Cowboys' Phillips still getting attaboys
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Wade Phillips' anonymity is gone.
As the Cowboys' head coach walked through the halls of the Indianapolis Convention Center Friday he stopped to pose for pictures, sign autographs and shake hands of strangers, some from a gymnastics competition unaware the NFL Scouting Combine was even in town.
"Quite a bit different," Phillips said in an empty walkway above Maryland Street, leading to the Marriott hotel the Cowboys are calling home this week. "A lot of people saying hello, wanting to talk. I think a lot of them had Dallas Cowboys' helmets and all kinds of stuff."
Phillips wasn't just stopped by those strangers, but also by assistant coaches, scouts and general managers from other teams who wished him well. Even a Redskins assistant coach patted Phillips on the back as he walked by.
"I forgot how many people I know," Phillips said. "There's been a lot of football kind of people happy for me because I've been around. I've been an assistant coach for a good amount of time. I think they see that I've gotten an opportunity and one day they might, too."
Since being named the Cowboys coach, Phillips biggest task has been putting together a coaching staff. He is one or two assistants away from completing that process. He also has been studying the Cowboys' personnel, mostly defense. The Combine represents the first chance for Phillips to see and talk with potential prospects.
"I watched the kickers [Friday], I didn't do that before [as a defensive coordinator]," Phillips joked. "I'm trying to get an overall picture of the guys out there."
Phillips said he and his assistants have talked to most of the Cowboys in the last few weeks, and a number of players have stopped by the team's Valley Ranch facility to talk to him.
He has yet to finalize the Cowboys' off-season schedule, but he said the team would be on the field more than it was under coach Bill Parcells, who ran just one veteran minicamp.
With changes to the offense and defense, Phillips wants his team to get a feel for the schemes before training camp starts in San Antonio in July.
What the players will see from Phillips, according to former players and coaches, will be different than Parcells, but that does not mean Phillips will be easier.
"He's able to reach the players," said San Diego defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who held the same job under Phillips in Buffalo. "He works on their self-motivation, getting those guys to do it themselves without a lot of yelling and screaming all the time. He's one of the guys when he does yell and scream you know it's for a darn good reason, so you don't want to get on the wrong side of him."
In Buffalo, Phillips coached Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl veterans such as Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. In Dallas, he will have high-profile players such as Terrell Owens and Roy Williams.
"If the man is a good teacher and players say they're learning from him, I think they like that," said Buffalo general manager Marv Levy, whom Phillips replaced as head coach. "There's not a bunch of catch-word phrases. He's himself. He coaches within his own personality."
Which is why he can walk through the halls of the Indiana Convention Center as the everyman, posing for pictures, signing footballs and getting patted on the back.
Ellis to stay at linebacker: Phillips said he spoke Thursday with Greg Ellis, who is in the early stages of recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon, and he will continue to play Ellis at outside linebacker.
Ellis reluctantly made the move last year and in nine games he had 34 tackles and 4 ½ sacks before suffering the injury Nov. 12 at Arizona.
Ellis should be happy with how Phillips will use him in 2007.
"I told him it's the same position that Rickey Jackson, Bryce Paup and Shawne Merriman played," Phillips said. "I think most of them led the league in sacks."
In market for backup QB: The Cowboys are expected to cut quarterback Drew Bledsoe before he is due a $1 million roster bonus, and coach Wade Phillips said the team could be in the market for a veteran backup behind Tony Romo.
"Sometimes that can change, but I could think somebody with experience certainly would be a guy we'd talk to," Phillips said.
Briefly: The Cowboys' defensive coaches arrived in Indianapolis Friday afternoon and owner and general manager Jerry Jones was scheduled to arrive Friday night. Executive vice president Stephen Jones is scheduled to arrive today. ... University of Texas offensive lineman Justin Blalock, who is from Plano, helped himself Friday by lifting 225 pounds 40 times, among the highest for a linemen
tarcher@dallasnews.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Wade Phillips' anonymity is gone.
As the Cowboys' head coach walked through the halls of the Indianapolis Convention Center Friday he stopped to pose for pictures, sign autographs and shake hands of strangers, some from a gymnastics competition unaware the NFL Scouting Combine was even in town.
"Quite a bit different," Phillips said in an empty walkway above Maryland Street, leading to the Marriott hotel the Cowboys are calling home this week. "A lot of people saying hello, wanting to talk. I think a lot of them had Dallas Cowboys' helmets and all kinds of stuff."
Phillips wasn't just stopped by those strangers, but also by assistant coaches, scouts and general managers from other teams who wished him well. Even a Redskins assistant coach patted Phillips on the back as he walked by.
"I forgot how many people I know," Phillips said. "There's been a lot of football kind of people happy for me because I've been around. I've been an assistant coach for a good amount of time. I think they see that I've gotten an opportunity and one day they might, too."
Since being named the Cowboys coach, Phillips biggest task has been putting together a coaching staff. He is one or two assistants away from completing that process. He also has been studying the Cowboys' personnel, mostly defense. The Combine represents the first chance for Phillips to see and talk with potential prospects.
"I watched the kickers [Friday], I didn't do that before [as a defensive coordinator]," Phillips joked. "I'm trying to get an overall picture of the guys out there."
Phillips said he and his assistants have talked to most of the Cowboys in the last few weeks, and a number of players have stopped by the team's Valley Ranch facility to talk to him.
He has yet to finalize the Cowboys' off-season schedule, but he said the team would be on the field more than it was under coach Bill Parcells, who ran just one veteran minicamp.
With changes to the offense and defense, Phillips wants his team to get a feel for the schemes before training camp starts in San Antonio in July.
What the players will see from Phillips, according to former players and coaches, will be different than Parcells, but that does not mean Phillips will be easier.
"He's able to reach the players," said San Diego defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who held the same job under Phillips in Buffalo. "He works on their self-motivation, getting those guys to do it themselves without a lot of yelling and screaming all the time. He's one of the guys when he does yell and scream you know it's for a darn good reason, so you don't want to get on the wrong side of him."
In Buffalo, Phillips coached Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl veterans such as Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. In Dallas, he will have high-profile players such as Terrell Owens and Roy Williams.
"If the man is a good teacher and players say they're learning from him, I think they like that," said Buffalo general manager Marv Levy, whom Phillips replaced as head coach. "There's not a bunch of catch-word phrases. He's himself. He coaches within his own personality."
Which is why he can walk through the halls of the Indiana Convention Center as the everyman, posing for pictures, signing footballs and getting patted on the back.
Ellis to stay at linebacker: Phillips said he spoke Thursday with Greg Ellis, who is in the early stages of recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon, and he will continue to play Ellis at outside linebacker.
Ellis reluctantly made the move last year and in nine games he had 34 tackles and 4 ½ sacks before suffering the injury Nov. 12 at Arizona.
Ellis should be happy with how Phillips will use him in 2007.
"I told him it's the same position that Rickey Jackson, Bryce Paup and Shawne Merriman played," Phillips said. "I think most of them led the league in sacks."
In market for backup QB: The Cowboys are expected to cut quarterback Drew Bledsoe before he is due a $1 million roster bonus, and coach Wade Phillips said the team could be in the market for a veteran backup behind Tony Romo.
"Sometimes that can change, but I could think somebody with experience certainly would be a guy we'd talk to," Phillips said.
Briefly: The Cowboys' defensive coaches arrived in Indianapolis Friday afternoon and owner and general manager Jerry Jones was scheduled to arrive Friday night. Executive vice president Stephen Jones is scheduled to arrive today. ... University of Texas offensive lineman Justin Blalock, who is from Plano, helped himself Friday by lifting 225 pounds 40 times, among the highest for a linemen
posted by The Gryphon at 8:07 AM
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