CrazyCowboy
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Damn! I love confidence, and I was on the Ware bandwagon before, but HELL, I am DRIVING this wagon now. "Defensive player of the year!", please Lord, I cannot wait until 13 Aug 05. Let me see this guy in action......
This guy is going to be awesome, otherwise, I am going to be more sick then when Jackie Smith drop that TD from Roger the Dodger!
Ware has big plans
Rookie wants to make immediate impact in hybrid role on defense
By Bob Buttitta, bbuttitta@VenturaCountyStar.com
August 2, 2005
At 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Dallas Cowboys rookie Demarcus Ware is a big linebacker.
Equally big are the expectations that both Ware and the Cowboys have for the Troy State graduate this season.
"I'm setting my goals high," Ware said following his first official practice with the team on Sunday afternoon. "I am trying to get rookie of the year, trying to get defensive player of the year."
Head coach Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer probably aren't counting on Ware to be the rookie of the year, but they are hopeful that he and fellow rookies Marcus Spears and Kevin Burnett can have an immediate impact on a defensive unit that allowed a dismal 405 points last season.
Zimmer said Monday the play of rookies like Ware will go a long way in determining how well his unit takes to the new 3-4 scheme that the Cowboys plan to play this season.
Of the three rookies, Ware is being asked to do the most, starting with switching from being strictly a defensive end to a hybrid position, which require him to be a defensive end and outside linebacker.
While Ware is still in the fledgling stages of his professional career, he has impressed Parcells with his ability to adapt to his new surroundings.
Parcells said Ware looked good during the team's mini-camps, and he seemed comfortable with his new position.
Ware's immense natural ability is a big reason the Cowboys used their top pick on him and why they believe he can successfully master the position switch while competing at the highest level.
One reason for Parcells' optimism is that he's seen it happen before with a player named Lawrence Taylor.
Parcells said when you have a player who has unique talent like Ware, it's up to the coaching staff to get the player to do what he can do.
"I have been through it before with Lawrence," Parcells said. "That's what we tried to do and get him to do what he could do and teach him the other stuff."
Ware said he's flattered to be mentioned in the same breath as Taylor, a player who changed the game during his time in the league.
Ware said he's admired Taylor for a long time and the two recently had a chance to meet at a card show in Dallas.
"He told me, 'You're a pretty big guy' and I said, 'You're not so small yourself,' " Ware said of the encounter. "He said he's going to come out and show me some things and I am going to try and suck it all in.
"I love watching film of him. He is like a model for me."
Ware hasn't just been watching film of Taylor. He asked the Cowboys to provide him with tapes of players who have played a similar position to the one he is being asked to play in the 3-4 scheme.
He has now studied guys like former Cowboy Charles Haley, ex-Kansas City Chief Derrick Thomas, and New England Patriot Willie McGinest.
"Those are great players and I'm trying to model myself after those guys," Ware said. "I asked for tape of guys who played my position.
"I told them to show me what you want from me and what I need to do to be successful at this position."
Parcells has said he's not sure if Ware can have an immediate impact, but the Troy State graduate isn't listening.
"He always challenges all players," Ware said. "I like that. I'm going to try and take that challenge away and make another one."
To his credit, Ware knew if he was going to make an impact this season he needed to get into camp.
When he heard that negotiations between the Cowboys and his agent had slowed last week, Ware called his agent and told him he needed to get something worked out.
"I'm at home watching the team on television and felt so bad," Ware said. "To see your teammates getting ready and you aren't able to get ready with them, you feel like a lost soul.
"I said to myself I have to get out here, I can't miss any more days. ... I talked to my agent and told him I wanted to be here and things moved a little faster."
A few days later he was slipping on his Dallas uniform for the first time. "Being here is hard to imagine," Ware said. "It's a dream come true."
