ESPN Mosley: The scout who fought for Emmitt

[WV Cowboy]

I remember watching Emmitt at Florida and telling my dad how I would love to have him on the Cowboys. Needless to say I did not think he would be the all time leading rusher but I saw a guy with a good burst with a very good low center of gravity a guy you would not arm tackle to bring him down. I was thrilled when we drafted him and amazed at the job he did

I remember reading about him in USA Today when he was at Escambia HS in FL and hoped he would come to WVU.

When he became a Cowboy I was happy. Not saying that I knew he would have the career he did, but ... my local high school has had the reputation of being a running team for decades, and so I know what kind of RB's get the job done.

Not necessarily the fastest or shiftiest are the best.

It is the ones that go north & south, running downhill behind their shoulder pads. Which describes Emmitt Smith. Which I also think describes Tashard Choice, which is why I want to see what he can do.

Give me Emmitt over B. Sanders any day.

 

[joseephuss]

I agree. I think the burst a RB has when he sees day light is more important. The difference between a 4.3 and 4.5 is not that great once you clear the LB and in the open field the hard part is getting to the open field which is that 1st 5 to 10 yards. Great ones see the hole and are able to hit it quick

Great points. A lot of times the guys with the great straight line speed don't develop moves, vision or instincts because all they ever have to do as a young kid or high school player is run straight as fast as they can and it works. They don't learn to make moves in the whole or use their vision to see what is happening around them. The just straight ahead and run. Not that those things are easy to learn to begin with. A lot of it is just natural and can't be learned at the same level that Emmitt just had. Just like you can't teach great speed, but you can improve up all areas of the running back position.

What would it had been like had Emmitt had all the same skills he brought to the table plus top end speed? For one we probably don't see him play a game with a partially separated shoulder because he would not have been caught from behind and tackled in that game against the Giants.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Tony Dorsett was the most effortless RB I have ever seen... he seemed to just glide across the field...

Poetry in motion...

So true.

Being a WVU fan, I watched TD for four seasons at Pitt.

When we drafted him, I was extremely happy.

I thought Landry did a great job of using TD right, by not running him too much and getting him beat up since he was only 185 lbs.

 

[gaylemike]

I don't remember the details but I seem to remember that Barry Sanders nearly became a Cowboy. Seems like it was closer than anyone would imagine. Anyone remember this or the details?

 

[joseephuss]

I don't remember the details but I seem to remember that Barry Sanders nearly became a Cowboy. Seems like it was closer than anyone would imagine. Anyone remember this or the details?

I don't recall that. I thought it came between Aikman and Mandarich. Dallas already had Herschel Walker at the time of the 89 draft. I suppose you do consider all possibilities, but you tend to build teams starting with QB and franchise type offensive linemen.

 

[trickblue]

I don't recall that. I thought it came between Aikman and Mandarich. Dallas already had Herschel Walker at the time of the 89 draft. I suppose you do consider all possibilities, but you tend to build teams starting with QB and franchise type offensive linemen.

Thank God we dodged that Mandarich bullet...

One of the biggest busts in draft history...

 

[Rockytop6]

I bet ole Yaworsky has that doc..

I lived in Cleveland and invited Yaworsky for breakfast one morning and I was surprised that he would take up so much time with a fan. He was also pretty open. He certainly didn't give away any secrets of course but he was open in discussing the Boys. I really enjoyed the visit.

 

[proline]

I want to know what scout pushed to draft Daryl Johnston. Taking a fullback in the second round goes against the mainstream, but he was a key to Emmitt's and the team's success.

 

[AdamJT13]

I want to know what scout pushed to draft Daryl Johnston. Taking a fullback in the second round goes against the mainstream, but he was a key to Emmitt's and the team's success.

It definitely wasn't John Wooten, our head scout, and it definitely wasn't Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy benched Johnston before his second season, traded second- and third-round draft picks to the Oilers for Alonzo Highsmith, made Highsmith the starter and called him "the best blocking fullback in the league." And Wooten said, "I like this guy second only to breathing."

He played a whole nine games for us.

 

[BAT]

It definitely wasn't John Wooten, our head scout, and it definitely wasn't Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy benched Johnston before his second season, traded second- and third-round draft picks to the Oilers for Alonzo Highsmith, made Highsmith the starter and called him "the best blocking fullback in the league." And Wooten said, "I like this guy second only to breathing."

He played a whole nine games for us.

I thought Moose was originally drafted to tote the rock. He was not much of a blocker when he played at Syracuse. Johnston has mentioned many times that he had to learn to lead block when he came to the pros.

 

[Idgit]

I lived in Cleveland and invited Yaworsky for breakfast one morning and I was surprised that he would take up so much time with a fan. He was also pretty open. He certainly didn't give away any secrets of course but he was open in discussing the Boys. I really enjoyed the visit.

Cool story. Except for the part where you had to live in Cleveland.

 

[newlander]

JAMES FRANCIS? That sent chills up my spine....wow..........

 

[tyke1doe]

Tony Dorsett will always be my favorite Cowboy's running back. Oh how many a day I would pretend I was him playing football in the streets with other neighboorhood kids as a young lad. Then later in highschool and college.

Ditto.

Tony Dorsett is the reason this Washington D.C.-born, former Commanders fan joined Cowboy Nation.

 

[tyke1doe]

I don't recall that. I thought it came between Aikman and Mandarich. Dallas already had Herschel Walker at the time of the 89 draft. I suppose you do consider all possibilities, but you tend to build teams starting with QB and franchise type offensive linemen.

Agreed.

In fact, had the Green Bay Packers not won their last game, they would have had the first pick overall and definitely would have taken Aikman. We would have been left with Mandarich.

We wouldn't have drafted Barry Sanders because we had Herschel Walker and the Walker trade wasn't crafted until well into the 89 season.

 

[clutch88]

So if this guy was responsible for scouting/recommending Irvin and Emmitt for Dallas, remind me again why he's no longer employed by Jerry Jones????

Remind me why Sean Payton is no longer employed by the cowboys..JERRY JONES.

 

[hmcorp]

Jimmy > Parcells >>>> Wade

As a cowboys coach Jimmy was better...as an overall coach?

dude Bill parcells is one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time.

hands down.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

I still remember when Williams made Emmitt cry. Gave me chills. Thinking about it still does.

 

[28 Joker]

I remember watching Emmitt at Florida and telling my dad how I would love to have him on the Cowboys. Needless to say I did not think he would be the all time leading rusher but I saw a guy with a good burst with a very good low center of gravity a guy you would not arm tackle to bring him down. I was thrilled when we drafted him and amazed at the job he did

I watched him many times at Florida, too.

I was hoping the Cowboys would draft him, and I knew he'd be a great one. Anyone who tears up SEC defenses (like he did) can play anywhere. He was a special player at Florida. I can't believe they considered passing on him.

It's a good thing this scout knew what he was doing and fought for Emmitt.

No Emmitt

No Super Bowls.

NADA

NONE

ZERO

 

[Thomas82]

This article was on point.

 

[joseephuss]

Remind me why Sean Payton is no longer employed by the cowboys..JERRY JONES.

What? Payton is not with the Cowboys because the Saints offered him a head coaching job. Was Jerry supposed to get rid of Parcells and name Payton as the head coach in response to the Saints interviewing Payton? I suppose Jerry could have offered more money to Payton and promised him the head coaching job after Parcells eventually called it quits. That doesn't mean it would have worked. Payton could have said no and still took the job in New Orleans. There are only 32 head coaching jobs in the NFL. You get a chance to take over one, you just may take it. You never know when that chance will come back around.