Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who has been one of the most, if not the most, candid of the NFL coaches regarding the possibility of a lockout, recently elaborated on the specific plans for dealing with the possibility of lost practice time during a cessation of business operations.
Appearing with Steve Davis and Ed Norris of 105.7 the Fan in Baltimore, Harbaugh said that the Ravens have backup plans ranging from “B” to “Z” based on the duration of the “impending lockout.”
Harbaugh explained that the worst-case scenario entails a three-week, post-lockout period to get ready for the regular season, and that the focus of the truncated training camp will be installing game plans for the first four opponents.
He also said that, during an offseason lockout, the coaches will focus on preparing game plans for all 14 opponents.
(The actual task won’t be as daunting. Every team plays 13 other foes. Unless he already knows that the season will be expanding in 2011 to 17 games.)
Harbaugh also defended offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and the fourth-year coach said that he had no problem with quarterback Joe Flacco’s criticism of the decision to fire quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn. Indeed, Harbaugh gushed about Flacco’s performance and potential.
“Statistically, he’s one of the best third-year quarterbacks in history of football,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t think we should ever lose sight of the fact that this guy is as good a third-year quarterback as has played in the history of this game so far. And I believe in him. He’s my quarterback, he’s our quarterback, he’s going to be our quarterback, and we’re going to win championships with this guy.”
That’s a lot of confidence in Flacco, but it’s not misplaced. Then again, with all these coaches vowing to win multiple championships with their young quarterbacks, some of these guys are going to have to play into their fifties.