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It’s been a roller coaster training camp for the Washington Commanders thus far. Dan Quinn sits down with The Sports Junkies to break down everything he’s liked/disliked from his team since training camp started. What was your biggest takeaway from his interview with the guys this morning?
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00:00There's Coach.
00:00Look at that.
00:01He's got the fresh Nikes on.
00:02Looking good.
00:03Very good.
00:04Coach, great to see you.
00:06Thanks for joining us.
00:06How are you, buddy?
00:07Commander's Head Coach, Dan Quinn.
00:09He's got the Reeking Havoc shirt on.
00:11Yep.
00:11So at the end of the table, we've got two of the most prominent
00:14Salisbury Seagulls of all time.
00:16Head Coach Dan Quinn and Jason Bishop.
00:18Oh, and Tim the Engineer, also a gull.
00:20Look at that.
00:21Look at the gull representation.
00:23I spoke there in April.
00:26You spoke there, I think, last year.
00:27Yeah, last spring.
00:28I'm guessing.
00:29The audience was probably a little bigger.
00:31That's a huge downgrade.
00:32I only had about 60 people.
00:34He probably had 6,000.
00:35That's right.
00:35It was impactful, I bet.
00:37Yeah, it was, man.
00:38Hey, thanks for joining us, man.
00:38Yeah, good to be on with you guys, man.
00:40Enjoy.
00:40And Jason, you did interview him when you were at Salisbury, right?
00:44Back in the day on Sports Rap, our sports show.
00:46Greg Gaston, you.
00:47Yeah, great.
00:48All we had, but you could only listen to the radio station
00:51inside the dorms on the TV.
00:53Yeah.
00:53Because they hadn't built the tower yet.
00:54It's called a perk of being a Salisbury student.
00:56Yes.
00:57That's what it was.
00:57Right.
00:58So, I don't know, maybe eight people heard it.
01:00Yeah, 10 maybe.
01:01Yeah.
01:01So, great.
01:02I know we've talked to you about this before,
01:03but since we're going back to the day,
01:05at what point did you think that coaching was your calling?
01:09I knew early that I wanted to coach.
01:11I wouldn't have said, like, thinking that I was going to coach in the NFL,
01:14but I had, like, some impactful coaches coming up, you know,
01:17on me from, like, youth, you know, football and track and stuff through high school.
01:21So, when I went to college, I majored in education,
01:23thinking I would go, you know, teach elementary school
01:26and then coach high school ball and high school track.
01:28And then when I got to college, I was like, man,
01:29this is a good gig if you can do that all the time, you know?
01:32So, like, that's how I got rolling, thinking, all right,
01:35when I was in college probably was the time that I'd like to go coach in college,
01:38and I did that for 10 years.
01:40That's awesome.
01:41Well, I think we've got to get right to it.
01:42Let's get it, man.
01:44Are you leaning towards Jaden playing on Saturday,
01:47or you just haven't decided yet?
01:49We haven't got there yet.
01:50Like, the next two days, we're still, like, back into our camp space to go.
01:53So, I kind of look at the whole team, you know,
01:55once we get through, like, Thursday,
01:56and then we can decide who we're going in.
01:58But with new systems today, tomorrow, man,
02:01like back to camp and going to dig in.
02:02So, that's where we're at.
02:03What are the pros and cons of playing versus not playing?
02:07Obviously, not playing the pros, they don't get hurt.
02:09Right.
02:09So, that's the pro.
02:11I mean, the cons, excuse me.
02:12The pro is new systems, timing, you know, new looks.
02:16So, when you had the joint, that helps.
02:18When you had the joint practices to get some of those guys work in that space.
02:22But just having the time together in a game, it helps for sure.
02:25And then also, like, going through the entire routine of what it looks like to go play.
02:30Yeah.
02:30Right.
02:30You know, getting yourself all the way ready.
02:32If you decided, okay, Jaden should get a couple series just to get him in the rhythm.
02:37Right.
02:38I would assume you have to play the number one offensive line, too.
02:40You've got to play all the starters.
02:42Yep, 100%.
02:42Would that include receivers and everything?
02:44Is that kind of an all-or-nothing deal?
02:45It's not all-or-nothing.
02:46It's really custom to, like, where the health of the team is.
02:49Like, if somebody was not healthy enough to go, you know, then we wouldn't.
02:53It'd have to be, hey, man, like, all systems are go, then you get to play.
02:56But, yeah, that would, like, the all-line would certainly be a factor.
02:58I defer to you.
02:59I mean, obviously, you're the pro.
03:00We don't know anything.
03:01But it seems like, from afar, that preseason has almost become, like, the way, like, the
03:06Pro Bowl is and, like, the way all-star games are.
03:09Like, you guys are getting your big work in the joint practices, and this is more for
03:12back of the roster.
03:14Some of that in some games.
03:15The juice just isn't worth the squeeze, as I'm making that argument.
03:18I don't want my guy to play two series.
03:21Yeah, we disagree on this.
03:23Yeah, and you're going to say, hey, Jaden, just stay, you know, just dump it off
03:25whenever you get rid of it.
03:26But he's a competitor.
03:28Somebody's going to blow around.
03:29He's going to take off, and 80,000 people are going to freak out.
03:33That's going to happen whether it's preseason, regular season.
03:35Right, but regular season, it matters.
03:37Yeah, well, this matters, too, to get ready for the regular season.
03:39That's what I said.
03:40That would be my argument to say if you can find a margin or an edge, you know, like
03:43winning in the NFL is really hard, so if there's a space that it makes sense to do
03:46that, then you should.
03:48But there's certainly cases where it doesn't.
03:50Does he ever come to you and say, coach, man, I've got to get out there and play?
03:53Of course.
03:54Yeah, that's him all the time.
03:55But we've got a good relationship.
03:57Like, he knows, you know, when he can push back and when he can't.
04:00And so we had some of that last year when he wanted to go.
04:04Nope, this is where we stand, and this is where we're at.
04:06How hard is it to tell guys like Terry McClure and all these super competitors, like, you're
04:10not going out there today.
04:11You're going to be in t-shirt and shorts while the other guys that we're evaluating are going
04:15to get reps?
04:16They get it.
04:17Like, sometimes there could be some disappointment.
04:19I don't do it, like, you know, like while they're walking into the locker room, you know,
04:22or like after a pregame, like, okay, you know, so I give them some space and some time to
04:27get prepared.
04:27Because, like, getting ready to play, like, you have to be all in, you know, in all spaces.
04:32And so there's also, like, all sorts of good competitive ways for the guys that are playing
04:36to evaluate them and see where we're at.
04:38So, like, even in the game, you know, Friday, there were significant plays.
04:44What do you see?
04:44You're evaluating guys.
04:45So there's a lot to gain, you know, for different parts of the roster.
04:49I would also think it'd be good for David, your new OC, to have his starting guys out
04:54there for, I mean, I know he's calling plays in practice, but in a game.
04:57Does that help?
04:58It does.
04:58Who are you going to feature into that space when you have, like, preseason games, sometimes
05:02just relying on rules and that because you're not game planning the other opponent.
05:06But you do, like, some plays, if we can get, you know, this route, if we can get this call,
05:11that would be something that, you know, would be important.
05:13Right.
05:13Talking to Coach Dan Quinn, entering his third season as head coach of the Commander.
05:17So third training camp.
05:19First training camp, a lot of veterans you guys brought in.
05:22I think it was unknown for fans what to expect.
05:24Last year, a lot of optimism.
05:26But you spoke this year that you wanted training camp to be different.
05:30Are you accomplishing what you set out to accomplish?
05:33Yeah, and I think you'll feel that today in terms of what we were looking to do.
05:37I thought going, you know, after the offseason, could they come back into, like, in training
05:42camp, like, in crazy shape where we didn't have to play our way into shape?
05:46That was going to be like, so seeing the guys come back, I felt that, which allowed these
05:50systems to get underway.
05:51The practices have been the most competitive we've had in our, you know, three years here
05:55together.
05:56There's a lot of position battles, but just, you know, the elevated competition, they're
06:01in shape, some depth that a lot of positions makes, like, every rep, man, it's on.
06:05One thing we talked about last year after the season was at certain positions, you guys
06:10needed to get younger and faster.
06:11Yep.
06:12Has that mission been accomplished?
06:13I mean, it seems like on paper, for sure.
06:15Is there a difference when you watch?
06:17Yeah, for sure.
06:17The speed you can feel both sides of the ball.
06:20Our special teams has always been a good flagship for us.
06:22There's some guys.
06:23We have a good, you know, core special teams player, and to see some of these guys also
06:27start to make their way into year two and what that looks like, I'm pumped to see those
06:31guys as well.
06:32So I think you'll feel the speed in that group on both sides, especially on the edges.
06:37Have you had moments so far where you're like, that's amazing.
06:41That's what it's going to look like, or are we still building there?
06:44We're still building some, but there's definitely moments of that.
06:47I grade every practice, you know, to say, what are the, you know, the key, you know, performance
06:51things that I want to see at each practice.
06:53How many A's do we have so far?
06:54We got the A's?
06:55Yeah, there's a few.
06:57But each practice, I want, like most practices, it's back and forth to go, but where are we
07:02at with the ball and ball security and takeaways and penalties and mental errors and the speeds
07:06that I'm seeing.
07:07So I have certain markers for each practice that I want to see.
07:10And so what you'll see today and tomorrow, like this is a, like some of our high points
07:14of training camp in terms of reps and play time.
07:17And so like, it's, it's going to be a battle here.
07:19I was, I was a little surprised that you let go of Jake when you did.
07:23Is that because you want, you want the new kid to go through the, you know, the two preseason
07:29games to get in the flow of no, you know, knowing what his role is going to be.
07:32Is that what you were thinking?
07:33And he earned it.
07:35So I would say it, you have a point.
07:36So he earned it out here.
07:37That's right.
07:38But they've been going since, you know, the spring and then through the first couple of weeks
07:41of camp.
07:41But we knew it had to go through the game process to get there because Jake also, you
07:45know, had a good camp in terms of accuracy, but we felt, okay, this is the space that is
07:49time.
07:50Drew earned that.
07:50And now over the next couple of weeks, he can get all the kicks, all the plays, all the
07:54reps.
07:54And so, uh, so it was twofold.
07:57He had earned it, but he had to go through that process to get there.
08:00Diggs.
08:01What do you see in Stephon Diggs?
08:02How much of a difference maker?
08:03Oh, he's going to be a difference maker.
08:05He's, uh, he's actually an incredible teammate to like see.
08:08Like I've coached against them for years, but he's good against man to man.
08:11He knows where to sit down and zone.
08:13Uh, he's got excellent, like football IQ, football acumen.
08:17Like that's something that you don't know about somebody until they're in your building
08:20or on the practice field with you, but like hearing him detail things.
08:24So it's been nice for some of the other players even to hear his point of view on certain
08:27things.
08:28So he's off to a really good start.
08:30Um, although it's a new system, um, he's been in, you know, played a lot of football.
08:35Okay.
08:35This is now this.
08:36So like his understanding of where we're at is certainly gaining.
08:39So it's nice to have him here now where we still get a couple more weeks as opposed
08:43to week one where you're signing somebody and you're trying to catch them up.
08:46What were your impressions of Sonny Stiles first game action against Miami Dolphins?
08:50Yeah.
08:50I wanted to get into that.
08:51Oh, good.
08:51Cause I hate social media and I, I'm a huge Sonny guy and all these, all these idiots who
08:57are saying, Oh, he's overrated.
08:59He wasn't trying.
09:00He's got no heart.
09:01Who was the idiot that said he had no heart?
09:02I can't remember.
09:03I think Pauley market football.
09:04So stupid.
09:04Yeah.
09:05I mean, it was one series.
09:06It's his first game.
09:07I mean, he's going to be, I didn't love it.
09:08Like I, like any of our first series, I'll be honest.
09:10I know you didn't like it.
09:12I know you didn't like it.
09:12But I would say like, you don't have to, you don't have to be out here long to see the
09:16impact that he's going to make.
09:17He loves it.
09:18He's into it.
09:19Um, and so it's not surprising, um, to see like, he's going to be like a heavy hitter
09:24in our league.
09:25Like he's got speed, he's got range, he's physical.
09:28So, um, yeah, I would not, uh, read into that one bit.
09:32Yeah.
09:33Do you think you're not, do you think I gotta go ahead.
09:35Do you think you're going to play some more defensive starters on Saturday?
09:39Uh, we'll go through like today and tomorrow.
09:41Those are our big highest camp ones to go.
09:44And, uh, as long, you know, like see where the guys are, but they're healthy to get going.
09:48And if we have that chance, then, you know, we'll give more guys opportunities for play
09:52for sure.
09:52I'm going to lose the bet.
09:53Probably.
09:53He's going to lose the bet.
09:54He's going to play the guys.
09:56He's going to lose.
09:57He's talking about Jaden.
09:58A lot of them.
09:59Yeah, I'm going to lose.
09:59Real quick.
10:00Well, it is the second preseason.
10:01Real quick, DQ.
10:02I wanted to ask you a couple of get to know DQ questions.
10:05I know we've had you on before.
10:06How many hours of sleep do you get on at night?
10:09Right now.
10:09During camp.
10:10During camp.
10:10I set the over under at four and a half.
10:12I think it's six.
10:13I'm going to say over.
10:14About six.
10:15Five and a half to six.
10:16There you go.
10:17Yeah, let's go.
10:17Four and a half, you die.
10:19You need a little more than that.
10:20What's the last movie you've seen in the theater?
10:22That's been a minute.
10:23I have to really go back through the Rolodex right there.
10:25Not a while.
10:26It's been a while, you guys.
10:27Titanic?
10:27Yeah, I don't know.
10:28Is there a TV show you binge with your wife?
10:31Not right now.
10:32Not right now, but I definitely.
10:34It's called Eagles Tape.
10:34I like doing that because it is.
10:37I actually, speaking of the tape, like you go through the first preseason, you watch a division
10:41game.
10:41So over the last couple of days to see, you know, Philadelphia and Dallas.
10:45You know, in New York into their games.
10:47I like seeing, you know, some new coordinators on their sides of the ball.
10:51What are they doing?
10:52I watch the games in like game order.
10:55So not offense or just defense.
10:57Like this was the kickoff.
10:59This is what happened.
10:59With sound on?
11:01No.
11:01I didn't do it like on our regular, like the coach's copy of it.
11:04But it is a good way to watch a game because you get like the actual flow of it.
11:08How'd the ball end up here?
11:10What took place?
11:10Oh, there was interception that got the field position here.
11:12So I like going through that and I get a feel of like who they are on teams, you know,
11:17some of the featured players.
11:18All right.
11:18Last one.
11:19Do you have a hobby when you're in Hawaii?
11:21I do.
11:22I like being out on the water.
11:24And so I'm part of an outrigger canoe club.
11:27And so like riding the waves in and doing that, man, that's a lot of fun.
11:31That sounds manly.
11:32That's a manly pursuit right there.
11:33So it's a lot of fun to do that.
11:36How many on a canoe at a time?
11:37Six.
11:38Oh, my God.
11:38And so I enjoy that a lot.
11:40I do that probably four or five times a week.
11:42Good workout.
11:42In the mornings.
11:43Yeah, it is.
11:43You're definitely coaching the guys how to row correctly.
11:45Definitely not.
11:46You're barking at the signals.
11:48They could care less that I coach.
11:49Hey, coach, get your ass in the boat.
11:51What time do you usually leave here?
11:54Eight, nine?
11:55Yeah, it just depends.
11:56Like in season is a different format, you know, than training camp.
11:59So now we get here early.
12:00So I get here around five and then get rolling with the guys.
12:03And then they get here around seven to start getting ready to throw a good practice.
12:06It takes a while, like fuel, hydration, get the warm-up.
12:10And then by the time, you know, 830 hits, like they should be primed up and ready to roll.
12:14And then in the afternoons, we watch the practice tape.
12:17And then we start talking about things that we're going to cover the next day.
12:20We do a walk-through in the evening.
12:22So it's kind of like a split day, you know, like the morning is big time, you know, push it
12:27physical.
12:28Then in the afternoon, evaluate the tape and then kind of get everything set for the next day.
12:33Into tomorrow, there's some goal line.
12:35There's fourth down and short yardage emphasis.
12:37So each day kind of has like, hey, this is what we want to get done today.
12:41Today you'll see some fourth downs and mediums, like three, four, five, six.
12:44Today's going to be a good day.
12:45Yeah.
12:46You'll see some two-minute.
12:47But this is the last big block of us versus us.
12:50We get into a joint practice next week.
12:53So like back into camp mode to get to it.
12:55And this is our last, like, man, heavy us versus us, bunch of competition.
12:59Do you like the fans watching?
13:01I do.
13:01Yeah, it's awesome to have them.
13:02You feel their energy, their juice for it.
13:04So it's definitely an advantage to have that.
13:06All right.
13:07So 35 minutes until practice starts.
13:09Thank you, Coach.
13:10Thanks for the time.
13:11Good being on with you.
13:12Jucky's coming to you live from Commander's Training Camp in Ashburn.
13:16Joining us next, Tress Way, here on the show.
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