Early 80s Cowboys

[links18]

Looking at the roster for the 1980 team, it looks like we only had 3 WRs and 5 RBs on the team is this right? Was this normal back then?

WRS: Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, Butch Johnson
RB: Tony Dorsett, Robert Newhouse, Ron Springs, Timmy Newsome, Preston Pearson

 

[JeffG]

I know that Ron Springs was a FB.

And I THINK that Preston Pearson was retired, or at least not a Cowboy by 1980.

And I'm pretty sure we had quite a few WRs back then, like Golden Richards, who get forgotten.

 

[Hostile]

Rosters were 45 maximum at that time.

 

[Hostile]

I know that Ron Springs was a FB.

And I THINK that Preston Pearson was retired, or at least not a Cowboy by 1980.

And I'm pretty sure we had quite a few WRs back then, like Golden Richards, who get forgotten.

Newhouse and Newsome were FBs.

 

[superpunk]

I know that Ron Springs was a FB.

And I THINK that Preston Pearson was retired, or at least not a Cowboy by 1980.

Pearson had 20 receptions in 1980, but that was his final year.

 

[bbgun]

I know that Ron Springs was a FB.

And I THINK that Preston Pearson was retired, or at least not a Cowboy by 1980.

And I'm pretty sure we had quite a few WRs back then, like Golden Richards, who get forgotten.

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89610

Pearson was still active. In fact, he had a big run in the Atlanta playoff game.

 

[JohnL2288]

Roster sizes were smaller, and 4 WRs were usaully the amount.....Preston Pearson played the slot so he was a RB/WR crossover

 

[TNCowboy]

Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, Butch Johnson, & Doug Donley.

 

[Manster68]

I always thought it was a rarity when Tom Landry abandoned the running game.

As great as Dorsett was, he was basically in a running back by committee.

Emmitt would have never threatened Paytons record had he been running for Landry.

How do I know?

Tony Dorsett claimed that in his book Running Tough. Meaning that he wanted to run the ball more, but Landry was more concerned about his longevity in the league.

 

[DallasEast]

I always thought it was a rarity when Tom Landry abandoned the running game.

As great as Dorsett was, he was basically in a running back by committee.

Emmitt would have never threatened Paytons record had he been running for Landry.

How do I know?

Tony Dorsett claimed that in his book Running Tough. Meaning that he wanted to run the ball more, but Landry was more concerned about his longevity in the league.

Landry was proven right by the end of Dorsett's career. By that time, his ankles were in bad shape. Even though a knee injury was the true reason for his retirement, his ankles would've made it tough for him to play up to his expectations anyway.

 

[JohnL2288]

Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, Butch Johnson, & Doug Donley.

Doug Donley wasn't on the team until 81

 

[THUMPER]

Looking at the roster for the 1980 team, it looks like we only had 3 WRs and 5 RBs on the team is this right? Was this normal back then?

WRS: Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, Butch Johnson
RB: Tony Dorsett, Robert Newhouse, Ron Springs, Timmy Newsome, Preston Pearson

No, that's not quite right. Not sure what source you are using but we had more than that:

WR: Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, Butch Johnson, Steve Wilson, & Jay Saldi who was used at both WR and TE.

RB: Tony Dorsett, Robert Newhouse, Timmy Newsome, Ron Springs, Preston Pearson, & James Jones.

Roster sizes were smaller back then and teams didn't run 3-4 WR sets so most teams only had 4 WRs on their rosters.

Source: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1980_roster.htm

 

[sonnyboy]

Doug Donley wasn't on the team until 81

Will never forgive him for his 3rd down drop late in the 4th in the 1981 NFC Championship. Montana might not have gotten another chance to take the field.

 

[THUMPER]

Will never forgive him for his 3rd down drop late in the 4th in the 1981 NFC Championship. Montana might not have gotten another chance to take the field.

GRRR See my sig below...

 

[bbgun]

Will never forgive him for his 3rd down drop late in the 4th in the 1981 NFC Championship. Montana might not have gotten another chance to take the field.

Don't remember that play. I do remember us barely missing a TD to Cosbie in the endzone and having to settle for three points--our last points of the game.

 

[Manster68]

Landry was proven right by the end of Dorsett's career. By that time, his ankles were in bad shape. Even though a knee injury was the true reason for his retirement, his ankles would've made it tough for him to play up to his expectations anyway.

I am certainly not disputing that. I was just paraphrasing from Dorsett's book.

 

[Everson24]

Will never forgive him for his 3rd down drop late in the 4th in the 1981 NFC Championship. Montana might not have gotten another chance to take the field.

That's all I remember him for too. If he catches that pass we would have either run out the clock or kicked a FG that would have put us in the Super Bowl.