David Blough brings 230 years of offensive knowledge to Washington OC position

ASHBURN, Va. – We are, as they say, a collective of what our experiences make us. For new Washington Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough, that means that while he’s a 30-year old coach about to enter his first at the controls of an NFL offense, he’s so much more than that. And what he is should inspire excitement for what could be, more than it should trepidation over a guy who can’t possibly be ready with his limited amount of experience.

Because nobody steps into a new role unarmed, Blough is no different. What will become the Commanders’ offense in 2026 under the first-time coordinator, I believe, won’t be the drawings of a mad scientist who suddenly finds himself alone in a room full of beakers and unlabeled chemicals, but a carefully thought out (yet still potentially explosive) mixture of material pulled from decades of coaching knowledge, and his own experience as a quarterback in the National Football League.

Imagine it like making a full Thanksgiving spread for the first time as the leader of the kitchen, but after years of learning from family members who had the experience, you’re now getting it for the first time. It might come out perfect, it might come out burned, most likely it’ll come out somewhere in the middle, but if you let the stars of the menu carry the day, you’ll likely come out at least successful enough that the next one will be even better. At least, that’s the idea that Washington seems to be going for.

The word ‘rookie’ has a definition, and it is one that points to inexperience at its core. But the word has the potential to bring several variations of context with it, and that’s where Blough’s road is different than others.

Aug 28, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback David Blough (10) looks to pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 19-9. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

A 'Voltron' of offensive schemes

Because he isn’t stepping into this position as a disciple of one grand master who taught him everything he knows. Blough is a journeyman. He’s studied at the feet of other trusted offensive minds like Jeff Brohm, Todd Monken, Darrell Bevell, Drew Petzing, Kevin O’Connell, Anthony Lynn, Ben Johnson, and even Kliff Kingsbury.

If you flinched or scoffed at any of those names, it isn’t because of a deficiency in their football knowledge–though you may think so–but more likely a flaw in their abilities as a strategist. Gaining knowledge and applying it are vastly different processes, just look at your nearest friend or relative who ‘never quite lived up to their potential’ for evidence of that.

Every one of those names made it to where they are in big-time college football or the NFL because they ‘know ball.’ Some know it in the form of ‘basketball on grass,’ leaning on movement, exploiting seams, and trick plays to confuse defenders and get them out of position. Others, their knowledge comes in the form of Air Raid-rooted RPOs (run-pass options) and tempo, the West Coast offense and max protect principle, wide zone concepts, and presenting what looks complicated to a defense while maintaining simplicity for an offense, and some come from the old school ‘ground and pound’ school of hard knocks.

We haven’t even named every coach that Blough has worked with or under in his 30 years, but roughly speaking, he’s been exposed to about 230 years of coaching experience, coming from no fewer than half a dozen different distinct families of offensive scheme, and going back as far as we can in his football life has always been praised as a master of process and football intellect.

Dec 22, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Ben Johnson's prediction

“He’s really smart, has a natural way of connecting with everybody, coaches and players alike. And I know he’s highly respected, not just for me, but also obviously by the Washington staff. They found tremendous value in him as well. I think he’ll do an outstanding job in that role,” Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson, a coach on the Detroit Lions teams David Blough was part of during his playing days, said of the new coordinator, according to The Athletic, recently.

"I think he’s really smart. Having played quarterback. He’s got that inward feel of how to help elevate that position, you know, and I think he’ll be able to do that in a play-calling role going forward. So I think he’ll be, he’ll be one of those young guys that gets a head job before you know it.”

High praise from a man many consider to be introducing another branch of offensive greatness, the likes of Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, or Bill Walsh did in their own generations.

Blough isn’t coming into his first season as offensive coordinator alone, and I don’t just mean the supporting coaching staff around him, which features Lynn and Brian Johnson, along with several other veteran members.

The challenge for Blough isn’t a lack of knowledge. It’s figuring out how to best piece together all of the experience he’s been around to create a new ‘Voltron’–or Megazord for the younger crowd.

And that’s no small hill to climb, to be clear. But if there’s one thing we know, it’s that Blough is about as multi-lingual in the game of football as a 30-year-old can be. If his offense needs to speak Air Raid at times, he can do that. But if it needs to switch to Power Gap, he can do that too. And by all accounts, he’s going to be able to give quarterback Jayden Daniels enough of that knowledge to function well, even as a first-year student under a first-year teacher.

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