of Mike Mularkey as coach but haven’t determined what to do with the holdovers from ex-coach Gregg Williams’ staff. Williams, who was one of Gibbs’ first hires as defensive coordinator, is believed to want to bring in several of his former assistants, including defensive backs coach Jerry Gray and defensive line coach Tim Krumrie.

Mularkey, however, said yesterday he won’t meet with the holdover assistants until today to discuss the possibility of staying in Buffalo. Gray and assistant head coach Dick LeBeau are candidates to become defensive coordinator.

Asked specifically about the situation in Buffalo as it pertains to his staff, Gibbs said: “I just think the whole process there has been slow. We’re hoping that it moves along so we can get some direction there.”

Though the Redskins have not formally announced all of their hirings, 10 members of Gibbs’ staff are in place and participated in yesterday’s meetings: Williams, Joe Bugel (assistant head coach/offensive line), offensive coaches Don Breaux, Jack Burns, Ernie Zampese, Rennie Simmons, Coy Gibbs and Bill Lazor, safeties/third down coach Steve Jackson and special teams coach Danny Smith.

Not all of the coaches’ roles have been defined, Gibbs cautioned, which explains why he said he’s still looking for a running backs coach even though it was assumed Breaux would hold that title. He also hasn’t announced who his offensive coordinator will be, though there are indications the job could be shared among several assistants.

“You guys are doing a pretty good job trying to pin me down, but it’s still up in the air,” Gibbs said. “We have great flexibility there. I want Don to be able to have some freedom there this time. … We’re probably going to bring in somebody else at the backs to work with him.”

Gibbs also said there are still more former players and coaches of his that could wind up joining the Redskins in some capacity.

“We’re going to sit down and talk about a number of guys,” he said. “There will be several positions there, and they won’t all be on the coaching staff.”