Quick Hits: Garrett Discusses Decision To Delegate Duties

Cowboysrule122

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By David Helman


IRVING, Texas – Cowboys coach Jason Garrett addressed the media Tuesday following the team’s first practice of 2013 minicamp.

Garrett addressed familiar topics like the team’s injury situation, but the highlight of the press conference was his openness about last week’s revelation that offensive coordinator Bill Callahan will call the plays in 2013.


Garrett spoke at length about the decision to delegate some of his duties, and last week’s confusion about the subject.


Here are the highlights:


•On whether minicamp differs from OTAs, Garrett noted that minicamp is the only mandatory offseason activity. Garrett said the team has been “fortunate to have almost 100 percent attendance” during offseason activities, so minicamp hasn’t felt too different.

•Garrett said the point of minicamp has been to simulate a game week, with Tuesday simulating a Wednesday and Wednesday simulating a Thursday. Garrett said minicamp would feature longer meetings than OTAs, including post-practice meetings – which weren’t a part of OTAs.

•Asked about the adjustment between college and the NFL for wide receivers, Garrett said the biggest difference is probably press coverage. He said most college receivers aren’t used to that level of coverage.

•Morris Claiborne missed practice with migraines on Tuesday morning. Garrett said he expects the second-year cornerback to return Wednesday.

•Garrett said it’s safe to say Tony Romo likely won’t be a part of minicamp, reiterating Jerry Jones’ quote from last week. He said Romo has been heavily involved in meetings.

•“Tony’s a gym rat and always has been; he’s always around this place,” said Garrett of Romo’s involvement despite missing practices.

•A familiar topic this offseason: Garrett said Romo has played a huge role in the installation of the Cowboys’ offensive gameplan for 2013. Garrett said they’ve made a deliberate effort to include Romo in every step of the process – meetings, film and conversation.

•Asked to further clarify the Cowboys’ playcalling situation: Garrett said they established their plan for offense, defense and special teams, Garrett said they put the plan in place in late January. Garrett said Bill Callahan is the active offensive coordinator and will be the play caller behind the offense. He added there was a miscommunication about when the team would reveal that information.

•After addressing that, Garrett reiterated his point from last week that he is completely on the same page with Jerry and Stephen Jones about decisions made within the organization.

•Garrett said “27 or 28” teams in the NFL use an “active defensive coordinator, an active offensive coordinator and an active special teams coordinator” to call games, which is the format the Cowboys will use. Though he added that a handful of teams have their head coach call plays, and those teams often wind up being more productive. “We’ve had that tug,” said Garrett of the conversation.

•Of his own role, Garrett said “to step back and have a hand in all three phases of the football team,” can have a good impact.

•Garrett was asked why he decided to wait from the initial decision to delegate playcalling in the early part of 2013. “I didn’t know that we gained anything competitively by announcing it in January,” he said.


•Garrett was asked if he was reluctant to give up playcalling duties. He said the key is in understanding the progression of one’s career, and the duties of a head coach versus the duties of a position coach. “We’re not trying to make change for change’s sake; we’re trying to make positive changes,” he said.

•Garrett said Callahan’s experience in several systems makes him a good fit for the Cowboys’ offense, as it is similar to the system run by the New York Jets during Callahan’s tenure there.

•“This structure might be a little cleaner for me,” said Garrett of his decision to step back. Though he said he “absolutely” will be a part of offensive gameplanning.

•“We decided to this probably in late January, so that’s when the decision was made,” said Garrett.
 
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... there was a miscommunication about when the team would reveal that information.

Sure there was.

By the way, if you look up "miscommunication" in the dictionary, you'll see a photo of Jerry Jones.

This photo:
steve_urkel_jerry_jones.jpg
 

bbgun

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a delightful mixture of lies, half truths, and bullshit.
 

Cowboysrule122

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Frank Pollack key figure in Bill Callahan decision

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas – The decision to make Bill Callahan the Cowboys’ playcaller in 2013 was solidified when Frank Pollack was added to the staff as an assistant offensive line coach.

Pollack played for Callahan at Northern Arizona, so he knows what Callahan wants in an offensive lineman. Pollack was an assistant line coach in Houston from 2007-11 and the Cowboys are using more zone blocking schemes. Pollack was a full-time offensive line coach last year in Oakland, so he can handle a room.

“There was a comfort level there so now Bill gets out of that room and can feel confident in the guy running that room,” coach Jason Garrett said. “When we put the staff together we had it all in mind and we just wanted to make sure all the pieces were in place before we did that.”

With Callahan expected to be in the coaches’ booth during games, Pollack will be handling the in-game adjustments from the sideline.
 

Jon88

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We haven't had an offensive coordinator in the coaches booth since Ernie Zampese was up there chewing up 3 packs of 12 #2 pencils back in the mid to late 90's.
 

Cowboysrule122

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Jason Garrett gives clarity to situation


By Richard Durrett | ESPNDallas.com

Good for Jason Garrett. The Dallas Cowboys head coach needed to come out and clarify the play-calling situation.

Garrett went to the podium Tuesday afternoon, was asked by ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer to explain what was happening the play calling – something Jerry Jones had already let slip last week – and he launched into a play-by-play of what happened.

You can decide how much of Garrett’s explanation you believe. But I’m buying most of it.

Garrett needed to take the leadership position and explain the situation. No, I don’t mean that he “owed” that explanation to the media or fans. What matters most is what the players in that locker room think.

And that’s why I think Garrett needed to do this on Tuesday. That entire room knows Bill Callahan is calling plays. They’ve probably known it for months. Why risk players wondering what in the world their head coach is thinking by not confirming what everyone – players, fans and media – now know thanks to Jones and Callahan last week?

Garrett said it was a “collective decision” back in January, which coincides with Jones bringing up the idea of changing playcallers when he talked to some media folks at the Senior Bowl. Does “collective decision” mean Jerry forced Garrett to make changes? Possibly. We can debate whether that was the truth.

But Garrett needed to step up, say it was a decision made by the organization for the best of the organization and move forward. Garrett did that on Tuesday. He didn’t hedge anything in regards to what Callahan was doing, either, saying he has “full” responsibility for playcalling. They’ll talk as a staff during the week, but on game day, Callahan (with some major help from Tony Romo now) will make the calls.

This should make Garrett a better head coach. He can spend time worrying about clock management and can spend practice time taking everything in, rather than focusing solely on what’s happening with his offensive unit.

Jones screwed all of this up by saying what he did last week. Garrett was able to take part of that message back and focus on moving forward by explaining how things will work. He even took responsibility for the communication breakdown, a smart move because that’s one part of the conference that no one will buy. He can fall on the sword and not hurt himself at all.

Garrett should have grabbed this message months ago. But at least he grabbed it now. He said what he needed to say. Good for him.
 
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