Phillips Discusses Owens, Staff In Combine Interviews
DallasCowboys.com Report
February 24, 2007 6:08 PM
Wade Phillips is hoping Terrell Owens will be ready to practice before the start of training camp.
INDIANAPOLIS - While the scouting combine in Indianapolis is nothing new for Wade Phillips, he certainly finds himself garnering more attention this year, still less than three weeks after being named the Cowboys' new head coach.
Phillips arrived in Indy on Thursday and has been a popular media request, even on the national level.
The Cowboys head coach had a brief press conference Saturday afternoon and discussed several topics, including wide receiver Terrell Owens, who for now, appears to be in the Cowboys' plans for the 2007 season.
While Phillips didn't discuss Owens' contract, which calls for a $3 million roster bonus on June 1, he did mention his conversations with the wide receiver, and his agent Drew Rosenhaus. Phillips said he is aware Owens is scheduled to have another surgery on his hand on March 1, but is hoping the receiver can return to the practice field before the start of training camp in late July, as was reported earlier this week.
Phillips said he has had just one conversation with Owens, but has met with several other players, including quarterback Tony Romo, who Phillips said is in his office "all the time."
But here is a transcript from Phillips' media briefing Saturday afternoon on various other topics from his evaluations of players at the combine to his relationship with former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells.
So how have things gone so far since you took the job?
Phillips:We've got started with the staff. We almost put the staff together. We're working on the same things (Falcons head coach) Bobby Petrino and all the new coaches are working on, getting those things done, putting notebooks together, coaching the coaches on offense and defense, getting to where we need to be. And then we've jumped into the draft by coming to the combine and also free agency. We're looking at free agents. Part of it is just catching up.
What are your thoughts on Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson?
Phillips: I probably won't comment on a lot of players here until I get a good look at all of them. I looked at kickers yesterday, which was different for me. I looked at offensive line and tight ends today. We're going to have quite a few interviews tonight. We're just getting started on the draft as far as what we're looking at and who the good players are and there seems to be a lot of them.
Can you talk about another chance to be a head coach?
Phillips: Well, I had a good record at Buffalo. I think you remember that. So I thought that I would and I thought it would come a lot quicker than this, but that's how it worked out so ...
What are your thoughts on re-signing center Andre Gurode this past week?
Phillips: Gurode was a real key. It's not baseball but I've said if you're strong up the middle with the quarterback, running back and the center, that can really help your team. So putting a guy in the middle, he didn't make many mistakes. He's a good player obviously he was in the Pro Bowl. It was important for us not only to bring him back but to get him to a long-term contract with him solidifying the middle.
How important is to establish your own draft philosophy?
Phillips:Well most of my philosophy is just 'get me some good players and we'll fit them in.' If we can get some top players, good athletes, smart, good character people, that's what we're looking for. We'll fit them into whatever system we have. We'll change our system if we have to, to get good players and utilize them. It's not that complicated since they've been running the 3-4 and running a lot of the same offense. It'll be similar type people they're looking for, so I think that will help.
How have your meetings been with director of pro and college scouting Jeff Ireland?
Phillips: We haven't gone completely through it, but I have sat with Jeff and Jerry Jones and I have talked quite about quite a few things. Again our coaches are here to help with the interviews, to get to know the players, do everything we can to support our scouting staff. That's what we're doing right now. Again we spent the whole season coaching and then with the transition we've got to catch up as far as all the players are concerned.
How is the relationship going with Jerry Jones and Jeff Ireland?
Phillips: It's going well. All of us work well with people. All of us are people. So that should work well.
What do you like about linebacker Bobby Carpenter?
Phillips: We liked Bobby coming out at San Diego. He is a really good athlete. He played some at the end of the year and played well when he played after Greg Ellis got hurt. I am looking forward to working with Bobby. Beyond that I can't predict anything. I did predict he was going to be a good player when he came out. So I think he will be in this league.
How much does T.O. possibly not being ready until training camp going to set you back?
Phillips: I will have to talk to our doctors and his doctors how long he is going to be out and when he will be coming back. Drew Rosenhaus, who I talked to already, said he will be back sooner than what you said. So we will have to see what the doctors say.
How many conversations have you had with Terrell?
Phillips: Just the one and the one I had with Drew. A lot of the players I have had at least a conversation with and/or they come into my office. Except for Romo, he has been in there all the time. I think he is my best friend now. But anyway they are excited. The players I talked to are excited about starting new.
When you talked to T.O, did he call you?
Phillips: Yes he called me right after I got the job. He said congratulations which I really appreciated. I have had my coaches contact all the players. When you walk in as an NFL head coach its not like high school or college where you say, 'hey guys, I am here and this is our program. They are not there. There are few guys working out. But the off-season program hasn't started yet. I have had the coaches contact all the players and make contact that way. Some of them that are there walk in. They come into my office. So I can get to know the players. That is part of the process.
What was the nature of the talk with Terrell?
Phillips: I won't go into the all the details. But it's like a lot of guys who said I am looking forward to working with each other. It was all the right things.
Do you worry about working with T.O.?
Phillips: I am going to treat people the way they treat me and go by the golden rule. All my players are part of my family so that is the way I am going to approach it right now.
Will you use Bill Parcells as a resource?
Phillips: Bill Parcells told me to utilize him at any time. To give him a call if I needed anything. If something came up I wouldn't hesitate to do it. He obviously did a lot for our program. He set the time on the right track. We are going to continue where he started.
February 24, 2007 6:08 PM
Wade Phillips is hoping Terrell Owens will be ready to practice before the start of training camp.
INDIANAPOLIS - While the scouting combine in Indianapolis is nothing new for Wade Phillips, he certainly finds himself garnering more attention this year, still less than three weeks after being named the Cowboys' new head coach.
Phillips arrived in Indy on Thursday and has been a popular media request, even on the national level.
The Cowboys head coach had a brief press conference Saturday afternoon and discussed several topics, including wide receiver Terrell Owens, who for now, appears to be in the Cowboys' plans for the 2007 season.
While Phillips didn't discuss Owens' contract, which calls for a $3 million roster bonus on June 1, he did mention his conversations with the wide receiver, and his agent Drew Rosenhaus. Phillips said he is aware Owens is scheduled to have another surgery on his hand on March 1, but is hoping the receiver can return to the practice field before the start of training camp in late July, as was reported earlier this week.
Phillips said he has had just one conversation with Owens, but has met with several other players, including quarterback Tony Romo, who Phillips said is in his office "all the time."
But here is a transcript from Phillips' media briefing Saturday afternoon on various other topics from his evaluations of players at the combine to his relationship with former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells.
So how have things gone so far since you took the job?
Phillips:We've got started with the staff. We almost put the staff together. We're working on the same things (Falcons head coach) Bobby Petrino and all the new coaches are working on, getting those things done, putting notebooks together, coaching the coaches on offense and defense, getting to where we need to be. And then we've jumped into the draft by coming to the combine and also free agency. We're looking at free agents. Part of it is just catching up.
What are your thoughts on Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson?
Phillips: I probably won't comment on a lot of players here until I get a good look at all of them. I looked at kickers yesterday, which was different for me. I looked at offensive line and tight ends today. We're going to have quite a few interviews tonight. We're just getting started on the draft as far as what we're looking at and who the good players are and there seems to be a lot of them.
Can you talk about another chance to be a head coach?
Phillips: Well, I had a good record at Buffalo. I think you remember that. So I thought that I would and I thought it would come a lot quicker than this, but that's how it worked out so ...
What are your thoughts on re-signing center Andre Gurode this past week?
Phillips: Gurode was a real key. It's not baseball but I've said if you're strong up the middle with the quarterback, running back and the center, that can really help your team. So putting a guy in the middle, he didn't make many mistakes. He's a good player obviously he was in the Pro Bowl. It was important for us not only to bring him back but to get him to a long-term contract with him solidifying the middle.
How important is to establish your own draft philosophy?
Phillips:Well most of my philosophy is just 'get me some good players and we'll fit them in.' If we can get some top players, good athletes, smart, good character people, that's what we're looking for. We'll fit them into whatever system we have. We'll change our system if we have to, to get good players and utilize them. It's not that complicated since they've been running the 3-4 and running a lot of the same offense. It'll be similar type people they're looking for, so I think that will help.
How have your meetings been with director of pro and college scouting Jeff Ireland?
Phillips: We haven't gone completely through it, but I have sat with Jeff and Jerry Jones and I have talked quite about quite a few things. Again our coaches are here to help with the interviews, to get to know the players, do everything we can to support our scouting staff. That's what we're doing right now. Again we spent the whole season coaching and then with the transition we've got to catch up as far as all the players are concerned.
How is the relationship going with Jerry Jones and Jeff Ireland?
Phillips: It's going well. All of us work well with people. All of us are people. So that should work well.
What do you like about linebacker Bobby Carpenter?
Phillips: We liked Bobby coming out at San Diego. He is a really good athlete. He played some at the end of the year and played well when he played after Greg Ellis got hurt. I am looking forward to working with Bobby. Beyond that I can't predict anything. I did predict he was going to be a good player when he came out. So I think he will be in this league.
How much does T.O. possibly not being ready until training camp going to set you back?
Phillips: I will have to talk to our doctors and his doctors how long he is going to be out and when he will be coming back. Drew Rosenhaus, who I talked to already, said he will be back sooner than what you said. So we will have to see what the doctors say.
How many conversations have you had with Terrell?
Phillips: Just the one and the one I had with Drew. A lot of the players I have had at least a conversation with and/or they come into my office. Except for Romo, he has been in there all the time. I think he is my best friend now. But anyway they are excited. The players I talked to are excited about starting new.
When you talked to T.O, did he call you?
Phillips: Yes he called me right after I got the job. He said congratulations which I really appreciated. I have had my coaches contact all the players. When you walk in as an NFL head coach its not like high school or college where you say, 'hey guys, I am here and this is our program. They are not there. There are few guys working out. But the off-season program hasn't started yet. I have had the coaches contact all the players and make contact that way. Some of them that are there walk in. They come into my office. So I can get to know the players. That is part of the process.
What was the nature of the talk with Terrell?
Phillips: I won't go into the all the details. But it's like a lot of guys who said I am looking forward to working with each other. It was all the right things.
Do you worry about working with T.O.?
Phillips: I am going to treat people the way they treat me and go by the golden rule. All my players are part of my family so that is the way I am going to approach it right now.
Will you use Bill Parcells as a resource?
Phillips: Bill Parcells told me to utilize him at any time. To give him a call if I needed anything. If something came up I wouldn't hesitate to do it. He obviously did a lot for our program. He set the time on the right track. We are going to continue where he started.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:35 AM
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