DALLAS — Resilient football teams like to pride themselves on the "next man up" philosophy.
For the Dallas Cowboys, it was "next coach up" as defensive coordinator Dan Quinn left AT&T Stadium 90 minutes before kickoff on Aug. 21 to enter quarantine. Instead of calling the defense in the dress rehearsal against the Houston Texans, Quinn was calling his wife to pick him up and head straight home.
Next coach up.
Stepping into the defensive play-calling void was secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. It was logical on a variety of fronts. Whitt was Quinn's secondary coach and passing game coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons last season. Whitt also worked in the press box alongside Quinn, his favorite perch to call games.
Just because it was logical didn't mean it was easy.
"We have a saying that we use some with the play callers or signal callers, the linebackers and safeties: when in charge, be in charge," Quinn said. "And he was and he did an excellent job doing it the way it was supposed to be done."
According to coach Mike McCarthy, Whitt, who also was on McCarthy's Green Bay Packers' staff from 2008-18, filling in for Quinn was a "good opportunity for him."
"I've watched him grow from quality control all the way up to passing game coordinator," said McCarthy. "This is a good opportunity for him in small doses."
Watching the game from home, Quinn says that Whitt was "decisive and strong."
Said Quinn: "I thought defensively after our first drive we settled down and played excellent third down defense. So I was really proud of the defensive staff and especially with Joe just on short notice, ‘Hey man, you’re going to take the keys here and run with it,’ and he did a great job."
The Cowboys lost 20-14. However, Dallas quarterback Ben DiNucci threw a pick-six. Take it away, and the defense held the Texans to 13 points and 0-10 on third down.
Whitt has also been a key part of the defensive meetings over the past week while Quinn has been in quarantine. For Quinn, it reminds him of when he was defensive line coach for the New York Jets from 2007-08 and had a chance to call the defense under coach Eric Mangini.
"At that time I was so excited to do that, that he entrusted in me to do that and go through the process," Quinn said. "I remember that from that time."
Whitt appears set to get another chance to coordinate the Cowboys' defense for the preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at AT&T Stadium as the clock ticks down to the regular season when it is hoped that Quinn will be ready to get out of quarantine and get back in the booth.
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