ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback Jayden Daniels is off to a solid start, which comes as no surprise to the previous Commanders quarterback.

Jason Campbell, a former first-round pick of the Washington Redskins and a four-year starter for the franchise, became a fan of Daniels after watching him play in college at LSU. Daniels’ success as a running back has benefited the Commanders during their 1-1 start, Campbell said, and can help Daniels change into more comfortable within the team’s passing game. Campbell is optimistic about Daniels’ future, provided the Washington coaching staff properly handles the young player’s development.

Campbell said Daniels continues to make the precise decisions because the team prepares on the practice facility for a Week 3 road game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“One of the things he does really well is protecting the ball. He hasn’t thrown an interception yet, and for a rookie quarterback through his first two games, that’s really good,” Campbell told Andscape on Tuesday. “Even when that (fumble) happens, and it’ll occur, you’ll be able to see he understands he has to make good decisions with the ball. I do know they’re attempting to protect him from running an excessive amount of. I understand it’s a giant deal (a couple of potential injury). There was quite a lot of discuss him rushing 16 times in Week 1.

“But it’s not like they designed 16 runs for him. If they did, yes, that would be a problem. But most of those runs were rushes. Those runs are going to open up explosive plays in the passing game because of the pressure they put on the defense when a quarterback can run like he can. There’s just not a lot of guys who can do that. The difference in Washington from LSU is that in addition to the running, he had so many explosive passing plays at LSU. Once he starts building that chemistry with his receivers, combined with the running, those plays are going to happen.”

Selected second overall within the 2024 draft, the 23-year-old Daniels is amongst six quarterbacks chosen in the primary round, tying a record set in 1983. Through two games, the Washington rookie has been the perfect of the bunch.

Daniels accomplished 75.5 percent of his passes for 410 yards. While he didn’t have any touchdown passes, Daniels, crucially, didn’t have any interceptions either. Daniels has 132 rushing yards (and a formidable 5.1 yards per rush average) with two rushing touchdowns. He fumbled the ball twice, however the Commanders recovered it each times.

For comparison, the opposite two rookies playing at point guard, the No. 1 pick Caleb Williams Chicago Bears and the twelfth pick Because Nixa The Denver Broncos struggled. Both seemed overwhelmed by the speed of the sport.

After the visiting Commanders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Daniels’ profession debut, he showed poise of their home opener, confidently leading the game-winning drive that capped a 21-18 victory over the New York Giants. With the Commanders trailing 18-15 late within the fourth quarter, Daniels led the team in back-to-back field goals, including a 30-yarder as time expired. On those drives, he accomplished 7 of 9 passes for 91 yards. Daniels ran twice for 15 yards.

After watching Daniels at LSU, Campbell thought the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner’s game would translate well to the NFL because “it’s all about the RPO (run and pass option) in the league these days,” Campbell said. “NFL coaches want guys who can make plays with their legs now. And from the first time you watch him, you can see he really does that.”

In his current role as a radio analyst for Auburn Sports Network, Campbell has often watched Daniels play within the SEC. Selected as an analyst for his alma mater in 2023, Campbell was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2004. That season, he led undefeated Auburn to an SEC championship and a Sugar Bowl victory.

Washington chosen Campbell in the primary round (twenty fifth overall) of the 2005 draft. He then had a 10-year NFL profession, also playing for the then-Oakland Raiders, Bears, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals.

When Campbell first saw Daniels, who transferred to LSU after three seasons at Arizona State, play in person, one thought immediately got here to mind: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Although Daniels wasn’t as polished as Jackson, the two-time AP NFL MVP, “you could see some of the same things,” Campbell said. “Guys like Lamar, Jalen Hurts (of the Philadelphia Eagles), Justin Fields (of the Pittsburgh Steelers) … they make big plays with their legs.

“When I was playing, they (coaches) always wanted you to stay in the pocket. If you didn’t stay in the pocket, it was like, ‘Oh shit. I did something wrong.’ Now, if you can get out of the pocket and run like they do, coaches see that as an added threat. The whole coaching mindset has changed. It’s a big bonus now. The RPO game has really allowed guys to come in and start right away and learn on the field. A guy like Daniels can beat you with his legs and his arm.”

As a member of the fraternity of black quarterbacks in Washington, Campbell is a giant fan of Daniels’ development.

Quarterback Doug Williams’ iconic, myth-busting Super Bowl performance got here when he led Washington to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII in 1988. Williams became the primary black quarterback to start out a Super Bowl game and won the sport’s MVP award.

Although Williams, who’s a senior adviser to the Washington general manager, was not drafted by the Commanders and commenced only 14 games for the franchise in 4 seasons, all the black quarterbacks who play for the team accomplish that in his shadow, Campbell said. The club also drafted Robert Griffin III (2012, No. 2 overall) and Dwayne Haskins (2019, No. 15 overall) in the primary round.

“You feel like there’s a little extra pressure to live up to that,” Campbell said. “Because he was the primary black quarterback to win a Super Bowl and he did it for Washington, that’s a giant deal.

“But the bottom line is, to get anywhere in this league as a quarterback, you have to be in the right place, in the right situation, and have the right pieces around you. For (Daniels), it’s going in a pretty good direction right now.”

Commanders fans, hungry for fulfillment, are hoping Daniels continues on his current profession path.

Former NBA player and current college basketball coach Penny Hardaway just announced that he has hired two assistant coaches, including a former HBCU head coach, to affix his staff on the University of Memphis.

School announced that Nolan Smith and former Detroit Mercy basketball coach Mike Davis shall be assistant coaches for the 2024-25 season.

“I am excited to have Coach Davis as part of our program,” Hardaway said in a written statement. “He is a seasoned coach who brings a winning mentality to the team and has a powerful resume to back it up, each on and off the court.

“Mike has won at the highest level, has achieved great success and is a proven leader of young men. He will serve our program in the front office, on campus and in the community. We are excited to have Mike and his family in Memphis.”

Davis spent the past six seasons as head coach at Detroit Mercy (2018-24), as he brings greater than 35 years of coaching experience to the sidelines. He has been a head coach for twenty-four years and has led his teams to the postseason in 14 of those years. He has a winning record in 15 of those 24 seasons, recording a minimum of 20 wins nine times.

Smith, meanwhile, most recently served as an assistant coach at Louisville for the past two years (2022-24). Prior to his time at Louisville, he spent six seasons working under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke (2016-22).

“Nolan is a guy with grit and grit, one of the brightest young coaches in college basketball,” Hardaway said. “He works hard and has an unmatched passion for the sport.

“He brings a championship mentality to our team, not only having won a national championship as a competitor, but also having learned from one of the all-time greats in Mike Krzyzewski. Our fighters will love being in the gym with Nolan, and we are excited to have him and his family as part of Tiger Nation.”

The Tigers will play their first exhibition game on October 15 within the Hoops for St. Jude® Tip Off Classic, where they may face North Carolina on the FedEx Forum in Memphis.

WASHINGTON — The Washington Mystics hosted their fourth and final Brunch & Basketball outside the Entertainment & Sports Arena ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Atlanta Dream. The event features a game ticket and a pregame meal, complete with unlimited mimosas.

Attendees casually feasted on chicken and waffles and sipped mimosas while a DJ spun the usual brunch hits. Somewhat Future. Somewhat Sexyy Red, in fact. One moment it was New Edition’s “Mr. Telephone Man,” the next it was Mark Morrison’s “Return of the Mack.” Fantasia’s “When I See U” had everyone testing their vocal chords.

But the setting seemed subdued. People remained seated, eating or chatting. Some were even glued to their cell phones. Besides the loud music, there was something off about this particular brunch.

And then “Wobble” got here along.

At this point, a few of the attendees stood up, some letting out an audible “ayyyyy” as they headed toward the center of the venue. As rapper VIC’s 2008 hit lyrics blared from the speakers, everyone line danced in unison to the line dancing, whether it was an older woman or just a little girl no older than 6.

The party got here alive, the atmosphere was buzzing. People looked like they were having a great time just being in this space designed for them. And in doing so, the WNBA team in the nation’s capital someway, someway, brought the city’s culture and love of brunch to basketball.

“We kind of invented the brunch scene,” Erin Blaine, Mystics fan experience manager, said of Washington.

Earlier this yr, the Mystics marketing team was special ticket promotions, which usually include a free item or food voucher, for the upcoming season. While they ultimately settled on promotions that included T-shirts, headbands, plush dolls and personalized T-shirts, the marketing team also decided that every gift may be an experience.

Dana Campbell, vice chairman of promoting for Mystics, asked employees what they do on the weekends for fun and entertainment.

Blaine, a Washington native who played college basketball at Saint Francis (2013-14), Howard (2015-17) and Morehead State (2017-18), said she typically went out for brunch on the weekends before ending the day with shopping or a sporting event. She also noted that previously there have been no fan events during Sunday afternoon games, which began around the time most brunches ended. This was a solution to give fans the brunch experience without having to sacrifice attending a Mystics game.

“You can go and enjoy the game,” Blaine said, as Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz’s “Who U Wit” played in the background. “And you’ll be home by 5 a.m..”

With that in mind, the team got here up with the idea of ​​why not mix two of Washingtonians’ favorite things: basketball and brunch.

Washington lives and breathes all types of basketball, with connections from former Washington Capitols coach Red Auerbach to Capitols forward Earl Lloyd (the first black man to play in the NBA), to legendary NBA forward and Washington native Elgin Baylor, to Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, also a Washington native. Youth basketball is essential here, and John Thompson’s legacy is perpetuated at Georgetown University.

And based solely on subjective opinion and self-promotion, Washington is generally known as the brunch capital of the country. A meal of shrimp, grits, eggs, and lamb chops mixed with the feeling of sitting in the middle of a nightclub—few cities offer a greater experience than Washington. Not to say that brunch is greater than food and booze. It’s a probability to let out with friends and have a great time. For just a few hours on the weekend, there aren’t any worries about work, bills, or anything that doesn’t bring you happiness.

“We hang out, drink mimosas, eat good food and have a great time,” said Blaine, wearing a black and red Howard shirt and red skirt.

“Brunch is very much a D.C. institution,” Campbell said. “So let’s take something that’s already happening in our community, combine it with basketball, another experience that’s very big and popular in D.C., combine the two and see what happens.”

While the primary goal of any promotion is to expand the brand, this season the focus has been on the WNBA.

Attendance and viewership records have been broken across the league. Marketing plans are attempting to capitalize on the league’s renewed interest this season, which is partly because of the 2024 draft class highlighted by No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and No. 7 pick Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky. For Brunch & Basketball, marketing is concentrated on three major things: bringing Washington’s brunch culture to the Mystics brand, attracting latest and younger fans, and appealing to black women, who’re a part of their core demographic. (Blacks make up 32% of the WNBA’s viewership on ESPN and 45% on ION, in keeping with a July report.)

Campbell said black women make up a “large portion” of the Mystics’ fan base. Attracting a broader audience is an obvious goal for the company, but the team is careful to not lose touch with its core audience.

“We try to stay true to our DNA,” Campbell said.

After the marketing team settled on the Brunch & Basketball concept, they set to work securing each a venue and a caterer. The Entertainment & Sports Arena, where the G League’s Mystics and Capital City Go-Go play their home games, is across the street from Sycamore & Oak, an all-wood, 23,000-square-foot multipurpose space that serves the predominantly black community of Ward 8. It’s home to black-owned streetwear shops and restaurants, including a vegan hot dog joint aptly named Glizzy’s Vegan Food Company (glizzy is locally used to confer with hot dogs and half-rods).

The Mystics saw Sycamore & Oak as a chance to extend foot traffic. They didn’t want the retail stores to shut for Brunch & Basketball. Attendees visited the stores during the three-hour event.

“Our goal is also to attract our fans to the Sycamore & Oak space and encourage them to visit the businesses there,” Campbell said.

The Mystics originally planned to rotate between five Sycamore & Oak restaurants for every event. The first Brunch & Basketball, held May 19 before the Seattle Storm game, was catered by Dionne’s Good Food, which specializes in chicken wings and crab fries, a Washington-area specialty. Brunches on June 22 (Dallas Wings), July 14 (Las Vegas Aces) and Sept. 15 (Atlanta Dream) were catered by Afro Caribbean restaurant Tricey’s D.C.

When the team announced the promotion in May, the news spread like wildfire. A Front Office Sports post on X garnered nearly 2 million views. ESPN wrote a chunk on Brunch & Basketball, highlighting the “bottomless mimosas” in its heading.

“We were a little surprised,” Campbell said. “We’ve always believed in the concept, but yes, we were a little surprised.”

As a part of the historically black colleges and universities theme for the Sept. 15 event, the Howard dance team danced to a routine backed by Ciara’s “1, 2 Step.” Participants wore costumes from every Divine Nine black fraternity and sorority organization with Greek letters, not to say HBCU Howard, Florida A&M, Morgan State and North Carolina A&T.

The crowd was made up of many alternative groups: Girls out. Boys hanging out. Mixed groups of friends. Couples with babies in strollers.

The event captured Washingtonian fashion. Braids, twists, low-cut hair. Graphic tees paired with baggy jeans, short shorts accentuated with fanny packs. Lots of Air Jordans, and even just a few from Salehe Bembury x Crocs (or as I call them: Fancy Crocs). You don’t show as much as brunch in a flared bodice.

“It’s kind of an agreement. If you know, you know,” Blaine said. “If I’m going out all day, I’m going to brunch, I’m dressed all day.”

While the DJ spun hit after hit after hit. SWV’s “Right Here” (Michael Jackson’s version, in fact). Beyoncé’s “Get Me Bodied,” GoldLink’s “Crew,” Boosie Badazz’s verse on “Independent.” Of course, there was an Afrobeats interlude and just a few seconds of Elvis Crespo’s “Suavemente.”

Overall, Brunch & Basketball was successful. The team sold out all 4 of its events this season, sometimes having to sell extra tickets to maintain up with demand. After hosting the inaugural Brunch & Basketball in the upper mezzanine at Sycamore & Oak (approximate capability: 200), the Mystics rented out the entire space for the last three events (capability: 300 to 400).

Next season, the Mystics marketing team hopes so as to add more programming to the brunch events and work with more community stakeholders to further emphasize the team’s concentrate on making this a Washington event. They also wish to add more…space.

“Our next good problem is figuring out how to fit more,” Blaine said.