Jim Corbett

USA TODAY Sports

Robert Griffin III's mechanics are back on point after his footwork lapsed during a miserable 2013 season that ended with the Washington Redskins star quarterback's benching the final five games by fired coach Mike Shanahan.

Quarterback guru Terry Shea, who tutored Griffin prior to the 2012 scouting combine and during the run-up to the draft, spent six days recalibrating RG3's footwork and release point the last week of March in Arizona.

It isn't coincidence that without his bothersome knee brace, Griffin again looks the gifted player who took the league by 2012 offensive rookie of the year storm.

"He looked 100% healthy," Shea told USA TODAY Sports Friday. "I didn't let up on him and, boy, he kept coming — and he reminded me of the old Robert Griffin that I knew coming out of Baylor for those eight-10 weeks we worked together in 2012.

"He could have very easily lost it given the year he had. I put him through a gantlet of drills. And Robert made all the throws, showing great skills. It sure appeared to me that he took that next step as a pocket passer."

Shea, who will orchestrate Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray's April 16 pro day coming off 2013 knee surgery, worked with Griffin and nine of Redskins teammates at EXOS, formerly Athletes Performance as well as on Paradise Valley Community College's football field.

By March 29, Shea saw everything he hoped.

Griffin looked sharp and locked in throwing to receivers Pierre Garcon, Santana Moss, Andre Roberts, tight end Jordan Reed and running back Chris Thompson.

Watching Griffin take a step back during his season of struggle, Shea noticed that he was sailing some throws because he was not finishing his weight transfer on his plant leg — the one that underwent major surgery in January 2013.

Shea, who previously served as head coach at San Jose State and Rutgers as well as an offensive assistant with four different NFL teams, was surprised that Shanahan and his son, Kyle, the former Redskins offensive coordinator, had let RG3's mechanics lapse.

"For some reason, they just dropped the ball on his footwork fundamentals,'' Shea said. "I'm convinced. You get so caught up on schemes and decisions and progressions and they forget that a quarterback needs just as much attention on his footwork and fundamentals as well.''

So the Bill Walsh disciple fixed what was broken.

"It was good to see him return to his fundamentals,'' Shea said. "That was my role, bringing him back to a grounded state about feeling good about his fundamentals and the way he was releasing the ball — putting that back foot in the ground and then transferring over the front.

"I liked everything I saw. When we finished, he was ready to play.''

When Shea watched several Redskins games from his Kansas City home last season, he noticed that most of RG3's misses were high. The errant throws were a byproduct of a mechanical flaw stemming from a late transfer of weight from Griffin's plant leg — the one with the surgically rebuilt knee.

But that knee is no longer an issue as Griffin shed the brace that bothered him last season.

The result is a more fluid, pinpoint passer who rediscovered his groove.

"He's gotten his release point back to where he feels very good about it,'' Shea said. "The ball is coming out at a nice, high point. When I finished with him on Saturday, I said, 'Man, this kid is ready.' Which I didn't know how it was going to go, not having been around him for over a year and knowing what he went through last season.

"I wasn't sure what he would accomplish in a week's time. But, boy, I sure liked what I saw.''

That is good news for first-year Redskins coach Jay Gruden and staff, especially given last week's signing of former Philadelphia Eagles speed receiver DeSean Jackson following his stunning release by the Eagles.

Shea coached Jackson's older brother, Byron from 1990-1991 as San Jose State head coach.

"It's going to be a great match for Robert getting DeSean,'' Shea said. "Byron was a very unselfish, athletic type of receiver who ended up playing for the Kansas City Chiefs for a couple of years. Bryon's told me a couple of times when we talked recently that 'DeSean is starting to do the right things now.'

"I think between Byron and whomever he'll listen to, he'll start to respond in a much more positive way.

Together with cornerback DeAngelo Hall, RG3 was instrumental in helping recruit the three-time Pro Bowl receiver.

"Robert is a strong individual, it's based on confidence and he has the right character as a leader,'' Shea said. "I think he'll be good for DeSean. Not that DeSean needs any special treatment. But Robert will find a way to correct DeSean if he needs correcting. And he'll do it in such a way that won't embarrass him.''

The fact that Griffin is one of the league's best deep-ball throwers and now has a vertical-tilt speed receiver is one more reason why Shea believes RG3 is primed for a 2014 breakout.

"There was a great sense of bonding with his teammates during that week of work, which was important after what Robert went through last year,'' Shea said. "Jay Gruden is a quarterback-friendly coach. And Robert is excited that Jay is going to coach the quarterback position.

"He threw a ball on Saturday when we were finishing up. He was at full speed on the move and it hit the receiver in stride 55 yards down the field. He makes throws few quarterbacks can make.'

"Robert is in a real good state as he prepares for his third season.

"He's re-energized.''

Follow national NFL reporter Jim Corbett on Twitter at @ByJimCorbett.