Kliff Kingsbury's offensive scheme got figured out last season. Not having quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin for large periods of the campaign didn't help, but it's not the first time these accusations have come to the play-caller's door throughout his career.
The Washington Commanders wanted change. Kingsbury's vision for the offense no longer aligned with head coach Dan Quinn's, and he was removed from the equation. Nobody was shedding too many tears about that. One only has to look at the players' excitement in David Blough to see that it was the right call.
Kingsbury's system was all too predictable. It didn't play to Washington's strengths. This was magnified by a blunt quote from offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who said there was a clear asset that wasn't used effectively enough.
Josh Conerly Jr. believes Commanders offense didn't play to its strengths last season
When discussing what more could have been done for Washington's offense last season, Conerly thought the team did a good job of running outside zone. He also felt it wasn't used consistently, which is a direct result of Kingsbury's lack of adaptability.
“I think we were really good running outside zone, we just didn’t do it enough.”
Conerly isn't known for being the biggest talker in the media. But if he's coming out to say this publicly, you can bet others in the locker room last season were thinking the same thing.
The Commanders got a lot of joy from outside zone runs last season. Seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt was able to stay patient and break off big yardage when things unfolded in front of him. Chris Rodriguez Jr. also benefited, but this was more as a power force rather than a home-run threat.
This doesn't reflect well on Kingsbury. And it didn't go unnoticed by the league, either.
Kingsbury got one head-coaching interview. He was considered for other offensive coordinator roles, but nobody took the plunge. After a long wait, he eventually accepted an assistant head coach position with the Los Angeles Rams. Though it's seen by many as a step back, it gives him the chance to learn from Sean McVay, one of the most revered offensive minds in the business.
And sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward a little later.
The Commanders had to try something new. Last season represented regression, and Quinn wasn't going to wait to make the changes needed to inject new life into the football operation. Now, there is fresh hope, fresh life, and everyone is fired up to get this new offensive revolution off on the right foot.
Let's hope this gamble pays off handsomely.
Add us as a preferred source on Google