A Turner Candidacy Would Turn on His DC
By Rafael Vela
Update Promoted from the threads: Espn’s Ed Werder tells the Mike and Mike Show that Turner looks like the leader but wants to leverage some changes, given San Francisco’s strong desire to retain him. I have learned this is true but that a Turner hiring is not imminent. As for what changes Turner might want, I cannot say. I’ve learned nothing about any possible assistants he might favor.
Going back over his brief Raiders’ tenure I can say this in Norv’s favor — he’s the guy who hired Rob Ryan to be DC. If he’s got another young hotshot DC in mind, he should speak his mind, loud and clear.
They’re feeling spurned in San Francisco.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The local press seems excited about a Norv Turner candicacy. Turner will interview a second time today. Are they trying to surreptitiously tell us something then can’t say out loud?
What could a Turner candidacy bring? For one, a return to the Don Coryell/Ernie Zampese influenced offense Turner learned with the Rams in the late ’80s while an assistant under John Robinson. The one he incorporated so well in Dallas. The one Mike Martz ran so effectively with the same Rams in the late ’90s and early oughts.
It would change the running game the Cowboys use to a more zone based system and perhaps change the type of linemen Dallas will need to draft in the next couple of years to replace the aging ones currently in place. That said, it’s hard to see how Turner could improve on this year’s output. The 425 points Tony Sparano helped notch were never topped by a Turner-led Cowboys offense. Only Ernie Zampese’s ‘95 squad, with 435 points, bettered it. Still, matching it would again put Dallas among the league’s offensive leaders.
But again, who would lead the defense? Star-Telegram scribe Randy Galloway nominates Dave Campo.
While I’m hesitant to jump on a radio guy’s bandwagon, and while his idea appears to be nothing but conjecture at this point, Randy’s idea might work. Campo’s coaching apex came during his five years as Cowboys’ DC, from ‘95 through ‘99. While he worked with less talented units every progressive year, as the organization tried in vain to replace Kevin Smith, Russell Maryland, Darrin Smith and especially Charles Haley, Campo kept the defense near the top. Look at his defenses’ scoring ranks:
Year, Points, Rank
‘95 — 291 — 3rd
‘96 — 250 — 3rd
‘97 — 314 — 14th
‘98 — 275 — 3rd
‘99 — 276 — 5th
His fairly consistent top five production earned him the head job in 2000, after Chan Gailey’s departure. His defense missed his touch as it failed to finish in the top ten during his three years at the helm. (It’s best finish during the Campo/Zimmer years was 13th in 2002.)
Campo had two DC offers waiting for him when he stepped down from the HC job in ‘03. He turned down Mike Holmgren’s offer to run Seattle’s defense and joined Butch Davis’ Cleveland staff. His Browns were 12th in ‘03 and sank to 24th in ‘04, when Davis was fired midway through the season. Interestingly, Campo oversaw a young secondary coach by the name of Todd Bowles there.
Which brings us back to the fundamental question. Can Dallas switch to a 4-3, the only scheme Campo has run in the pros? The answer is a guarded yes. The Cowboys have already acquired the most difficult piece to any scheme in OLB Demarcus Ware, who played as a 4-3 end at Troy and has the size to play RE in a four man line. Look at Chris Canty’s ‘06 and you’ll see that his best game, far and away was the finale against Detroit, where Dallas played a four man line most of the time. Canty rushed far better lined up inside than he did in a three man line. Marcus Spears has the size to rotate with Jason Ferguson. Jay Ratliff was a 4-3 tackle at Auburn and also has the bulk for a four man scheme.
The success of any reversion to a 4-3 will fall to end Jason Hatcher and the linebackers, especially the middle linebackers Bradie James and Akin Ayodele. Bill Parcells lauded Hatcher’s versatility late in the season, saying he had the size and mobility to play end in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. Dallas rushed him into the nickel package because of his rushing promise and Parcells complained midseason about how much a Hatcher injury messed with his nickel options. If Hatcher can build on that promise, Dallas has the bookend to Ware. Still, it’s premature to declare that a certainty.
Linebacker also looks muddled. There’s no issue with speed on the edges. Bobby Carpenter posted a 4.61 last spring, the same time Ware posted coming out the season before. Carpenter played SOLB in Ohio State’s 4-3 and could probably move back there without too much trouble.
Shifting to 4-3 might give Kevin Burnett a chance to crack the starting lineup. He played WOLB in Tennessee’s 4-3 and has 4.6 speed. Moving out in space and getting the freedom to chase the ball might suit him better than the 3-4. He seems best suited of all the current Cowboys linebackers to play this position.
A change means Dallas has a surplus inside with Ayodele and James. What’s more, both got large, long-term contracts this year. Ayodele played on the strong side in Jacksonville, (where Campo was secondary coach) but the Jaguars showed little desire to keep him when he became a free agent. He played well inside and was second only to Ware in week-in, week-out performance among Cowboys’ ‘backers.
James, on the other hand, regressed after a breakout ‘05. If Dallas does hire a familiar face like Campo, I would not be surprised if the team shopped one of these two. It would make no sense to have a big ticket player as a backup.
I would point out again that this is only conjecture, though the second Turner interview could make a change like this more of a possibility.
In addition, Dallas would still need to fix the free safety position, no matter who the coordinator is or what scheme he plays.
Update Promoted from the threads: Espn’s Ed Werder tells the Mike and Mike Show that Turner looks like the leader but wants to leverage some changes, given San Francisco’s strong desire to retain him. I have learned this is true but that a Turner hiring is not imminent. As for what changes Turner might want, I cannot say. I’ve learned nothing about any possible assistants he might favor.
Going back over his brief Raiders’ tenure I can say this in Norv’s favor — he’s the guy who hired Rob Ryan to be DC. If he’s got another young hotshot DC in mind, he should speak his mind, loud and clear.
They’re feeling spurned in San Francisco.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The local press seems excited about a Norv Turner candicacy. Turner will interview a second time today. Are they trying to surreptitiously tell us something then can’t say out loud?
What could a Turner candidacy bring? For one, a return to the Don Coryell/Ernie Zampese influenced offense Turner learned with the Rams in the late ’80s while an assistant under John Robinson. The one he incorporated so well in Dallas. The one Mike Martz ran so effectively with the same Rams in the late ’90s and early oughts.
It would change the running game the Cowboys use to a more zone based system and perhaps change the type of linemen Dallas will need to draft in the next couple of years to replace the aging ones currently in place. That said, it’s hard to see how Turner could improve on this year’s output. The 425 points Tony Sparano helped notch were never topped by a Turner-led Cowboys offense. Only Ernie Zampese’s ‘95 squad, with 435 points, bettered it. Still, matching it would again put Dallas among the league’s offensive leaders.
But again, who would lead the defense? Star-Telegram scribe Randy Galloway nominates Dave Campo.
While I’m hesitant to jump on a radio guy’s bandwagon, and while his idea appears to be nothing but conjecture at this point, Randy’s idea might work. Campo’s coaching apex came during his five years as Cowboys’ DC, from ‘95 through ‘99. While he worked with less talented units every progressive year, as the organization tried in vain to replace Kevin Smith, Russell Maryland, Darrin Smith and especially Charles Haley, Campo kept the defense near the top. Look at his defenses’ scoring ranks:
Year, Points, Rank
‘95 — 291 — 3rd
‘96 — 250 — 3rd
‘97 — 314 — 14th
‘98 — 275 — 3rd
‘99 — 276 — 5th
His fairly consistent top five production earned him the head job in 2000, after Chan Gailey’s departure. His defense missed his touch as it failed to finish in the top ten during his three years at the helm. (It’s best finish during the Campo/Zimmer years was 13th in 2002.)
Campo had two DC offers waiting for him when he stepped down from the HC job in ‘03. He turned down Mike Holmgren’s offer to run Seattle’s defense and joined Butch Davis’ Cleveland staff. His Browns were 12th in ‘03 and sank to 24th in ‘04, when Davis was fired midway through the season. Interestingly, Campo oversaw a young secondary coach by the name of Todd Bowles there.
Which brings us back to the fundamental question. Can Dallas switch to a 4-3, the only scheme Campo has run in the pros? The answer is a guarded yes. The Cowboys have already acquired the most difficult piece to any scheme in OLB Demarcus Ware, who played as a 4-3 end at Troy and has the size to play RE in a four man line. Look at Chris Canty’s ‘06 and you’ll see that his best game, far and away was the finale against Detroit, where Dallas played a four man line most of the time. Canty rushed far better lined up inside than he did in a three man line. Marcus Spears has the size to rotate with Jason Ferguson. Jay Ratliff was a 4-3 tackle at Auburn and also has the bulk for a four man scheme.
The success of any reversion to a 4-3 will fall to end Jason Hatcher and the linebackers, especially the middle linebackers Bradie James and Akin Ayodele. Bill Parcells lauded Hatcher’s versatility late in the season, saying he had the size and mobility to play end in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. Dallas rushed him into the nickel package because of his rushing promise and Parcells complained midseason about how much a Hatcher injury messed with his nickel options. If Hatcher can build on that promise, Dallas has the bookend to Ware. Still, it’s premature to declare that a certainty.
Linebacker also looks muddled. There’s no issue with speed on the edges. Bobby Carpenter posted a 4.61 last spring, the same time Ware posted coming out the season before. Carpenter played SOLB in Ohio State’s 4-3 and could probably move back there without too much trouble.
Shifting to 4-3 might give Kevin Burnett a chance to crack the starting lineup. He played WOLB in Tennessee’s 4-3 and has 4.6 speed. Moving out in space and getting the freedom to chase the ball might suit him better than the 3-4. He seems best suited of all the current Cowboys linebackers to play this position.
A change means Dallas has a surplus inside with Ayodele and James. What’s more, both got large, long-term contracts this year. Ayodele played on the strong side in Jacksonville, (where Campo was secondary coach) but the Jaguars showed little desire to keep him when he became a free agent. He played well inside and was second only to Ware in week-in, week-out performance among Cowboys’ ‘backers.
James, on the other hand, regressed after a breakout ‘05. If Dallas does hire a familiar face like Campo, I would not be surprised if the team shopped one of these two. It would make no sense to have a big ticket player as a backup.
I would point out again that this is only conjecture, though the second Turner interview could make a change like this more of a possibility.
In addition, Dallas would still need to fix the free safety position, no matter who the coordinator is or what scheme he plays.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:02 PM
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