News: Bob Sturm: Why I was so wrong about Cowboys coach Jason Garrett

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Garrett..

Top 10 Monday - Saturday coach

Bottom 3-5 game-day coach.

12-4, no losing seasos...interesting perspective.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

He put on full display how bad he was for years.

He always had the team focused and playing hard but he was just in the way on Sunday's.

multiple top 10 finishes as OC, no losing season as HC while overturning most of the roster and rebuilding the team. not many head coaches can claim that.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I'd say Garrett picking his co-ordinators is an important part of his coaching.

Did Garrett pick Marianelli? Jones was signing him any way you slice it. Now Linehan was a Garrett request that was granted for sure. But lets be honest here.........Linehan didnt do anything that any half decent coordinator could have done. Run the ball and be committed to it. And scrap the two TE staple of the offense and get more use out of Beasley in the slot with 3, 4, and 5 WR sets.

The biggest difference is that we actually had a REAL OC running the offense and the game plans and calling the game.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

This debate always goes around in circles and everyone is dug in. I'm not going to change anyone's mind. But the statement in bold is a head scratcher. I mean, your record is evidence of your success, is it not? Why would I separate that from the coach?

At some point, results matter and consistent (winning) results matter even more. When Garrett fan's didn't have the record to support their love for the man, they went into the circumstantial route and pointed to a rebuild, bringing in McClay, Linehan, having some mystical control/influence over Jerry/Stephen, etc.

Folks can claim that this staff is his and I have no doubt he wanted Linehan but please don't sell me that Kiffin/Marinelli were Garrett hires. For all this mystical control he had over Jerry, the GM still went with Lacewell's recommendation.

The book on Garrett will be written over the next several years. Garrett is the luckiest man in America because he'll get to keep his job even though his record thus far doesn't reflect the level of success and praise he's given by his fan boys. He'll also have a built in excuse when Romo retires and (if) the team falls on hard times again without a franchise QB.

If he wants to earn my trust and credit, win consistently and maximize Romo while he's still in uniform. You want to take it to the next level of credit (at least with me), then develop a QB to take over the reigns when Romo hangs it up. I like to give credit when I see something tangible.

then I guess we have to say the same thing about Bilicheat. can he develop a QB after brady. can he accomplish anything without brady? he has a build in excuse, yet lets not forget he has never won anything without brady.

same goes for coughlin. his team has greatly declined as Eli declined. can he build a team and develop a QB. I guess he has a built in excuse.

What about Kelly...well, lets not even go there, because the guy hasn't done squat.

mike shanahan is a HOFer who has done squat without Elway. and failed in DC as well.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The jump from 12-4 from 8-8 was quite obvious the reasons:

1. The Run Game. Garrett got kicked to the curb and no longer could call plays on offense. Linehan came in, and although Garrett has been preaching running game for 4 years, Linehan did what it took to implement it, stick with it, and not wuss out every week.

2. Marianelli started to make a difference with the D

3. A couple years of great drafting by the Joneses and Will Clay began to take hold on the roster

4. Romos health and the incredible play of the Oline

10. Garrett was able to ONLY do what he actually does well. Which is be the likeable, walkaround, politician that he is. (This is really stretching it, but I wanted to put in some kind of mild credit to Garrett for those of you that adore him)

couple of years of great draft picks by the joneses? there is a long history of jones picking players when he had the wrong coaches in place and really ran the draft and the years he had strong coaching influencing him. do you really want me to outline that history for you?

incredible play of the OL that garrett built

 

[CowboyRoy]

"Taking the reigns"?

The fact that he followed *the* successful business model of surrounding yourself with quality assistants is a testament, and not a detriment, to the quality of coach he is.

The fact he was able to obtain them speaks volumes about their high opinion of him.

Yes Linehan had to take the reigns, remember it was Garrett who, when the run was working would abandon it, see the GB game of 13. Tells you all you need to know. So, insert Linehan, whos main job it, "if the run is working, stick with it" and what do we do, run the heck out of a runner who can be run with. And what happens, we win some games. Something Garrett did not figure out on his own. And dont justify it, he had years to figure it out.

Now, lets forget the 8-8 seasons, because thats what everyone is doing, but do you honestly think the Giants will roll over twice for us? That, many teams on our new schedule have not gotten better? Some did some didnt, but we are not going to have the NFCE lay down and let us route them again. So i expect a few less wins this year. Yes, that will affect on Garrett if we drop to 8. No i dont fully expect an 8-8 season, but im also not expecting 12 wins either. That will all be determined on the field regardless of our own ideas as it always is.

Does all the credit go to Garrett, no, we had to hire Linehan, it wasnt a luxury, it was a need. Its not like Garrett had a good season and said "you know what will be better, lets add another offensive guy to get us over that boost" No, Linehan was hired because someone would simply see something working and panic and got pass happy. Did the run have success? Yes, and who was it with, every so called expert who claimed "he runs into darkness" and what happens with a better line and a guy who can stick to the run, records broke. Was the pass happy way successful? no.

Am i thrilled with Garrett? No, he would never have been hired, in fact i would let him interview just to tell him if we ever hired him, we would quickly rectify it and fire him during a game. But he is our coach. Im not going to get excited over 1 good season. I do feel he will have success in part with everything else that has come around him. Better scouting, good coaching, good talent, Everything coming together that even made some previous coaches in the league better than they were.

I dont feel Garrett can go offense to offense with anyone in our division, so im hoping he leaves that to Linehan. After watching Chip come into the league and face Garrett and steal his lunch and eat it front of him, no, i dont feel Garrett can challenge offensively with any one. Tom Coughlin with a bad team, can usually rally to beat Garrett, and RG3 by himself beat on Garrett with a hobbled leg. So i have little faith he can do that.

What i will credit Garrett for, getting in better players. Does that always translate to a better? No, but its mainly dependent on your view of success in the league is. Do i feel Garrett could ruin this? No, i feel the organization has taken time to put all the safety nets around him that it would be harder for him to fail than to succeed. He only needs 9 wins for public relations to say "9 is better than 8, SUCCESS".

What am i looking for concerning the next year. Simple, and i think this happened last year, so lets see it continue this year, I want Garrett to keep the penalities low again. It was becoming a staple that if the Cowboys converted a 3rd and long, there was a penalty somewhere. A sack, Dallas got a penalty, for a while any positive play that was good, got us a penalty.

I dont always necesarily need the roster churned, but Garrett has been doing that fairly well as of late, so ill credit him with that too. I will also credit him with having the team better prepared as well. The team from 2014 was vastly different from 2013.

Its quite simple. Garrett is less involved in the offense and the game day management, and that, along with better talent equated to instant playoffs and success. To the tune of 6 more wins then when Garrett had his hands in just about everything. Jerry finally got it with Garrett. IF you want Garrett to be your coach, get great coordinators and let him walk around, pat fannies, and keep up the moral.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Your entire post was about tangibles when in reality it is the intangibles of Garrett's leadership as a coach you completely missed. Leadership qualities are nuanced and subtle. They are not about getting better players. It's about communication between coach and player, between ownership and coach. It's about building consensus, identifying goals and defining a direction. It's about instilling confidence and belief, Does he own the room, does he engage, does he have "it."

I hope you got a chance to see his speech at Princeton. It was riveting. I'm not trying to criticize your post I'm trying to expand the definition of what a good to great coach is and it's so much more than getting good players.

An army of lions led by a sheep can never defeat an army of sheep led by a lion.

Forget his boyish looks - Garrett is a lion.

LOL.......so where were all these Garrett leadership qualities that didnt make a difference the previous 3 years he was head coach? Or are you going to laughably tell me they all of a sudden, miraculously showed up because they finally kicked in?

The run game was 70% of the reason for our increased success and everyone that watched the Cowboys the last 8 year with Garrett in control of the offense knows he was the biggest wussy in the history of football when it came to running the ball.

8 years of watching the running game fade away under Garrett. Then miraculously, the first year he no longer runs the offense we nearly lead the league in rushing and win 12 games?

Waaaaay tooooo much coincidence there my friend.

Garrett is a lion? LOL ahahahahaha!!!!!! Garrett is a fanny patting poser. I would liken him to a baboon. Certainly not a lion. LOL

 

[CowboyRoy]

Your entire post was about tangibles when in reality it is the intangibles of Garrett's leadership as a coach you completely missed. Leadership qualities are nuanced and subtle. They are not about getting better players. It's about communication between coach and player, between ownership and coach. It's about building consensus, identifying goals and defining a direction. It's about instilling confidence and belief, Does he own the room, does he engage, does he have "it."

I hope you got a chance to see his speech at Princeton. It was riveting. I'm not trying to criticize your post I'm trying to expand the definition of what a good to great coach is and it's so much more than getting good players.

An army of lions led by a sheep can never defeat an army of sheep led by a lion.

Forget his boyish looks - Garrett is a lion.

FYI.......and an army of Lions would absolutely destroy any army of sheep no matter who was leading it. Did you really say that?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Garrett..

Top 10 Monday - Saturday coach

Bottom 3-5 game-day coach.

Garrett isnt top 10 in anything other then getting people to hire him and like him.

 

[CowboyRoy]

"I was fine with Garrett’s run ending in 2012. And I am here to say that I was wrong. I was cynical about his ability to solve this team’s issues and to truly have a plan and the authority to carry out that plan. And I am here to say that I was wrong.

The Jason Garrett growth has been substantial, and it often takes clear and obvious evidence for some of us to ignore our confirmation bias and just consider the evidence that doesn’t agree with our predetermined view.

I like how his team has developed under his plan. I know what a Jason Garrett football player looks like and I know what they are trying to accomplish. I see the vision and it doesn’t hurt that it matches my dream of 24 months ago. I wondered how the Cowboys could ignore their past and try to design a team that doesn’t rely on 300 pound bullies. Heck, I wondered how they could ignore that Seattle and San Francisco have dominated the NFC in the last 5 years with nothing but might and power. And now, right under our noses, they have become the next team in the NFC that is built to beat you up."

This speaks volumns to what the future years with Garrett could possibly hold for our team. I love the direction we are moving with FA and the draft. All we need is to find a QB to take over when Romo retires.

LOL.......what does a Jason Garrett football player look like?

-Rolando McClain?
-Joseph Randle?
-The Kraken?


So if your dream was to have a power running team, then you must have cursed Garrett for the last 8 years he was in control of the offense. You dont find it coincidental that the first year he no longer runs the offense it miraculously happens? Dont kid yourself.

 

[CowboyRoy]

More often than not, I agree with Sturm.

Not in 2012 though. That team sucked and probably overachieved going 8-8.
Worst defense in Dallas history and a complete wet paper bag at Oline.
Also , a beat up QB and RBs, and a WR1 who still hadn't figured out how to run routes.

Garrett easily lost 3 games on his own that year with his horrid play calling.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I don't know how people could not see that Garrett was highly like to be the best HC for the Cowboys. For somebody like Sturm that has following the Cowboys all these years, he should have known that neither the Parcells type or the Wade Phillips type would work here. The Parcells type just won't work with Jerry for long. Jerry can't have a HC that gets all of the attention and runs the team like he is in complete control. The HC under Jerry has to know how to manipulate Jerry without Jerry even knowing it for the most part.

Garrett seemed like and still seems like the idea middle ground between dictator Parcells and Jerry errand boy Wade. I don't know why somebody like Sturm couldn't see that then. I guess that Garrett's role as Offensive Coordinator clouded the issue. As a young HC, he really should not have been trying to do both jobs. They can get OCs. It is Garrett's ability to run a team like a real coach without having to get all of the attention like Parcells that makes him valuable to the Jerry owned Cowboys.

Garrett is the ultimate Jerry puppet.

 

[CowboyRoy]

couple of years of great draft picks by the joneses? there is a long history of jones picking players when he had the wrong coaches in place and really ran the draft and the years he had strong coaching influencing him. do you really want me to outline that history for you?

incredible play of the OL that garrett built

LOL.......that Garrett built?

Jerry runs the draft, along with Will Clay.

Jerry is no longer listening to the hapless, finesse Garrett when building his teams. We are all still haunted by the picture of Jones asking Garrett who he should draft years back with our first round pick and Garrett telling him to take Felix Jones. LOL!!!!!!

Yah, Garret is the all world team builder. Meanwhile our Oline was falling apart and getting old. And Garrett was talking Jerry into drafting a complimentary scat back to pair with our current starter. Garrett initially attempted his own rebuild by bringing in undrafted FA's and light, finesse lineman. Who was that clown he thought was the answer at center? I cant even remember his name.

Jerry has smartened up over the last 3 years and I give all the credit in the world to Will Clay and some to Stephen. And he certainly smartened up by realizing that having Garrett run the offense into the ground he had to change.

Do you recall Jerry chastising Garrett multiple times on national TV for screwing up and NOT running the ball? "we basically could have taken a knee the entire second half and won the game".

Do you also recall Jerry talking about how the team has suffered over the year living through the growing pains of Jason Garrett?

Garrett basically walks around, pats fannies. Marianelli runs the defense, Linehan runs the offense, and the Joneses and Clay run the draft and FA.

 

[starman22]

Garrett is the quintisential Jerry puppet.

You are literally talking to yourself now, you have the last 6 posts.

 

[BigStar]

You are literally talking to yourself now, you have the last 6 posts.

But replying to other posters? He's not off base. Placating the early Garrett years by acting like he was "masterminding" something, etc. does get old. Team rebuilds don't include franchise QBs btw (teams regularly replace 20 players a year in roster turnover according to the Sturm article; just look at the team in 2010!), the OL was built over 4 years and 3 first round picks (not exactly a rush job there in finding gems; good for Romo?), and the team never ran as frequently before he was demoted from playcalling. His points are valid.

 

[CowboyRoy]

You could have just kept pretending it happened by accident. Your argument would have been just as believable.

That would certainly have been a more plausible reason for an out of the blue 12-4 season then you laughably claiming that Garrett finally got his message across.

Its a fact that the big difference between last year and the other years was the success and dominance of the run game.

Garrett and run game simply don't go together. Anyone that has watched the offense run by Garrett over the 8 years he ran it would know that up and down, backwards and forwards.

And we have all hear Garrett preach EVERY year about running the ball since he has been here. He just wasnt a good enough coach to do anything about it.

Yet MIRACULOUSLY, the FIRST year he no longer runs the offense...............BAM!!!! Instant dominant run game?

Cmon...............give it a rest on Garrett.

Garrett got kicked to the curb and the run game blossomed. End of story. Nothing fancy about those facts.

 

[Idgit]

You are literally talking to yourself now, you have the last 6 posts.

Nobody wants to step into that dust-devil of crazy interpretations.

 

[CowboyRoy]

You are literally talking to yourself now, you have the last 6 posts.

No, Im actually responding to what people have written. Unless of course, like you, they cant respond to anything I say. Incapable, or simply nothing to come back with?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Nobody wants to step into that dust-devil of crazy interpretations.

Or maybe you just have nothing.

 

[Dodger12]

then I guess we have to say the same thing about Bilicheat. can he develop a QB after brady. can he accomplish anything without brady? he has a build in excuse, yet lets not forget he has never won anything without brady.

same goes for coughlin. his team has greatly declined as Eli declined. can he build a team and develop a QB. I guess he has a built in excuse.

What about Kelly...well, lets not even go there, because the guy hasn't done squat.

mike shanahan is a HOFer who has done squat without Elway. and failed in DC as well.

Folks have a bad habit of comparing Garrett to some great coaches. Really, that's not being fair to Garrett.

Bellicheat went 11 and 5 with Matt Cassel after Brady was lost for the season (in the season opener) in 2008. Think about that for a second. Brady was the reigning league MVP at the most important position in the game and he was lost for the season. By all accounts, the Pats should have sucked that year. yet they went 11 and 5.

Do I think Bellicheat can do what he's done without Brady over the long haul. No way. A quality HC needs a quality QB. But your argument holds a lot less water when you consider what he did in the 2008 season. In addition, Bellicheck was a SB winning DC. His coaching credentials have him HOF bound.

And my last point about Bellicheck. He started with Drew Bledsoe and finished with Brady who won him a SB. To assume that Bellicheck had no influence on Brady and his development is absurd. Who's to say that Brady would have had the same career without Bellicheck? Bottom line, the HC maximized what he got out of his franchise QB. This is where I'm not sure I can say the same about Garrett.

And Coughlin? Really? He took an expansion team to 2 AFC Championship Games. He continued winning when he got to NY. And Shanahan was a SB winning OC and HC and don't you think he influenced an aging Elway and his coaching helped propel the Broncos to 2 SB's? I mean, how can you possibly make these analogies with a straight face?

I get it. Those guys had HOF caliber QB's when they had extended success. I think Romo is one of the premier QB's in the game and I think we could have done more with Romo and failed to do so. Romo may have a couple of more years so Garrett is certainly going to get his chance to improve.