NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
INDIANAPOLIS – Jason Garrett can’t stop talking about the visit he and some members of his staff made last week to one of Larry Brown’s SMU basketball practices.
“What a brilliant coach, and so generous,” Garrett said. “He’s building a culture.”
While it took Brown just two seasons to revive the Mustangs, Garrett continues to struggle to return the Dallas Cowboys to NFL prominence.
And, unlike the 73-year-old Brown, time could be running out on Garrett to build something at Valley Ranch.
Revealing Thursday there have been no talks of an extension with owner Jerry Jones, Garrett enters the final year of his contract in a seemingly make-or-break mode, although you’d never tell it from his outward appearance.
At least that was the case at the NFL Scouting Combine, where Garrett looked at ease wearing blue jeans, a snug black pullover sweater, brown loafers and his trademark grin.
“My focus is really on being the best coach I can be each and every day,” Garrett said when asked about his job security. “So that’s what I think about and that’s what I focus on.”
But isn’t he starting to feel the pressure?
“There’s always a sense of urgency,” said Garrett, who turns 48 in March. “The best players, coaches and teams live with a sense of urgency 365 days out of the year.”
But while Garrett goes about his job in a business-as-usual manner, speculation swirls about whether his players will do the same. Without an extension, he has the appearance of a lame duck, especially after leading the team to three straight 8-8 seasons, all of which ended with Dallas losing playoffs-or-bust finales against NFC East foes.
“We have been close each of the last three years to winning our division, but we haven’t gotten that done,” said Garrett, who is 29-27 overall since taking over midway through the 2010 season. “We have to live with that reality. We’re working hard daily to try to be great as coaches to help our team take the next step.”
In an effort to accomplish that goal, Garrett got Jones to sign off on some major staff moves last month. It began with the demotion of play-caller Bill Callahan and the hiring of Garrett-pal Scott Linehan to replace him. Next in the demotion line was defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who was replaced by defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who inherits the third-worst unit in NFL history.
Both Callahan and Kiffin remain on staff.
“We spend a lot of time talking about bringing the right people into the building, that’s players and coaches,” Garrett said. “We also want to make sure we have the right seats on the bus. That’s an important thing. We feel we have done that this offseason.”
In Linehan, Garrett has a lieutenant who shares his devotion to the timing-based offense.
“Philosophically, we are on the same page,” Garrett said.
In Marinelli, he has a coordinator beloved by his players and just one season removed from a strong three-year run as the Chicago Bears’ defensive chief under Lovie Smith.
“I’ve never been around a better leader of men than Rod Marinelli,” said Smith, now coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “The players just believe in him. He’s honest; there’s no B.S. to him. It’s in black and white. There’s clarity. There’s no greater guy to lead the comeback (of that defense) than Rod.”
Bottom line, Garrett said, is “we have a lot of good coaches who can help our football team.”
But will it be enough to save his job?
Continue reading...
“What a brilliant coach, and so generous,” Garrett said. “He’s building a culture.”
While it took Brown just two seasons to revive the Mustangs, Garrett continues to struggle to return the Dallas Cowboys to NFL prominence.
And, unlike the 73-year-old Brown, time could be running out on Garrett to build something at Valley Ranch.
Revealing Thursday there have been no talks of an extension with owner Jerry Jones, Garrett enters the final year of his contract in a seemingly make-or-break mode, although you’d never tell it from his outward appearance.
At least that was the case at the NFL Scouting Combine, where Garrett looked at ease wearing blue jeans, a snug black pullover sweater, brown loafers and his trademark grin.
“My focus is really on being the best coach I can be each and every day,” Garrett said when asked about his job security. “So that’s what I think about and that’s what I focus on.”
But isn’t he starting to feel the pressure?
“There’s always a sense of urgency,” said Garrett, who turns 48 in March. “The best players, coaches and teams live with a sense of urgency 365 days out of the year.”
But while Garrett goes about his job in a business-as-usual manner, speculation swirls about whether his players will do the same. Without an extension, he has the appearance of a lame duck, especially after leading the team to three straight 8-8 seasons, all of which ended with Dallas losing playoffs-or-bust finales against NFC East foes.
“We have been close each of the last three years to winning our division, but we haven’t gotten that done,” said Garrett, who is 29-27 overall since taking over midway through the 2010 season. “We have to live with that reality. We’re working hard daily to try to be great as coaches to help our team take the next step.”
In an effort to accomplish that goal, Garrett got Jones to sign off on some major staff moves last month. It began with the demotion of play-caller Bill Callahan and the hiring of Garrett-pal Scott Linehan to replace him. Next in the demotion line was defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who was replaced by defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who inherits the third-worst unit in NFL history.
Both Callahan and Kiffin remain on staff.
“We spend a lot of time talking about bringing the right people into the building, that’s players and coaches,” Garrett said. “We also want to make sure we have the right seats on the bus. That’s an important thing. We feel we have done that this offseason.”
In Linehan, Garrett has a lieutenant who shares his devotion to the timing-based offense.
“Philosophically, we are on the same page,” Garrett said.
In Marinelli, he has a coordinator beloved by his players and just one season removed from a strong three-year run as the Chicago Bears’ defensive chief under Lovie Smith.
“I’ve never been around a better leader of men than Rod Marinelli,” said Smith, now coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “The players just believe in him. He’s honest; there’s no B.S. to him. It’s in black and white. There’s clarity. There’s no greater guy to lead the comeback (of that defense) than Rod.”
Bottom line, Garrett said, is “we have a lot of good coaches who can help our football team.”
But will it be enough to save his job?
Continue reading...