8/20 Cowboys Break with Ro McClain had Steve Dennis gushing

Was he? That's annoying, if true. That guy had no business being out of shape where he was taken.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_21803897/oakland-raiders-rolando-mcclain-seeing-role-reduced

Allen said the coaching staff determined they would get more out of McClain by playing him less.

"I think when we went back and looked and saw how many plays that Rolando was playing, it had a factor in his conditioning. We felt like him not playing quite as many plays would help him to play better and be more effective."
 
Relying on him to suddenly get it is foolish. I wish we would just cut him and find someone else off the scrap heap.
 
Ah. This was in relation to him playing both base and nickel....that's at least more understandable. Maybe I'm too hard on the guy. I just don't get him missing practice time for soreness and cramping. I heard today that it might have been tendonitis earlier in camp, which is at least a reasonable excuse for sitting out.

Yeah, but asking a top 10 draft pick MLB in his early 20's to play all 3 downs is a pretty reasonable request, to me, anyways.
 
At the weight he was playing at it probably wasn't that reasonable. He was listed at 259 but looked even heavier. Looks much thinner now than he did then.
 
If the Cowboys would actually win instead of having the same types of disappointing seasons year after year while making the same mistakes every offseason then you would see the negative comments disappear.

It's impossible to have high expectations for this team until they actually do something on the field that gives us hope.

Right now we're finally going to field a great offense with a good playcaller.

On defense we're completely rebuilding and most likely running a scheme that any elite QB can pass for 300+ yards and 3 TD's on by default.
 

Good to see that in print. That's exactly what I had concluded from watching about 8 games from 2012.

McClain was in the Nickel early that season and appeared to be good. Then they played Denver in Denver and he showed some fatigue at the end of the 2nd quarter and his play fell apart in the 2nd half. Playing in 100% of the defensive snaps was not good for a guy his size. He looks much thinner now, which should help, but he's still a really big guy to be running around in the open field in the Nickel and playing his role in the base defense.
 
Talked about how sore he is. He's doing everything he can to play through it. He felt like he was in high school again that first game against Baltimore. It's something he has to mentally overcome until his body catches up (paraphrase). He's going to do it because he doesn't want to let his Boys (team mates down).

Thank you...I keep hearing about his conditioning and it just seems like an athlete of his caliber wouldn't take this long. He was traded for at the beginning of July....you would think he would have been doing cardio leading up to camp and it is now going into about the 4th week of camp.
 
Good to see that in print. That's exactly what I had concluded from watching about 8 games from 2012.

McClain was in the Nickel early that season and appeared to be good. Then they played Denver in Denver and he showed some fatigue at the end of the 2nd quarter and his play fell apart in the 2nd half. Playing in 100% of the defensive snaps was not good for a guy his size. He looks much thinner now, which should help, but he's still a really big guy to be running around in the open field in the Nickel and playing his role in the base defense.

I agree about him playing all the defensive downs at his size. That's why I think it is such a good idea on the DL to have a healthy rotation. Those big guys just can't give 100% on every defensive snap. The starters need to play (for example) 60% with a reserve (or two) coming in on the other 40%. You simply get more effort on all of the plays that way.

McClain is one big linebacker, and I don't see any problem with him getting some snaps to rest during games. Actually, what Oakland did makes a ton of sense. There will be better LB's than Rolando in pass coverage, and being fresh on the other downs will allow him to penetrate for TFL's and to stack against the run.
 
I agree about him playing all the defensive downs at his size. That's why I think it is such a good idea on the DL to have a healthy rotation. Those big guys just can't give 100% on every defensive snap. The starters need to play (for example) 60% with a reserve (or two) coming in on the other 40%. You simply get more effort on all of the plays that way.

McClain is one big linebacker, and I don't see any problem with him getting some snaps to rest during games. Actually, what Oakland did makes a ton of sense. There will be better LB's than Rolando in pass coverage, and being fresh on the other downs will allow him to penetrate for TFL's and to stack against the run.

He's a large pounder, and to additionally have him running in pass defense for 60% of his game, is just too much to ask.
 
If the Cowboys would actually win instead of having the same types of disappointing seasons year after year while making the same mistakes every offseason then you would see the negative comments disappear.

It's impossible to have high expectations for this team until they actually do something on the field that gives us hope.

Right now we're finally going to field a great offense with a good playcaller.

On defense we're completely rebuilding and most likely running a scheme that any elite QB can pass for 300+ yards and 3 TD's on by default.

I doubt this very much.There my be a some who turn their attitude but I think its a mental condition for others
 
There is an ESPN report that spoke about him being a big film guy at Alabama and turning into a guy that didn't do film study in Oakland.

Reading that was very concerning for me as lack of preparation also manifests poor conditioning.

Saban runs a tight ship and what I am hoping is that a demanding coaching staff might be the best bet to optimizing McClain. Oakland over the past decade especially has been known for poor locker room culture ie not a whole lot of guys putting in the extra work.

Garrett for all of his faults gets guys to work and play hard.
 
The guy is a beast, but like everything else regarding the Dallas Cowboys, I won't believe in him before I actually see it.

I'm sold hook, line, & sinker bro. I'm gushing right there alongside Steve. This guy's talent makes Anthony Hitchens look like a Pop Warner participant.
 
2-3 weeks of practice - with limited reps due to having to sit out practices (soreness, etc) - AFTER 1.5 years off is NOT enough time for football shape. Football shape takes players who participated in the entire OTA's 3-4 weeks to get to football shape. A guy who missed 1.5 years???? Probably will hit football shape around Week 3-4 - regular season.

You are 100% correct sire.
 
There is an ESPN report that spoke about him being a big film guy at Alabama and turning into a guy that didn't do film study in Oakland.

Reading that was very concerning for me as lack of preparation also manifests poor conditioning.

Saban runs a tight ship and what I am hoping is that a demanding coaching staff might be the best bet to optimizing McClain. Oakland over the past decade especially has been known for poor locker room culture ie not a whole lot of guys putting in the extra work.

Garrett for all of his faults gets guys to work and play hard.

This isn't going to be on Garrett. This is squarely on the shoulders of Rod Marinelli and I believe he will make this one of his success stories. You bet you butt McClain is studying film under Rod. No doubt in my mind.
 
Looking forward to next year......McClain at MLB, Lee at WLB, maybe Hitchens at SLB and a couple of picks spent on Dline
 
Relying on him to suddenly get it is foolish. I wish we would just cut him and find someone else off the scrap heap.

Thank goodness you're not making Dallas Cowboys personnel decisions. We got a top 10 talent for virtually nothing. That's the equivalent of signing a guy that is projected to go top 10 in the draft as a UDRFA after the draft concludes. It just doesn't happen.
 

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