Briain Schottenheimer has something about him that Mike McCarthy and Jason Garrett did not.
After a disappointing year, the Dallas Cowboys hope to right some wrongs this offseason. Changes are upon us including hiring a new coaching staff, free agent acquisitions, and selecting new prospects at the NFL draft.
The first part is completed with the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer and his entire coaching staff. It’s unclear what type of effect this changing of the guard will have, but it will at least look different from the last two fellas who held down the head coaching job. What should we expect with Big Schott Brian that we didn’t see with Redball or Magic Mike? Let’s take a look.
JASON GARRETT – TRUST THE PROCESS
Jason Garrett brought a great culture to Dallas. He was adamant about building the team the right way, including a collection of players who were the “right kind of guys” who could maximize their potential by approaching their jobs. Garrett instilled in his players that it was an honor to play for the Cowboys and expected them to take that responsibility seriously. That’s why players like Terrell Owens and eventually, Dez Bryant, wore out their welcome under Garrett’s watch.
As successful as he was during his time with the Cowboys, his process was flawed. Far too often things had to work perfectly for the team to win. He had this unwavering faith that everyone could do their job, however, when certain elements didn’t work, the process broke down. Most of the time, it worked, but his teams struggled to make a deep run in the playoffs. When coaching, scheme, and the little intricacies of executing plays mattered the most, the Cowboys always fell short.
MIKE MCCARTHY – TRUST THE QUARTERBACK
It’s no secret that Mike McCarthy puts a lot of faith in his quarterbacks. Years of coaching Aaron Rodgers will do that. During his time in Green Bay, there were many instances where the Packers lived and died by the arm of Rodgers. Fortunately for them, Rodgers was a Hall of Fame quarterback and pulled off some crazy stuff, but rarely did you see a Packers team take on an identity that wasn’t centered around their quarterback. Oddly enough, both the McCarthy and Rodgers era in the NFL appears to have ended and people will always be left wondering why they didn’t have more success together.
It didn’t take long for McCarthy to put that same trust in Dak Prescott. In his first full season under McCarthy, Prescott set a franchise record with 37 touchdown passes. That year the offense also had Amari Cooper at wide receiver and Kellen Moore calling the plays. Eventually, those pieces were removed and things got a little more difficult. Prescott led the league in interceptions the following season when his receivers struggled to separate and he forced too many tight window throws. And in the absence of a rushing attack this past season, never was McCarthy bothered because somehow it was expected that Prescott would make it all work.
The Dakarthy experience was an up-and-down ride with good things and bad things. Between the extra responsibility of calling out the protection pre-snap, playing behind the chains, and executing perfectly timed throws in tight seams, a lot was always expected from Prescott.
BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER – KNOW THE PROCESS
Weirdly, the Cowboys reset their coaching staff without it being a huge shake-up. The decision to promote Brian Schottenheimer was about as low-key as you could get. The front office was familiar with the type of person he was and didn’t feel compelled to make a drastic change. Even their likely next favorite choice, Kellen Moore, was a familiar face. For the Cowboys, they felt content with what they were doing and only desired small tweaks.
With Schottenheimer, the Cowboys are looking for clarity. They want everyone on the same page with an understanding of what is expected. The buzz from Schottenheimer’s coaching staff is that his vision is clear. The former consultant/offensive coordinator is an over-communicator. What that translates to on the field remains to be seen, but there should be no mystery about their objectives. Schottenheimer will beat his message into the ground and at the very least we should see a more disciplined and unified team.
