Gary Lambrecht, The Examiner
2008-07-25 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

BALTIMORE -

As the Ravens line up today at McDaniel College for the first, full-squad workout of their 13th training camp, the team is shadowed by a laundry list of questions as it prepares for a season all about transition.

Is this a franchise closer to rebuilding or is it a few plays or kind bounces away from making a playoff run? In the watered-down NFL, even with the Ravens’ unsettled quarterback equation, that’s hard to say. 

How soon before rookie quarterback Joe Flacco takes over the offense? Opening day should be out of the question. Maybe in November.

How will the young offensive line face life after Jonathan Ogden, and will the quarterback be forced to pack heat for protection? Will tight end Todd Heap earn his money by playing through the pain instead of collecting another 10 or 12 game checks on the treatment table?

Does that defense have another great year left in it, and will linebacker Ray Lewis test the free-agent market next winter after having a great year as the unit’s future Hall of Famer?

But every question pales in comparison to those surrounding the new sheriff in town.

Head coach John Harbaugh is the X, Y and Z factors, and as much as anything, this season will be about how Harbaugh launches the Ravens’ next era. From the way he handles the locker room and some large veteran egos, to how much fist he uses to impose discipline, to how well he defines his team’s identity and his own philosophy, Harbaugh’s style and substance will be under constant surveillance.

It all starts with the next several weeks, when the tone will be set in Westminster, where the rules have changed after the departure of nine-year coach Brian Billick. It’s refreshing Harbaugh is bringing some old school back by minimizing off days, scheduling actual two-a-days and refusing to allow veterans to go home after work. No more commuting, which sort of defeats the purpose — team bonding amid isolation and drudgery — of camp.

In their brief history, the Ravens have endured two extremes during training camp.

Ted Marchibroda, the team’s coach from 1996-1998, ran a brutal, month-long operation that featured enough hard hitting to occasionally horrify team officials. Billick took things in the opposite direction by pampering players as much as pushing them.

Harbaugh’s approach will land somewhere in between, with a nod toward the Marchibroda way. With so many young players — starting with that offensive line — this group needs to smack each other around and build a nasty streak early.

As the new face of the franchise, Harbaugh has been a ball of energy since taking over six months ago. It remains to be seen how much gas he has left in, say, week 14 when the Ravens are out of the playoff hunt. Meantime, I’m looking forward to watching him operate. I’m also guessing that, after dealing with so many characters during a nine-year run as a special teams coach in Philadelphia, Harbaugh will not shrink from any confrontation within his ranks.

If someone such as safety Ed Reed or cornerback Chris McAlister challenges Harbaugh’s authority and introduces a speck of poison to the locker room, let’s see how long it takes the new boss to snuff it out.

If the Ravens go on another ridiculous penalty run, let’s see somebody pay. If linebacker Bart Scott tosses an official’s flag into the stands, let’s see Harbaugh call him out publicly with a fine and some additional embarrassment if it’s warranted.

And here’s betting that, in the realm of X’s and O’s, Harbaugh lets offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan — an excellent tandem — do their jobs, while instilling a true team identity.

Unlike Billick, who rarely thought it was a bad idea to throw the ball, count on Harbaugh to lean on a sturdy running game if the Ravens are up by two scores in the fourth quarter. Unlike Billick, who let Ryan blitz all day, count on Harbaugh to tell Ryan to drop more guys in coverage, instead of watching San Diego tight end Antonio Gates carve up linebackers in single coverage.

“Win or lose, we’re going to find out who our guys are,” Harbaugh said back in the spring.

Win or lose, the 2008 season is more about The New Guy more than anyone.

Gary Lambrecht writes about the NFL, Major League Baseball and college sports. He can be reached at glambrecht

@baltimoreexaminer.com.