David Blough might have an already established relationship with Jayden Daniels, but the Washington Commanders' new offensive coordinator is not going to give his quarterback an easy ride.
This is all about pushing forward toward a common goal. The scheme will change, and Blough will leave no stone unturned in his quest to maximize the elite traits Daniels has at his disposal.
The Commanders are taking a big gamble by moving forward with a rookie play-caller who was only an assistant position coach until the final few weeks of the 2025 campaign. Head coach Dan Quinn thinks Blough has what it takes to thrive. Daniels has also thrown his support behind the hire, but it won't take long for the finger-pointing to begin if Washington cannot make immediate improvements on offense.
David Blough's planned approach with Jayden Daniels should thrill Commanders fans
Blough's dynamic with Daniels will be integral to the team's chances. The coordinator acknowledged that the continuity between the two will be enormously helpful. At the same time, he's going to challenge the former LSU sensation every day, pushing him right to the limit to bring the desired growth out of his game.
"It's not starting exactly from square one. I think as much as we can, we're gonna keep some continuity of the way he's called things and then, you know, we gotta build on it. I'm really excited to just continue to challenge him, you know, pull the best outta what he does and help him grow because, you know, we all know as he goes, this, this group will go. It's really an exciting challenge and opportunity to just get him to his best."David Blough via Commanders.com
Daniels is notoriously competitive, so he'll rise to the challenge.
Whether things became stale with Kliff Kingsbury is hard to determine, given how long the signal-caller spent on the shelf last season. The No. 2 pick in 2024 is becoming more vocal about the concepts he wants Blough to implement, and the coach will likely do whatever is necessary to accommodate them.
As Blough said, the Commanders will only go as far as Daniels takes them. He's the franchise player at the sport's most crucial position. If the ex-quarterback can help raise his performance levels to or beyond his rookie campaign, Washington might be a force once again in 2026.
Blough is a first-year coordinator, but he's been around the game a long time. He's learned under some elite-level offensive minds, and his ex-teammates always thought he would go into the coaching ranks one day. This opportunity has come much sooner than anyone expected, but if he can reignite the spark within Daniels and push him to heights not seen before, Quinn will receive vindication for taking such a big risk.
That's a win-win for everybody.