Stump Mitchell tags along with Jim Zorn

ASHBURN, Va. — Stump Mitchell followed Jim Zorn to the Washington Redskins on Wednesday, joining the team as running-backs coach.

Mitchell, the Seattle Seahawks running-backs coach since 1999, will also have the title of assistant head coach with the Redskins. He and Zorn worked together on the Seahawks staff from 2001 through last season.

The higher job title made it more than a lateral move for Mitchell, who helped make Shaun Alexander into the 2005 NFL Most Valuable Player and helped develop Seahawks fullbacks Mack Strong (a two-time Pro Bowler) and Leonard Weaver and backup running back Maurice Morris into major contributors to Seattle's offense in recent years.

"He's been a running back in this league, and I know him very well," Zorn said. "And I know how he teaches. He's an excellent teacher."

Mitchell played nine NFL seasons in the 1980s. He was the coach at Morgan State from 1996 to 1998 before joining the Seahawks.

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, who will finish his final season with the team in 2008, has now lost Mitchell, quarterbacks coach Zorn, wide-receivers coach Nolan Cromwell, offensive-line coach Bill Laveroni, offensive quality-control coach Gary Reynolds and special assistant Ray Rhodes — since the end of the 2007 season. Mike Solari is replacing Laveroni, the only one of the departed whom the Seahawks fired.

Meanwhile, Zorn was waiting to hear whether Tennessee Titans assistant head coach Sherman Smith, a former Seahawks running back, will accept the job as offensive coordinator. It's the only remaining vacancy on the staff of the new Redskins coach.

Smith, also the Titans running-backs coach, and his wife visited Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"He's considering this," Zorn said. "He's comfortable there in Nashville. He's just got to decide."

Zorn said he hopes to have an answer by the end of the week and has other candidates in mind in case Smith doesn't accept the position. Zorn and Smith played together for the Seahawks in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Zorn said he will call the plays if Smith takes the job.

"He does not want to call the plays," Zorn said. "And I want to call the plays."

Moon in court today

Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, who is part of the Seahawks' broadcast team, is scheduled to appear in court this morning.

Moon, 51, goes before Judge David Steiner in the East Division of King County District Court in Redmond at 9:15 for a revocation hearing. He could be sentenced to up to 90 days in jail for violating conditions of a sentencing suspended after he pleaded guilty to negligent driving in August.

Moon might not be finished with his legal troubles after today. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in Kirkland Municipal Court on March 31 after pleading not guilty to a charge of driving under the influence that stemmed from a Dec. 28, 2007, incident on Highway 520.

Moon was stopped by police that early morning and refused a field sobriety and Breathalyzer test. He pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge on Feb. 4.

Staff reporter José Miguel Romero contributed to this report.