Commanders' Joe Whitt Jr. Preaches Defensive Standards: 'Hold People Accountable!'

New Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. is ready to get to work, and he is bringing a new mentality to the Commanders' defense as well.

The Washington Commanders have been going through some serious change in their coaching ranks over the last few weeks, but it appears all is now settled.

Dan Quinn is the new head coach and he brought with him Joe Whitt Jr. from the Dallas Cowboys to be the new defensive coordinator. With the Commanders having the worst defense in football last year (30.5 points per game), Whitt Jr. will have an uphill battle to turn the unit around. 

And he knows how he will begin this new era...but instilling a hard-nosed approach that holds everyone to a certain standard.

“Well, every day, when we go out there on the field, the standard is the standard, Whitt Jr. said. "I know that's thrown around a lot, but part of our coaches, and the reason that we got the coaches that we got was because they hold people accountable. They're great teachers first but if you don't do it the right way, you're gonna get called out on it. There's only one way to do it, and that's the way that we want it done. And if that's not the way that you want to live, that's fine. Alright, you'll probably be somewhere else, but we're gonna do it that way and, you just have to go do it. You know, it’s easy to say you can do this and that. You just have to go do it. You have to just go work, work, work.”

Green Bay Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. looks on during organized team activities / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY Sports

The Commanders do have some nice pieces on defense that Whitt Jr. can work with as Emmanuel Forbes is entering his second year, and then he has Kamren Curl and Kendall Fuller (both are free agents), Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne.

It won't be a quick fix, but Washington likely already knows that, but part of the journey is laying the groundwork.

‘I’ve Been Ready!’ Commanders Coach Joe Whitt Jr. Reveals Plan

As Whitt Jr. stated, getting the standards to a level where the new coaching regime wants them to be is going to be crucial.

The Commanders will have a different feel to them next year, on both sides of the ball as everyone will be driving new standards as they begin the first of many steps the franchise will have to take as it tries to work its way out of the NFL doldrums.