Joe Whitt Jr. answers questions from the media
The Washington Commanders officially announced their coaching staff under new head coach Dan Quinn this morning. This is a new era in Washington football that started with the ownership group led by managing partner Josh Harris buying the team. Adam Peters is the new GM, and will work with Quinn to reshape a team that desperately needed massive changes from the top down.
Joe Whitt Jr. spent the last 3 seasons working under Dan Quinn as the Dallas Cowboys secondary coach. He followed Quinn to Washington and got his first defensive coordinator job. The Cowboys defense was noticeably better under Quinn and their secondary has improved with Whitt Jr. in charge. He will now take over a defense that constantly had issues with communication and routinely allowed big plays from opposing defenses that had fans and players throwing their hands up in frustration and anger. Whitt Jr. was brought to Washington to fix those issues and have a better turnaround than what the Cowboys saw over the last few seasons.
Joe Whitt Jr. Presser
LIVE: New DC Joe Whitt Jr. meets the media https://t.co/wolyNpRZLW
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 15, 2024
Joining the Washington Commanders:
Joe Whitt Jr. on his excitement for joining the Commanders pic.twitter.com/iP4ulwpxWj
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) February 15, 2024
Coaches from different trees:
Joe Whitt Jr.: “We have coaches from different trees, and we did that by design because we wanted to have ideas outside from what I’ve did in my past.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Ready to be a defensive coordinator:
Asked if he’s ready to be a coordinator, Joe Whitt makes it clear: “I’ve been coaching in this league for 18 years…I’ve been ready.”
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) February 15, 2024
Joe Whitt said he feels he was ready to be a DC in 2015. Felt like he had a good idea of what he wanted to do as a play-caller. “Just haven’t had the opportunity.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Run and hit defense:
These are words for now, but Commanders DC Joe Whitt Jr. won his press conference right here.
What type of defense will you have in Washington?
Whitt Jr. said, “we’re going to be a run and hit defense. We are going to run and put our bodies on people in a violent manner.”
BAM! pic.twitter.com/hJdB7IEWeY
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) February 15, 2024
DC, here is message from your new defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. that should excite you. @Commanders #NFL pic.twitter.com/yZXUy0cWiI
— Lake Lewis Jr (@LakeLewis) February 15, 2024
Joe Whitt: “It’s more about play style and we’re going to get that right. We’re going to be a run-and-hit defense. I just told our staff this, the way that we live is not for everybody.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Joe Whitt means business, just gave this message to staff meeting: “The way that we live is not for everybody…We’re going to run and put our bodies on people in a violent manner.”
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) February 15, 2024
Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen:
Joe Whitt Jr. “Everything starts up front!” When asked about Jon Allen & Daron Payne.
Also says the ‘standard is the standard” #Commanders
— Chris Russell AKA the ! (@Russellmania621) February 15, 2024
The standard is the standard:
Joe Whitt: “Every day when we go out there on the field, the standard is the standard. I know that’s thrown around a lot. The reason we got the coaches we got is because they hold people accountable. They’re teachers first, but if you don’t do it the right way, you’ll be called…
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Defensive scheme:
Joe Whitt Jr: “3-4, 4-3 … everyone plays the same coverages. Structure doesn’t matter. The main thing that matters is are we going to arrive violently and turn the ball over and disrupt these quarterbacks.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) February 15, 2024
Playing fast:
Whitt: “If we as coaches take the gray area out of it I believe our players will play fast.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) February 15, 2024
Yelling at practice:
More from Joe Whitt: I’m not really a rah rah guy on game day…If you’re doing a lot of yelling on game day you haven’t done your job during the week…Now at practice? That’s different
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) February 15, 2024
Joe Whitt Jr. is a stud on the mic. Great answer on his style:
“If you’re doing a lot of yelling on game day, you haven’t done your job during the week. Game day is for teaching the players, helping the players… getting them in the right decision.”
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 15, 2024
Creating turnovers:
Whitt: “We’re known for turning the ball over and that’s what we’re going to do here.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) February 15, 2024
Joe Whitt, on his philosophy of creating turnovers on defense: “The ball is life. It’s like air. We gotta have it, we gotta get it.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Disguising coverages:
Joe Whitt Jr. wants to disguise coverages to generate takeaways:
“Everything that we’re going to try to do starts with the QB. We want to make that QB do as much post-snap as possible… Trying to make him play post-snap.”
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 15, 2024
Creating matchup problems like Micah Parsons did for the Cowboys:
Joe Whitt, after talking about Micah Parsons and how the Cowboys moved him around to create matchup problems: “We have some guys here that we feel can create some real matchup problems.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Coaching players:
Whitt on helping players learn: “If [the players] are struggling that’s our fault. I’m dyslexic. I always talk about coaching the creative learner. If he struggles to learn it’s our job to teach them in many different facets and ways. That’s why they pay us.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) February 15, 2024
Family:
Joe Whitt is real easy to like: “It’s my family, my faith and my football. I’m a simple guy.”
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) February 15, 2024
Joe Whitt Jr. says his kids are his only real hobbies. His wife runs the household…his Dad was a hard nosed coach #Commanders
— Chris Russell AKA the ! (@Russellmania621) February 15, 2024
Commanders defense:
Joe Whitt: “We’re going to build a Commander defense. It’s not going to be exactly what we did in Dallas. … We’re have the structure that we want, but we’re going to take the ideas from all the coaches on staff.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Later, he said it’s cool if anyone assumes he and Quinn are bringing the Cowboys defense to Washington because… they would be wrong. They plan to build a Commanders defense based on the various influences from the staff. https://t.co/v9HKaQ7ryu
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) February 15, 2024
Dan Quinn:
Commanders DC Joe Whitt Jr. is a BIG FAN of Dan Quinn.
Whitt Jr. said, “He’s just the best human being I’ve been around in football…when I moved to Atlanta, he wrote hand-written notes to my kids. I’ve never had a coach do that.”
Love this entire answer.
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) February 15, 2024
“That’s what type of dude this is. So I’m all in.
“As a coach, he allows you to be creative. He wants you to think outside the box.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 15, 2024
Washington’s secondary:
Whitt on Forbes: “I really liked him when he came out, not only Forbes I liked Quan. A number of guys on the back end are intriguing. … To get those guys in and to believe in the techniques we teach them and the scheme we put them in. We have quality young players.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) February 15, 2024
Sean Taylor:
Joe Whitt Jr.: “Sean Taylor is my favorite player.”
— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) February 15, 2024
Whitt is good friends with former Redskins Ryan Clark and Marcus Washington. Whitt also said, “Sean Taylor is my favorite player.” Said it means a lot to be coaching in Washington.
— John Keim (@john_keim) February 15, 2024