Ernie Zampese
Encyclopedia
Ernie Zampese is a former American football
player and coach. Playing for Santa Barbara High School, he was selected as the CIS Player of the Year in 1953 and went on to play at the halfback
position for the USC Trojans in 1955 and 1956. Between 1962 and 1975, he was a college football coach at Allan Hancock Junior College
(1962–1965), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
(1966) and San Diego State University
(1967–1975). Between 1976 and 1999, he served as an assistant coach, scout, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for various NFL
teams. He gained his greatest acclaim as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers
during the Air Coryell years.
's football board as the CIF Player of the Year. The Los Angeles Times
called him "Little Ernie Zampese, a durable workhorse who did everything well for the Santa Barbara High Dons." Zampese later recalled his days playing for the Dons as follows:
. He played left halfback for the USC Trojans football team from 1955 to 1956. Zampese developed a reputation as a colorful character at USC. In a 1987 feature story, the Los Angeles Times wrote of Zampese in his college days, "Zampese was a work of art, or so the legend goes, a guy who could paint the town Trojan Red at night and be seen whistling at sunrise the next morning, a Daily Racing Form
folded under his arm, a soda in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Let's just say he wasn't headed for biology class." He had his best season for the Trojans as a junior in 1956. In the Trojans' final pre-season game in September 1956, Zampese scored two rushing touchdowns and returned a punt 66 yards. Zampese's performance led sports writer Braven Dyer to write, "A lightweight named Ernie Zampese stole the show ... Weighing less than the 160 pounds credited to him on Troy's roster, the slick Santa Barbara speedster sparked the so-called second varsity unit ..." In addition to playing halfback, Zampese was also the punter for the 1956 Trojans team and was among the national leaders with an average of 43.9 yards per punt. He set the USC record for longest punt, 85 yards against Wisconsin.
In his final college football game, Zampese ran 38 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Trojans a 28-20 win over Notre Dame at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
. The Los Angeles Times concluded its coverage of the game with a tribute to Zampese, "Troy had the final word, though, and came up with the clutch play on Zampese's 38-yard run 46 seconds into the final period. Clutch? You bet! It was fourth and 1 on the Notre Dame 38 when Ernie decided to be a hero."
Zampese was barred from competition in 1957 due to Pacific Coast Conference
penalties against USC. Zampese and other players had part-time jobs which were determined to be in violation of NCAA rules. Zampese later recalled that the part-time job that cost him his eligibility as a senior was sweeping leaves for $1.50 an hour. Zampese later recalled, "We did that to get extra money because you could hardly survive on what the Pacific Coast Conference allowed for scholarships. I had to report to a groundskeeper and do whatever he did."
Having been ruled ineligible for the 1957 season, Zampese did not complete his degree at USC. He later recalled having academic problems in his senior year: "The thing that happened my last semester was that I never went to class. I took Incompletes and they turned to F's, and I blew the whole thing off. At that time, I wasn't real interested and I had no direction, other than having fun."
in the Canadian Football League
, reportedly for $9,000. He was cut by the Rough Riders in August 1958.
. He then took a job as a postman in Santa Barbara, where he was married to his wife, Joyce. He later recalled that his wife straightened him out and urged him to return to college so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a football coach. Zampese enrolled at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
and received a degree in physical education. He recalled, "For the first time, I sat down and really did the work. I was really proud of myself. The first year I ended up with a 3.0 average and, boy, that was big stuff."
Zampese got his start in coaching in 1962 when he was hired by John Madden
as the backfield coach at Allan Hancock Junior College
in Santa Maria, California
. Zampese became the head coach at Hancock in 1964 after John Madden left to join Don Coryell
's coaching staff at San Diego State University
. The brief stint as head coach at Hancock proved to be Zampese's only head coaching experience. Zampese later noted, "I did it once, and I wasn't good at it. Why? I don't know. I don't like to be the out-front guy. I'm not comfortable in that position."
In 1966, Zampese moved to Cal State San Luis Obispo
as the backfield coach.
head coach Don Coryell
as his defensive backfield coach; Zampese replaced Madden, who resigned to join the Oakland Raiders
staff. He remained an assistant coach at San Diego State from 1967 to 1975 and was one of two assistant coaches to retain his job after Coryell resigned in 1973 to join the St. Louis Cardinals
. Zampese recalled that his years as an assistant coach at San Diego State was his first exposure to a great passing attack.
coaching career in 1976 as the defensive backs coach for head coach Tommy Prothro
of the San Diego Chargers
. He spent the 1977 and 1978 seasons as a scout for the New York Jets
.
In March 1979, Zampese was reunited with Don Coryell as the wide receivers coach for the San Diego Chargers. He coached the receivers, including Hall of Famers Charlie Joiner
and Kellen Winslow
, from 1979 to 1983. In 1981, the Los Angeles Times published a feature story giving the little-known Zampese much of the credit for the famed Air Coryell offense of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Times feature appeared under the headline, "Zampese Puts Air in Coryell Attack," and portrayed Zampese as a behind-the-scenes strategist sitting in a cubbyhole and speaking in an incomprehensible jargon. Zampese explained his approach to the passing game as follows:
In 1983, Zampese was promoted to assistant head coach in charge of the passing game. In 1985, the Chargers shuffled assignments, with Zampese losing the title of assistant head coach and becoming offensive coordinator. The Los Angeles Times in December 1985 wrote the following about Zampese's new role:
During Zampese's years with the Chargers, they consistently ranked among the top offensive teams in the NFL. The team ranked first in passing offense six times in seven years from 1979 to 1985 and ranked first or second in total offense four times during the same span. The Chargers' 1982 average of 325.2 passing yards per game, still ranks as the highest average in NFL history.
. Rams head coach John Robinson had earlier been asked who he would most like to start a new coaching staff with, and without hesitation Robinson named Zampese. Zampese was described at the time as an "offensive genius" and "one of the most likable and most respected coaches in the league." Zampese spent seven years with the Rams from 1987 to 1993. Zampese took an offense that was ranked 17th in the league before he arrived, and turned it into the third best scoring offense in the NFL in 1988 and second best in 1989. His Rams' teams ranked among the top 7 in passing offense four straight years from 1988 to 1991.
. In his first year in Dallas, the Cowboys' offense finished second in the NFL in scoring with an average of 25.9 points per game. The team finished 12-4 and advanced to the NFC championship game but lost to the San Francisco 49ers
. In 1995, the Cowboys won the Super Bowl
and averaged 27.2 points per game—third best in the NFL. During the 1996 and 1997 seasons, the Cowboys' offense dropped to 25th and 22nd best in the NFL.
. He held the position for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In Zampese's first year with New England, the Patriots averaged 21.1 points per game, 11th best in the NFL. In 1999, the Patriots' offensive output dropped to 18.7 points per game, 20th in the NFL.
said of him, "He very well may be the top offensive mind in the game. Some guys can argue, but if you had a contest, I'd put him in there." Don Coryell
called him "the best offensive coach I know."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. Playing for Santa Barbara High School, he was selected as the CIS Player of the Year in 1953 and went on to play at the halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
position for the USC Trojans in 1955 and 1956. Between 1962 and 1975, he was a college football coach at Allan Hancock Junior College
Allan Hancock College
Allan Hancock College is a California public community college located in Santa Maria in northern Santa Barbara County. Approximately 11,000 credit and more than 5,500 noncredit and community services students enroll each semester.-History:...
(1962–1965), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
(1966) and San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
(1967–1975). Between 1976 and 1999, he served as an assistant coach, scout, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for various NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
teams. He gained his greatest acclaim as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
during the Air Coryell years.
Santa Barbara High School
Despite his small size (5 feet, 8 inches and 155 pounds), Zampese played tailback for Santa Barbara High School from 1951 to 1953. As a senior in 1953, Zampese rushed for 869 yards (9.3 yards per carry) and 19 touchdowns. He also passed for 1008 yards and 14 passing touchdowns. In December 1953, he was selected by the Helms Athletic FoundationHelms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
's football board as the CIF Player of the Year. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called him "Little Ernie Zampese, a durable workhorse who did everything well for the Santa Barbara High Dons." Zampese later recalled his days playing for the Dons as follows:
"We had a great tradition at Santa Barbara. The stadium was on the school grounds in a little bowl. The town was much smaller then and everyone watched the Santa Barbara Dons on Friday nights. The epitomy of success was to play for the Santa Barbara Dons. That was as high as you could go."
USC Trojans
After graduating from high school, Zampese enrolled at the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He played left halfback for the USC Trojans football team from 1955 to 1956. Zampese developed a reputation as a colorful character at USC. In a 1987 feature story, the Los Angeles Times wrote of Zampese in his college days, "Zampese was a work of art, or so the legend goes, a guy who could paint the town Trojan Red at night and be seen whistling at sunrise the next morning, a Daily Racing Form
Daily Racing Form
The Daily Racing Form is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race horses as a statistical service for bettors on horse racing in the United States....
folded under his arm, a soda in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Let's just say he wasn't headed for biology class." He had his best season for the Trojans as a junior in 1956. In the Trojans' final pre-season game in September 1956, Zampese scored two rushing touchdowns and returned a punt 66 yards. Zampese's performance led sports writer Braven Dyer to write, "A lightweight named Ernie Zampese stole the show ... Weighing less than the 160 pounds credited to him on Troy's roster, the slick Santa Barbara speedster sparked the so-called second varsity unit ..." In addition to playing halfback, Zampese was also the punter for the 1956 Trojans team and was among the national leaders with an average of 43.9 yards per punt. He set the USC record for longest punt, 85 yards against Wisconsin.
In his final college football game, Zampese ran 38 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Trojans a 28-20 win over Notre Dame at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
. The Los Angeles Times concluded its coverage of the game with a tribute to Zampese, "Troy had the final word, though, and came up with the clutch play on Zampese's 38-yard run 46 seconds into the final period. Clutch? You bet! It was fourth and 1 on the Notre Dame 38 when Ernie decided to be a hero."
Zampese was barred from competition in 1957 due to Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
penalties against USC. Zampese and other players had part-time jobs which were determined to be in violation of NCAA rules. Zampese later recalled that the part-time job that cost him his eligibility as a senior was sweeping leaves for $1.50 an hour. Zampese later recalled, "We did that to get extra money because you could hardly survive on what the Pacific Coast Conference allowed for scholarships. I had to report to a groundskeeper and do whatever he did."
Having been ruled ineligible for the 1957 season, Zampese did not complete his degree at USC. He later recalled having academic problems in his senior year: "The thing that happened my last semester was that I never went to class. I took Incompletes and they turned to F's, and I blew the whole thing off. At that time, I wasn't real interested and I had no direction, other than having fun."
Ottawa Rough Riders
In June 1958, Zampese signed a contract to play professional football for the Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, reportedly for $9,000. He was cut by the Rough Riders in August 1958.
Cal Poly and Hancock College
After being cut by the Ottawa Roughriders in the summer of 1958, Zampese took a job driving a sugar beet truck in Bakersfield, CaliforniaBakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
. He then took a job as a postman in Santa Barbara, where he was married to his wife, Joyce. He later recalled that his wife straightened him out and urged him to return to college so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a football coach. Zampese enrolled at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
and received a degree in physical education. He recalled, "For the first time, I sat down and really did the work. I was really proud of myself. The first year I ended up with a 3.0 average and, boy, that was big stuff."
Zampese got his start in coaching in 1962 when he was hired by John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
as the backfield coach at Allan Hancock Junior College
Allan Hancock College
Allan Hancock College is a California public community college located in Santa Maria in northern Santa Barbara County. Approximately 11,000 credit and more than 5,500 noncredit and community services students enroll each semester.-History:...
in Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
. Zampese became the head coach at Hancock in 1964 after John Madden left to join Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
's coaching staff at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. The brief stint as head coach at Hancock proved to be Zampese's only head coaching experience. Zampese later noted, "I did it once, and I wasn't good at it. Why? I don't know. I don't like to be the out-front guy. I'm not comfortable in that position."
In 1966, Zampese moved to Cal State San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
as the backfield coach.
San Diego State
In June 1967, he was hired by San Diego StateSan Diego State Aztecs football
The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of...
head coach Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
as his defensive backfield coach; Zampese replaced Madden, who resigned to join the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
staff. He remained an assistant coach at San Diego State from 1967 to 1975 and was one of two assistant coaches to retain his job after Coryell resigned in 1973 to join the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Zampese recalled that his years as an assistant coach at San Diego State was his first exposure to a great passing attack.
San Diego Chargers
He began his NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
coaching career in 1976 as the defensive backs coach for head coach Tommy Prothro
Tommy Prothro
James Thompson "Tommy" Prothro, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Oregon State University from 1955 to 1964 and at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1965 to 1970, compiling a career college football record of 104–55–5...
of the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He spent the 1977 and 1978 seasons as a scout for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In March 1979, Zampese was reunited with Don Coryell as the wide receivers coach for the San Diego Chargers. He coached the receivers, including Hall of Famers Charlie Joiner
Charlie Joiner
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...
and Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow
Kellen Boswell Winslow is a former American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. He is currently the athletic director at Central State University.Winslow did not play high...
, from 1979 to 1983. In 1981, the Los Angeles Times published a feature story giving the little-known Zampese much of the credit for the famed Air Coryell offense of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Times feature appeared under the headline, "Zampese Puts Air in Coryell Attack," and portrayed Zampese as a behind-the-scenes strategist sitting in a cubbyhole and speaking in an incomprehensible jargon. Zampese explained his approach to the passing game as follows:
"Everybody uses basically the same pass patterns. Philosophy varies in the formations you throw from. We have a lot of formations and movements. When you move like we do, you get constant movement from the defense. We have to do a lot of adjusting and reading on the move. ... There's no question our movement is confusing. Our movement can change the strength of a formation from strong left to strong right. We like to eliminate the pre-snap thought and anticipation by the defense. It's a game of matchups, and our formations are primarily predicated on certain matchups."
In 1983, Zampese was promoted to assistant head coach in charge of the passing game. In 1985, the Chargers shuffled assignments, with Zampese losing the title of assistant head coach and becoming offensive coordinator. The Los Angeles Times in December 1985 wrote the following about Zampese's new role:
"Fortunately for morale, Zampese is not the type to worry about what he is called. For that matter, he probably did not even know that he was assistant head coach and undoubtedly does not care that he is now a mere offensive coordinator. If he knows. Zampese's only interest is in designing a high-octane offense. All he needs is a blackboard and a projector. He does not need a desk and he cares not what it says on the door. He could work in a cave on Mt. Laguna and be happy."
During Zampese's years with the Chargers, they consistently ranked among the top offensive teams in the NFL. The team ranked first in passing offense six times in seven years from 1979 to 1985 and ranked first or second in total offense four times during the same span. The Chargers' 1982 average of 325.2 passing yards per game, still ranks as the highest average in NFL history.
| Year | Position | Points/game | Passing yards | Pass yds/game | Passing offense rank | Scoring offense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 1979 San Diego Chargers season The 1979 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 1978. They made the playoffs for the first time in 14 years... |
Wide receivers | 25.7 | 3915 | 244.7 | 1 | 2 |
| 1980 1980 San Diego Chargers season The 1980 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 12–4 record in 1979. They won their first playoff game in 17 years... |
Wide receivers | 26.1 | 4531 | 283.2 | 1 | 4 |
| 1981 1981 San Diego Chargers season The 1981 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 1980. In the playoffs they beat the Dolphins in a game known as the Epic in Miami and lost to the Bengals in a game known as the Freezer Bowl.... |
Wide receivers | 29.9 | 4739 | 296.2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1982 1982 San Diego Chargers season The 1982 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 10–6 record in 1981. It was a strike-shorten season so the league was divided up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment. It ended with a second round loss to the... |
Wide receivers | 32.0 | 2927 | 325.2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 1983 San Diego Chargers season -See also:*1983 NFL season... |
Asst. head coach | 22.4 | 4661 | 291.3 | 1 | 12 |
| 1984 1984 San Diego Chargers season The 1984 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 1983.-Schedule:-Standings:-See also:*1984 NFL season... |
Asst. head coach | 24.6 | 4643 | 290.2 | 2 | 6 |
| 1985 1985 San Diego Chargers season The 1985 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 7–9 record in 1984. It was Don Coryell' final season as the teams head coach.-Schedule:-Standings:-See also:*1985 NFL season... |
Offensive coordinator | 29.2 | 4870 | 304.4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 1986 San Diego Chargers season The 1986 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 8–8 record in 1985. It was Al Saunders' first season as the teams head coach. Leslie O'Neal was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
Offensive coordinator | 20.9 | 3780 | 236.3 | 7 | 15 |
Los Angeles Rams
In February 1987, Zampese signed as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Rams head coach John Robinson had earlier been asked who he would most like to start a new coaching staff with, and without hesitation Robinson named Zampese. Zampese was described at the time as an "offensive genius" and "one of the most likable and most respected coaches in the league." Zampese spent seven years with the Rams from 1987 to 1993. Zampese took an offense that was ranked 17th in the league before he arrived, and turned it into the third best scoring offense in the NFL in 1988 and second best in 1989. His Rams' teams ranked among the top 7 in passing offense four straight years from 1988 to 1991.
| Year | Position | Points | Passing yards | Passing offense rank | Scoring offense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 1987 Los Angeles Rams season The 1987 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 50th year with the National Football League and the 42nd season in Los Angeles.-Regular season:... |
Offensive coordinator | 317 | 2554 | 27 | 16 |
| 1988 1988 Los Angeles Rams season The 1988 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 51st year with the National Football League and the 43rd season in Los Angeles.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Awards and records:*Greg Bell, NFL Leader, Touchdowns, 18 TD's... |
Offensive coordinator | 407 | 3805 | 3 | 3 |
| 1989 1989 Los Angeles Rams season The 1989 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 52nd year with the National Football League and the 44th season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Regular season:In week 16, Jerry Gray returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown... |
Offensive coordinator | 426 | 4133 | 4 | 2 |
| 1990 1990 Los Angeles Rams season The 1990 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 53rd year with the National Football League and the 45th season in Los Angeles. On November 11, 1990, Marcus Dupree made his NFL debut against the New York Giants.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-See also:... |
Offensive coordinator | 345 | 3818 | 3 | 12 |
| 1991 1991 Los Angeles Rams season The 1991 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 54th year with the National Football League and the 46th season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Regular season:... |
Offensive coordinator | 234 | 3410 | 7 | 24 |
| 1992 1992 Los Angeles Rams season The 1992 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 55th year with the National Football League and the 47th season in Los Angeles.-Staff:-Schedule:-See also:Other Anaheim–based teams in 1992* California Angels ... |
Offensive coordinator | 313 | 3218 | 10 | 12 |
| 1993 1993 Los Angeles Rams season The 1993 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 56th year with the National Football League and the 48th season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-See also:Other Anaheim–based teams in 1993* California Angels ... |
Offensive coordinator | 221 | 2790 | 23 | 26 |
Dallas Cowboys
From 1994 to 1997, he was the offensive coordinator for the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. In his first year in Dallas, the Cowboys' offense finished second in the NFL in scoring with an average of 25.9 points per game. The team finished 12-4 and advanced to the NFC championship game but lost to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. In 1995, the Cowboys won the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
and averaged 27.2 points per game—third best in the NFL. During the 1996 and 1997 seasons, the Cowboys' offense dropped to 25th and 22nd best in the NFL.
| Year | Position | Points | Passing yards | Passing offense rank | Scoring offense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 1994 Dallas Cowboys season The 1994 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 35th in the NFL. Following their second Super Bowl title, the Cowboys would see a multitude of changes. In March, months of frustration finally reached its climax as team owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson held a press conference and... |
Offensive coordinator | 414 | 3368 | 13 | 2 |
| 1995 1995 Dallas Cowboys season The 1995 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 36th in the NFL and final of the three Super Bowl titles they would win in the 1990s. Dallas would be the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a span of four seasons... |
Offensive coordinator | 435 | 3623 | 13 | 3 |
| 1996 1996 Dallas Cowboys season -Regular season:Against the Chicago Bears in week one, running back Emmitt Smith would leave the game late with an injury that left him temporary paralyzed. Though not career-threatening, Smith's injury would hamper his effectiveness for the duration of the season... |
Offensive coordinator | 286 | 3122 | 20 | 25 |
| 1997 1997 Dallas Cowboys season The 1997 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 38th in the NFL and for the first time since 1990, the team would suffer a losing season and miss the playoffs.-Regular season:... |
Offensive coordinator | 304 | 3141 | 20 | 22 |
New England Patriots
In January 1998, Zampese signed as offensive coordinator with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. He held the position for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In Zampese's first year with New England, the Patriots averaged 21.1 points per game, 11th best in the NFL. In 1999, the Patriots' offensive output dropped to 18.7 points per game, 20th in the NFL.
| Year | Position | Points | Passing yards | Passing offense rank | Scoring offense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 1998 New England Patriots season The 1998 New England Patriots season was the 29th season for the team in the National Football League and 39th season overall. They finished with a 9–7 record, good for fourth place in the division but also a playoff berth; they lost in the first round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.In the offseason,... |
Offensive coordinator | 337 | 3660 | 5 | 11 |
| 1999 1999 New England Patriots season The 1999 New England Patriots season was the 30th season for the team in the National Football League and 40th season overall. They finished with a 8–8 record, tied for fourth place in the division, and out of the playoffs.... |
Offensive coordinator | 299 | 3636 | 10 | 20 |
Honors and accolades
Over the course of his career, Zampese has been recognized as one of the greatest offensive strategists in the game. John MaddenJohn Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
said of him, "He very well may be the top offensive mind in the game. Some guys can argue, but if you had a contest, I'd put him in there." Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
called him "the best offensive coach I know."