ASHBURN, Va. - The Washington Redskins will have a new offensive coordinator - although the current one isn't going anywhere.

Head coach Steve Spurrier announced yesterday that he would give up the coordinator title to running backs coach Hue Jackson after Sunday's regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

Spurrier will still be the primary signal caller from the sideline next fall, but Jackson's assistance should give Spurrier more time to direct the entire team, including decisions regarding personnel.

"He will coordinate - which he's been doing a lot anyway - the running game, the pass protection with the [offensive] line, the coaches," Spurrier said after practice yesterday. "Hopefully, [this will] just free me up to look in a little bit more to special teams, defense. ... But I'll still go in there and get all the passes and be the principal play caller."

Jackson, who is spending his second season with Washington and in the NFL, thanked Spurrier for his trust.

"I'm excited about the opportunity," Jackson said. "It's a proud moment anytime your supervisor or boss thinks that highly of you to give you an opportunity to go out and work in this organization as one of the leaders."

Spurrier has been the team's offensive coordinator since resigning from the University of Florida in January and becoming the Redskins' coach that same month.

Following a pattern he established with the Gators, Spurrier concentrated on the offense - particularly, the quarterbacks and wide receivers - and left the defense and special teams to coordinators Marvin Lewis and Mike Stock, respectively.

The results have been less than stunning as the Fun 'N' Gun, which Spurrier predicted before the season would be one of the top five offenses in the league, is ranked 20th after averaging 319.4 yards through 15 games. The pass offense is ranked 21st and is averaging 203.5 yards a contest.

While the defense is ranked sixth, the special teams unit has been a liability for a team that is ensured its first losing record since 1998.

Spurrier, who said he started thinking about the change midway through this season, lamented his decision to refrain from overseeing the entire team.

"Looking back, I feel like this is a good way for us to go," he said. "It'll allow me as a head coach to have a little more interaction with the defensive players and the special teams players and get involved a little bit in personnel decisions."

Jackson, who spent 14 years coaching on the college level before jumping to Washington for the 2001 season with then-head coach Marty Schottenheimer, has molded a backfield of Stephen Davis, Kenny Watson, and Ladell Betts into the league's 14th run offense at 115.9 yards a game.

But Jackson wouldn't say his background would influence him to call more running plays next season.

"What I'm going to say is that we will always do what it takes to win, be it throwing or running," he said. "But obviously, we know that we will lead with the pass, and we also know that we will run the football."

Spurrier said of Jackson: "We didn't know each other very well until this season, but he's sort of earned my respect. He's the guy that I feel is the best for the job."

NOTES: Darrell Green, who will retire from football at the end of the season after a 20-year career spent entirely with the Redskins, will start at cornerback Sunday. He will be the 40th player added to the Ring of Fame that lines the interior of FedEx Field in a pre-game ceremony before the 1 p.m. kickoff. ... Davis has opted to undergo surgery on his dislocated right shoulder either Monday or Tuesday, Spurrier said. Davis will not play Sunday and is expected to be a salary cap casualty during the offseason.