DC.COM: Double Coverage: Safety or Corner, Cowboys Like Ball's Tenacity
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com
July 3 11:24 AM
IRVING, Texas - The "C" patch Leonard Davis jokingly stitched on DeMarcus Ware's jersey last month stood for "Company Man," though it easily could signify "Captain" (his co-role on the defense) or "Cash" (for whenever he signs that expected mega-extension).
Maybe head coach Wade Phillips should have "V" for "Versatility" emblazoned on the jerseys of his young defensive backs, particularly Alan Ball's.
Ball, a seventh-round draft pick in 2007, has played backup cornerback his first two seasons with the Cowboys. This summer Phillips and his defensive coaches have given him extensive reps at free safety, yet another example of the flexibility they want to establish in the secondary.
Fifth-round rookie DeAngelo Smith is converting from cornerback to safety. Courtney Brown, another '07 draft pick, is doing just the opposite of Ball - trying corner after two seasons at safety. Orlando Scandrick was considered for a little work there as well, but now he's competing for the starting right corner job.
Even Gerald Sensabaugh, the projected starter at strong safety, has corner experience and is believed to be an upgrade in coverage over his predecessor, Roy Williams.
Versatility is indeed the goal, and the Cowboys believe Ball in particular can help them at one or both spots if needed. He showed the right range and instincts with the first-team defense when starting free safety Ken Hamlin (personal business) missed a week of OTA practices.
"Alan's got a knack, I think, at safety," Phillips said. "I think he's a good corner; he can go out and play corner and fill in at corner. But he's got some skills at safety we want to look at."
Phillips also admires Ball's competitive spirit, a trait he showed last October in a 13-9 win over Tampa Bay. Without starting corners Terence Newman and Anthony Henry, Ball and fellow backups Brown and Mike Jenkins helped limit the Bucs to three points in the second half.
Safety isn't new territory for Ball, either. He played it all through high school and some as a freshman for Illinois. The biggest adjustment, he said, is monitoring the entire field instead of matching up with a single receiver near the sideline. Secondary coaches Dave Campo and Brett Maxie have helped with the transition.
"It's a different kind of feeling coming from the corner spot," Ball said. "At corner you pretty much know what you've got. You've got a particular area. But at free safety it's overwhelming at first because you're back there and you see everything.
"You've got to know the defense really well and you've got to know what everybody else is doing around you, not just you. At corner, you know your role and you can focus on that. But at safety you have to know where everyone else is going."
Like Brown and Scandrick, Ball (6-1, 186) is a good tackler but doesn't have prototypical size for run support at safety.
Phillips still thinks his tenacity, coverage and ball skills are a good fit for the position. The Cowboys want more takeaways from their DBs next season, as evidenced by the interception drills they run before each practice.
"He's such a competitor," Phillips said. "He's going to give it everything he's got. We'll see what he has. I've had smaller guys that have played safety before. Not many of them can do it. I think he's one that can."
Last year only Hamlin and Henry played all 16 games; Newman missed six and Williams missed 13. Multiple DBs that can play multiple positions will help Phillips sleep better this fall if one or more starters get injured.
"The light's gone on. They're all making plays," Newman said. "Ball's been super consistent and Courtney's been learning two positions and he's doing good at both of them. For those guys to play corner and safety they have to learn the knowledge of the corner and safety positions as well as the nickel. They're playing three different positions and they're not making any mental errors."
Ball is expected to contribute primarily on special teams again next season. He also just wants an opportunity on defense, no matter where he lines up.
"Just playing wherever I can," he said. "Wherever I can fit into the scheme and learn everything I can learn so our secondary can be better."
DallasCowboys.com
July 3 11:24 AM
IRVING, Texas - The "C" patch Leonard Davis jokingly stitched on DeMarcus Ware's jersey last month stood for "Company Man," though it easily could signify "Captain" (his co-role on the defense) or "Cash" (for whenever he signs that expected mega-extension).
Maybe head coach Wade Phillips should have "V" for "Versatility" emblazoned on the jerseys of his young defensive backs, particularly Alan Ball's.
Ball, a seventh-round draft pick in 2007, has played backup cornerback his first two seasons with the Cowboys. This summer Phillips and his defensive coaches have given him extensive reps at free safety, yet another example of the flexibility they want to establish in the secondary.
Fifth-round rookie DeAngelo Smith is converting from cornerback to safety. Courtney Brown, another '07 draft pick, is doing just the opposite of Ball - trying corner after two seasons at safety. Orlando Scandrick was considered for a little work there as well, but now he's competing for the starting right corner job.
Even Gerald Sensabaugh, the projected starter at strong safety, has corner experience and is believed to be an upgrade in coverage over his predecessor, Roy Williams.
Versatility is indeed the goal, and the Cowboys believe Ball in particular can help them at one or both spots if needed. He showed the right range and instincts with the first-team defense when starting free safety Ken Hamlin (personal business) missed a week of OTA practices.
"Alan's got a knack, I think, at safety," Phillips said. "I think he's a good corner; he can go out and play corner and fill in at corner. But he's got some skills at safety we want to look at."
Phillips also admires Ball's competitive spirit, a trait he showed last October in a 13-9 win over Tampa Bay. Without starting corners Terence Newman and Anthony Henry, Ball and fellow backups Brown and Mike Jenkins helped limit the Bucs to three points in the second half.
Safety isn't new territory for Ball, either. He played it all through high school and some as a freshman for Illinois. The biggest adjustment, he said, is monitoring the entire field instead of matching up with a single receiver near the sideline. Secondary coaches Dave Campo and Brett Maxie have helped with the transition.
"It's a different kind of feeling coming from the corner spot," Ball said. "At corner you pretty much know what you've got. You've got a particular area. But at free safety it's overwhelming at first because you're back there and you see everything.
"You've got to know the defense really well and you've got to know what everybody else is doing around you, not just you. At corner, you know your role and you can focus on that. But at safety you have to know where everyone else is going."
Like Brown and Scandrick, Ball (6-1, 186) is a good tackler but doesn't have prototypical size for run support at safety.
Phillips still thinks his tenacity, coverage and ball skills are a good fit for the position. The Cowboys want more takeaways from their DBs next season, as evidenced by the interception drills they run before each practice.
"He's such a competitor," Phillips said. "He's going to give it everything he's got. We'll see what he has. I've had smaller guys that have played safety before. Not many of them can do it. I think he's one that can."
Last year only Hamlin and Henry played all 16 games; Newman missed six and Williams missed 13. Multiple DBs that can play multiple positions will help Phillips sleep better this fall if one or more starters get injured.
"The light's gone on. They're all making plays," Newman said. "Ball's been super consistent and Courtney's been learning two positions and he's doing good at both of them. For those guys to play corner and safety they have to learn the knowledge of the corner and safety positions as well as the nickel. They're playing three different positions and they're not making any mental errors."
Ball is expected to contribute primarily on special teams again next season. He also just wants an opportunity on defense, no matter where he lines up.
"Just playing wherever I can," he said. "Wherever I can fit into the scheme and learn everything I can learn so our secondary can be better."
posted by The Gryphon at 9:29 AM
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