Commanders OC Scott Turner on his dad, Carson Wentz and 2022 expectations: Q&A

We’ve reached the point where the youngest players on the Washington Commanders know Norv Turner as their offensive coordinator’s father.

“Some of the guys, yeah,” Scott Turner said with a wry smile last month.

Norv Turner was a head coach for three NFL teams. The first stop, a seven-year stint with Washington, ended in 2000, the same year the Commanders’ 2022 first-round pick, Jahan Dotson, was born.

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When The Athletic spoke to Scott Turner in June, he’d just concluded his third offseason program as Washington’s offensive coordinator. It’s understandable if those on the roster without a sense of history see the older man who sometimes shows up to practice as their coach’s parent, first and foremost.

“He’s embraced that part,” Scott Turner said, “and kind of likes when he’s referred to as (Scott’s dad).”

The role reversal hasn’t automatically taken hold for those of a certain age — perhaps anyone born before 1995. Scott Turner’s identity remains in amber for many in that category despite his experience coaching at the pro level since 2011, with a season at the University of Michigan in between (2017). Scott, who turns 40 in August, practically grew up on the practice fields at Washington’s headquarters in Ashburn. He’s the son of one of the most prominent and successful offensive coordinators in modern NFL history.

Insecure types might do whatever is necessary to separate themselves from such perceptions. Not Scott Turner.

Forget Norv — who hired Ron Rivera in San Diego in 2007 and then joined Rivera’s staff in Carolina in 2011 — watching Washington’s tape from his California home. He also attends practices. Scott suspects that happens more frequently with the league’s COVID-19 restrictions lifted. That sounds grand for a confident OC aiming to help his team record its first winning season in three years under Rivera.

“It’s not a secret. He’s my dad,” Scott Turner said. “I wouldn’t be in this situation if it wasn’t for him, as far as what I’ve learned from him watching as a kid. Stuff I learned that I didn’t even realize I was learning at the time. Then being around practices, being able to work with him. I’m not gonna deny the fact that him being an NFL coach gave me some early opportunities. My goal has always just been to prove it with my work.”

Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric ranked Washington 32nd in offense in 2020 and 21st last season. Washington also ranked last in average target depth over the last two years combined (6.8) per Sharp Football Analysis. Those unsightly rankings are more about player talent than Turner’s skills.

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Turner has created game plans for six different starting quarterbacks since arriving with Rivera in 2020. Last year’s team lost starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the first half of the first game and had wide receiver Curtis Samuel injured most of the year.

Carson Wentz, a trade acquisition in March, will (hopefully) be lucky No. 7. While various issues plagued the 6-foot-5 passer with a big arm over the past two seasons with the Colts and Eagles, he’s a talent and athletic upgrade in the Turner era. Wentz’s arm creates more downfield opportunities. Dotson, the rookie wide receiver, is among the shinier additions on the offensive side.

With a plethora of playmakers and a new QB on board, Turner enters training camp — veterans report Tuesday, and the first practice is Wednesday — for the first time in Washington with the pieces needed to flash his X’s and O’s designs as intended.

It’s never about proving to the cynics that he’s more than Norv Turner’s son. Proving it to the players and coaches who sacrifice for the love of the game and to support their families is another story. Let them know he is “willing, able and competent” to help achieve their goals — and that he’s not shy about asking his famous father for advice.

“That’s my goal,” Turner said. “You don’t want to let your team down. Everyone that’s been part of a team understands that, and my dad helps. He watches our tape when he’s away. To have him here, coaching, talking to the guys. He sees a lot of stuff (where) maybe I’m focused on one thing, and he sees (something).

“I’m not insecure. I’ll take anybody’s help but especially my dad. Whatever we can do to help win or whatever I can do to be as good of a coach as I can possibly be. I embrace having him around and having him help me and be a part of it.”

The following is more from The Athletic’s Q&A with the third-year offensive coordinator. The conversation was edited lightly for clarity and brevity.

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Did you get what you wanted out of the offseason program?

Absolutely. Just the work that we did with Carson alone was worth it. The guys that have been here, they’re just continuing to progress. … Curtis wasn’t available for every practice, but he made most of them. It was a big offseason for him. He did a nice job of getting out there and going again. That was big. He’s healthy, and he’ll be ready to go for training camp. I’m really excited about that.

Then our young guys, Jahan, (RB) Brian Robinson and (TE) Cole Turner, off the top of my head. All those guys — Jahan especially — had really, really top-notch offseasons. It’s a foundation that we can build (on). We had 12 really good practices, and now we’re ready to go. Get a little break … and hit the ground running at training camp.

On Wentz: Observers do not always have the full context of intent on a given play, but Wentz seemed more erratic with his throws during minicamp than in the OTA sessions. What did you see?

I didn’t think he was any more off. Going against our defense, we’re not game planning. So sometimes, it doesn’t match up. Guys get a little competitive, maybe force a throw they wouldn’t necessarily make in a game. I don’t care who you are. You’re going to miss a throw here and there.

I think, overall, his decision-making has been good. His accuracy has been good. He’s pushing the ball down the field. He’s getting to know some of those receivers (regarding) the timing. That’s why you practice. I thought he’s been outstanding throughout the whole course of this. I didn’t have a negative feeling at all about (minicamp).

I’ve been saying the offense’s ceiling rises based on Wentz’s physical tools alone. Fair statement?

I think so. That’s what you’re working toward. If you look at what we got on offense, from the day that we got here, there’s like two or three guys that are still here. We added guys in that offseason (of) 2020, and some of those guys are core to what we’re (doing), Antonio (Gibson) and J.D. (McKissic) and Logan Thomas and all those guys. Then we’ve built that as the years go on. Hopefully, in Year 3, the ceiling (will) be significantly higher.

Carson has a lot to do with that. Guys like Jahan have a lot to do with that. Curtis coming back and being healthy. The changes that we made on the offensive line. You’re constantly building, constantly trying to move in the right direction.

I feel like as a team and an organization, we’ve done a really good job of doing that, adding talent on offense and then developing the guys that are here and building them up as players and then their comfort level in our scheme. It becomes a lot more second nature to play the way want to play offensively.

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There’s been discussion about this being the best set of playmakers around Wentz in his career. That’s true for you as the OC. What does that mean for what you’re able to do?

Yeah, I think so. It goes back to what I just said. We’ve been working in building to get to this point. It feels good to be able to go out there and play with guys where you feel like all your five eligibles are gonna make plays.

You design plays to get (the ball) to certain guys, but sometimes if the defense plays a certain way, you don’t care if it goes somewhere else because you have faith that these guys are going to not only do what they’re supposed to do, but then you know potentially go beyond that and make some plays on their own. I’m really excited about this group. We got a lot of work to do. We got to keep getting better.

To do the job you have, you need to be a confident guy. Some of the more established coordinators don’t lack confidence. Neither do you. Therefore I imagine you’re excited to show what you can do as a play caller with more potential at QB than before.

I’m always excited to coach. When you’re in it, you (think), “Hey, this is what we got,” and you’re going to make the most of it. That’s my job. You take everything one year at a time, but we’ve been building it up, and I feel really good about this. It’s not about me and showing what I can do. It’s about this team, and let’s go score as many points as we can, play smart, situational football and take care of the ball. We got to be able to be successful, both running and passing.

You mention the run game. You guys add Brian Robinson. What does he bring to an offense that has two good backs already but maybe didn’t have a steady between-the-tackles element?

(First), Antonio, he’s gotten so much better. The more carries he’s gotten as a between-the-tackles runner — you can’t run for 1,000 yards in NFL and not be that type of player. Just adding quality players to our roster. If Brian is who we think he is and continues to develop, it just takes a load off of Antonio. He’s not the only guy carrying the ball in those (scenarios). We got a guy that’s had a lot of reps in college.

Antonio, coming out of college, had 33 carries. (Robinson), that’s all he’s done. He adds a little bit of a physical element, but Antonio is a physical runner, too. He’s 230 pounds. People tend to forget that at times. And when he gets behind his pads, he’s a force, and he’s hard to tackle. (Robinson) is just another guy who fits that mold (and) allows Antonio to do a couple of different things. Maybe takes a little mental load off him as well. And then J.D. is going to be J.D.

We know your eye for talent has connected you to evaluating certain players, with Taylor Heinicke being the most obvious and Gibson and Stefon Diggs in Minnesota. Was there anyone in this class you gravitated toward pre-draft?

No, I mean, it’s a collaboration. We do our scouting. They do a great job of presenting us with guys. I feel great about all of our draft picks. I was excited about — and I am now even more excited than I was — about Jahan. He’s a dynamic route runner. He’s smooth. He catches the ball very naturally. Nothing seems to faze him. He can line up a lot of different spots, and he’s gonna get open and make plays.

He’s a guy that we and me specifically targeted pretty early in the process. We were excited that we could get him and get some other picks out of it, too. It worked out perfectly with our plan and what we expected going into that draft.

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There is always a play calling or game planning evolution with individual coaches or league-wide. Whether for you or more broadly, what are some trends we might see next season?

Everyone has their defensive system. The (Vic) Fangio system is really popular right now, where you’re getting a lot more shell coverage. That’s spread now. But teams are going to play single-high (safety). The biggest thing you have to do is look at what other teams are doing. We call it research. Figure out some scheme. What fits your guys? The most important thing to me as the coordinator is I got to know our guys. What do they do well? How can we fit our offense to (help) our guys do their jobs to the best of their ability?

We talked about my dad. He says this all the time: If you’re a player, and you show me you can do something, I’m gonna have you do it. I’ve always kept that (top of mind). Then you get the great players that can do (many) things well. That allows you a little more freedom. That’s how I always try to think of it, how can I let our guys use their talents, the things they do the best, and showcase that.

(Top photo of Carson Wentz and Scott Turner: Geoff Burke / USA Today)

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