The Washington Commanders are building a coaching tree with branches from across the NFL. They found two coordinators ready to chop down anything in the way.
It’s the quietest time of the fresh offseason and incoming Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury looks like he just crushed two Red Bulls after an 18-hour film session. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. seems like the type who crushes those cans on his forehead en route to kicking someone’s butt.
Whew – the energy level just went nuclear around Commanders Park.
The past coaching crew was beaten down after four seasons of losing. Aside offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, predecessors lived in a dark cellar while avoiding eye contact. Coach Ron Rivera seemed yearning to exit.
Now it’s up to a new crew to rebuild - sorry, recalibrate. Whitt said the 24-member coaching and support staff purposely crisscrossed the NFL landscape “by design to get different ideas.”
“We have coaches from different trees,” he said, “because we wanted to have ideas outside from what I’ve done in the past.”
Translation: this isn’t the Dallas Cowboys defense that Whitt and now Commanders head coach Dan Quinn led. Then again, Micah Parsons isn’t coming through some narrow window to make plays.
Whitt said whether Washington runs a 4-3 or 3-4 is irrelevant because the whole NFL knows those schemes. It’s about violence, turnovers and hitting quarterbacks.
“The ball is life,” said Whitt, who plans a world of pain to gain it.
Kingsbury is no less intense, just displaying an opposite perspective because offense isn’t about violence. It’s an artistry of merging talent into whatever system works. Kingsbury is still buried in film trying to decide what will blend best in Washington.
Hint: it’s not the “Air Raid” scheme Kingsbury used in college stints, with four receivers, one running back and no tight end going downfield as fast as possible. And sure, spending last season at Southern Cal re-energized him after a mediocre four years as the Arizona Cardinals head coach. But, he’s not wedded to what worked there.
It’s easier to use a blitzkrieg of passes in college where mismatches with secondaries are common. That rarely happens in the pros and Kingsbury plans on a balanced run/pass attack in Washington.
Naturally, talk drifted to quarterback with the Commanders possessing the No. 2 overall pick. Kingsbury coached Caleb Williams at USC last season so he has the deep intel on whether Washington should get the much-heralded passer.
Kingsbury’s not tipping any secrets. He described Williams as a “great kid” and moved on to other questions. But, Kingsbury says his typical quarterback has mobility to beat pressure in critical downs. Sure sounds like Williams.
This is a coaching staff that prides itself on diverse opinions from those multiple trees. And, the draft is ultimately general manager Adam Peters’ call so don’t overthink Kingsbury’s connection to Williams.
Just remember one thing – it’s a Mister T of defenses coming to inflict pain, intensity and maybe some winning.