NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
In many ways, Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 defense is as simple as the text in the Dick and Jane books that helped so many Americans learn to read between the 1930s and 1970s.
See ball. Run to ball. Knock ball loose.
It’s an easy three-step formula the Dallas Cowboys have been practicing since the spring, and it’s already paying off.
The Cowboys recorded just 16 takeaways last season, a big reason why owner Jerry Jones fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and replaced him with the 73-year-old Kiffin, who immediately scrapped the 3-4 defense favored by Ryan.
Dallas (1-1) has forced two turnovers in each of its first two preseason games. The Cowboys hope to keep the streak alive in Saturday afternoon’s game with the Arizona Cardinals (1-0).
Kick off is 3:30 p.m.
“(Defensive line coach Rod) Marinelli always says it’s a bone-on- bone defense, my guy against your guy,” defensive end DeMarcus Ware said in Oxnard, Calif. “Hustling is what this defense is all predicated on because when you get 11 guys to the ball, scratching and clawing at the ball, that’s when you create those turnovers.
“That’s what we’ve doing this whole training camp and in the offseason. We’ve been doing it as much as we can even in walkthroughs. It’s really predicated on the effort.”
One of the knocks against Ryan was his defense was too complicated. Kiffin’s playbook isn’t nearly as thick.
“We have a great grasp of the defense,” safety Barry Church said. “We are working fast and communicating well out there.”
It helps that the coaches constantly stress the need to swarm ball carriers and attack the ball.
“They have been harping on it all training camp,” Church said. “We definitely have the talent and the will to run to the ball every play.”
But the early success isn’t without its missteps.
“Our tackling was pretty bad last week,” Church said. “We need to get better at that.”
Continue reading...
See ball. Run to ball. Knock ball loose.
It’s an easy three-step formula the Dallas Cowboys have been practicing since the spring, and it’s already paying off.
The Cowboys recorded just 16 takeaways last season, a big reason why owner Jerry Jones fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and replaced him with the 73-year-old Kiffin, who immediately scrapped the 3-4 defense favored by Ryan.
Dallas (1-1) has forced two turnovers in each of its first two preseason games. The Cowboys hope to keep the streak alive in Saturday afternoon’s game with the Arizona Cardinals (1-0).
Kick off is 3:30 p.m.
“(Defensive line coach Rod) Marinelli always says it’s a bone-on- bone defense, my guy against your guy,” defensive end DeMarcus Ware said in Oxnard, Calif. “Hustling is what this defense is all predicated on because when you get 11 guys to the ball, scratching and clawing at the ball, that’s when you create those turnovers.
“That’s what we’ve doing this whole training camp and in the offseason. We’ve been doing it as much as we can even in walkthroughs. It’s really predicated on the effort.”
One of the knocks against Ryan was his defense was too complicated. Kiffin’s playbook isn’t nearly as thick.
“We have a great grasp of the defense,” safety Barry Church said. “We are working fast and communicating well out there.”
It helps that the coaches constantly stress the need to swarm ball carriers and attack the ball.
“They have been harping on it all training camp,” Church said. “We definitely have the talent and the will to run to the ball every play.”
But the early success isn’t without its missteps.
“Our tackling was pretty bad last week,” Church said. “We need to get better at that.”
Continue reading...