Portis hopes offseason work, new offense lead to fun season

ASHBURN, Va. -- Clinton Portis is known for his fun-loving personality, not his love of workouts.

This season, the Washington Redskins' running back thinks first-year coach Jim Zorn's offensive system is going to give him more chances to have fun on the field. And he'll be ready to take advantage after spending the offseason working out in the Redskins' facilities.

Portis gained 1,262 yards last season and set the Redskins' top single-season rushing mark with 1,516 yards in 2005. However, under former coach Joe Gibbs, Portis was often called on to fight for yardage in a power-oriented game. Zorn is installing a more wide-open West Coast system, and the new coach thinks the passing threat will create open lanes for Portis.

"We're going to use him, and he knows it," Zorn said.

Portis' eyes light up when he thinks about Zorn's offense.

"I think over the past five years, playing tough-man football probably knocked six years off my career," Portis said. "But that was in the back end. I planned to play for 19 years, but now I'm down to 13, so I've got six left."

If that's true, he's certain to make the most of them.

In years past, Portis has addressed the media costumed as characters he created with gleefully ridiculous names like "Reverend Gonna Change," "Bro Sweets" and "Coach Janky Spanky."

In the opening days of this training camp, he said his role in the locker room is to keep things from getting too serious.

"He's a jokester," said fellow running back Ladell Betts.

Portis expects to have fun on the field as well this season. He acknowledged he missed some opportunities for big plays the past few seasons, but thinks he'll have far more chances to break out for long runs under Zorn.

"When you look across, you don't have to account for everybody," Portis said. "You know if you get through this hole, there's one person you've got to beat. You know I'm looking forward to that."

Portis may not have been looking forward to this offseason, which he largely spent working out at the Redskins' facilities in Virginia. In years past, Portis has headed home to South Florida for the offseason and has made no secret of his dislike for training camp practices and preseason games.