Archer DMN: Minicamp Provides a Fresh Start
Minicamp provides a fresh start
01:48 PM CDT on Thursday, May 10, 2007
Todd Archer
IRVING – The changes made since the Cowboys' disheartening playoff loss at Seattle in January have been substantial.
Wade Phillips is the head coach and Bill Parcells is enjoying his time at the golf range, preparing for his summer in Saratoga, N.Y. Most of the coaching staff has been changed with last year's defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, calling plays in Atlanta and passing game coordinator Todd Haley now in Arizona.
Players have changed, too, starting with the additions of Leonard Davis at right guard and Ken Hamlin at free safety.
Several players have said Phillips' off-season program has been more difficult than Parcells' because of all the on-field football work they are doing. With Parcells, the bulk of the heavy lifting was done in training camp.
This minicamp, which starts Saturday, will give the veterans the chance see how their work is progressing and for the rookies to get their first taste of the NFL.
And there should always be a point of caution when it comes to these minicamps. Those who look good here a lot of times do not make the transition when the pads come on in July.
That being said, here is a list of things to look for this weekend.
Wade Phillips
Since being hired, he has brought a different style to Valley Ranch compared to the one Parcells used. Parcells ruled with fear, sarcasm and intimidation. Phillips has been demanding, but in a less stressful way. He has been waiting for another chance to be a head coach, and he gets it with a team that made the playoffs last year and feels like it's close to contending this year. He and his assistants must set a tone from this minicamp that carries throughout the rest of the off-season.
The offensive changes
Jason Garrett and Tony Sparano have spent the off-season coming up with a new playbook. The running game, which Sparano coordinated the last two years, will remain the same. Garrett has tweaked the passing game, going to a system similar to the one used when he was a player with the Cowboys. The Cowboys will run a timing-based scheme, which is differs from the system used under Parcells that required a lot more reading and reacting by quarterback and receiver.
Tony Romo
He and Garrett have been working together a ton this off-season in order to get the system down. Romo can't wait to get back on the field and this represents his first chance to put behind him the bobbled snap in Seattle. He wants to prove he is not a one-year (half year?) wonder and wants to prove he is the leader of this team.
Roy Williams
In Phillips' defense, Williams will not have as many coverage responsibilities, but he will have to be in some, which is why the talk of making him a linebacker is bogus. The talk earlier in the off-season was to have Williams drop some pounds to make him quicker. The defensive backs will tell you he has the best feet in the secondary. Losing some pounds should help Williams in coverage and also in his blitz work, where he relied too much on overpowering blockers.
Anthony Spencer
Forget his pass rush skills. We'll get a better assessment of those when training camp begins. I want to see how Spencer plays in space as an outside linebacker. He rarely dropped into coverage at Purdue but he showed the athleticism to do so in his workouts. After watching DeMarcus Ware work the outside 'backer drills during his first minicamp it was obvious he would have no trouble making the move.
Bobby Carpenter
Last year's No. 1 pick will be asked to do a lot of things. With Greg Ellis not expected to take part in the minicamp because of his rehab from a torn Achilles' tendong, I would expect Carpenter to be with the starters. The Cowboys will be asking Carpenter to do a lot this year, moving inside at times and also rushing the passer. As a rookie, it took Carpenter some times to get adjusted to the game, but he is smart enough and willing enough to play inside linebacker in the nickel defense and outside in the base scheme.
01:48 PM CDT on Thursday, May 10, 2007
Todd Archer
IRVING – The changes made since the Cowboys' disheartening playoff loss at Seattle in January have been substantial.
Wade Phillips is the head coach and Bill Parcells is enjoying his time at the golf range, preparing for his summer in Saratoga, N.Y. Most of the coaching staff has been changed with last year's defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, calling plays in Atlanta and passing game coordinator Todd Haley now in Arizona.
Players have changed, too, starting with the additions of Leonard Davis at right guard and Ken Hamlin at free safety.
Several players have said Phillips' off-season program has been more difficult than Parcells' because of all the on-field football work they are doing. With Parcells, the bulk of the heavy lifting was done in training camp.
This minicamp, which starts Saturday, will give the veterans the chance see how their work is progressing and for the rookies to get their first taste of the NFL.
And there should always be a point of caution when it comes to these minicamps. Those who look good here a lot of times do not make the transition when the pads come on in July.
That being said, here is a list of things to look for this weekend.
Wade Phillips
Since being hired, he has brought a different style to Valley Ranch compared to the one Parcells used. Parcells ruled with fear, sarcasm and intimidation. Phillips has been demanding, but in a less stressful way. He has been waiting for another chance to be a head coach, and he gets it with a team that made the playoffs last year and feels like it's close to contending this year. He and his assistants must set a tone from this minicamp that carries throughout the rest of the off-season.
The offensive changes
Jason Garrett and Tony Sparano have spent the off-season coming up with a new playbook. The running game, which Sparano coordinated the last two years, will remain the same. Garrett has tweaked the passing game, going to a system similar to the one used when he was a player with the Cowboys. The Cowboys will run a timing-based scheme, which is differs from the system used under Parcells that required a lot more reading and reacting by quarterback and receiver.
Tony Romo
He and Garrett have been working together a ton this off-season in order to get the system down. Romo can't wait to get back on the field and this represents his first chance to put behind him the bobbled snap in Seattle. He wants to prove he is not a one-year (half year?) wonder and wants to prove he is the leader of this team.
Roy Williams
In Phillips' defense, Williams will not have as many coverage responsibilities, but he will have to be in some, which is why the talk of making him a linebacker is bogus. The talk earlier in the off-season was to have Williams drop some pounds to make him quicker. The defensive backs will tell you he has the best feet in the secondary. Losing some pounds should help Williams in coverage and also in his blitz work, where he relied too much on overpowering blockers.
Anthony Spencer
Forget his pass rush skills. We'll get a better assessment of those when training camp begins. I want to see how Spencer plays in space as an outside linebacker. He rarely dropped into coverage at Purdue but he showed the athleticism to do so in his workouts. After watching DeMarcus Ware work the outside 'backer drills during his first minicamp it was obvious he would have no trouble making the move.
Bobby Carpenter
Last year's No. 1 pick will be asked to do a lot of things. With Greg Ellis not expected to take part in the minicamp because of his rehab from a torn Achilles' tendong, I would expect Carpenter to be with the starters. The Cowboys will be asking Carpenter to do a lot this year, moving inside at times and also rushing the passer. As a rookie, it took Carpenter some times to get adjusted to the game, but he is smart enough and willing enough to play inside linebacker in the nickel defense and outside in the base scheme.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:36 PM
<< Home