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OXNARD, Calif. – When left tackle Tyron Smith and defensive end DeMarcus Ware square off in practice, all that’s missing from the heavyweight bout is famed ring announcer Michael Buffer shouting, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
The marquee matchup is must-see action for many at training camp, including Jason Garrett, who could serve as promoter for the Dallas Cowboys’ clash of the titans.
“It’s a great battle,” Garrett said, repeating the sentence for emphasis. “Both guys are so talented, but much more than that, they are so prideful in everything they do: run game, pass game, pass rush.
“Whatever they are doing, they want to win. It’s a fun thing to be a part of.”
The combatants – Smith, a third-year pro that Garrett touts as one of the league’s best tackles, and Ware, a seven-time Pro Bowler – can’t think of a better way to prepare for the season.
“We try to compete and make each other better,” Smith said. “There is always something to work on, always something to improve. He’s working something different. I’m working something different. It’s all about every day trying to get better. It allows us to perfect our technique.”
Said Ware, “It’s a challenge. I know what he’s going to do and he knows what I’m going to do. It’s a chess match, and we battle week in and week out. I’m pushing him as hard and I can and he’s doing the same thing. It’s no-holds bar. We are taking it to each other.
“That competitive spirit carries over into the games.”
And it also provides plenty of entertainment.
“I watch them all time,” said former Nate Newton, a Pro Bowl left guard on all three of Dallas’ Super Bowl championship teams of the 1990s who now does commentary for Dallas-Fort Worth radio station KESN-FM.
“You like seeing competition, bro. You like people who want to win like those two guys. It’s especially good to see the young guy, Smith. He’s getting better and better.”
Fierce practice matchups are nothing new to the Cowboys. Hall of Fame offensive tackle Rayfield Wright took on defensive ends Ed “Too Tall Jones” and Harvey Martin during the Tom Landry era. The 1990s featured defensive end Charley Haley against offensive tackle Mark Tuinei.
Another great skirmish in the ’90s featured two future hall of famers: wide receiver Michael Irvin versus cornerback Deion Sanders. Garrett called that battle “some of the best stuff ever.”
“We had great players, brother – Haley, Leon Lett, Tony Tolbert, Erik Williams, Tuinei, Larry Allen, Michael, Deion, Russell Maryland, Tony Casillas,” Newton said. “So what you are seeing with Smith and Ware is just a small portion of what we had to see every day. We had battles all the time.”
But Smith and Ware fall right in line with those epic clashes.
“I’ve been fortunate in my career to be around a lot of great individual matchups that happen in practice,” Garrett said, “and it’s the kind of matchup you remember for the rest of your life.”
After a strong second half of the 2012 season, many believe Smith this year will fulfill the high expectations that came when Dallas selected him ninth overall out of Southern Cal in 2011.
“It’s always a work in progress, but Tyron’s an outstanding football player,” Garrett said. “But much more than that, he’s mentally tough, physically tough. And he wants to get better. He works really hard at getting his body right to where it needs to be. He works on his technique and he certainly works very hard in those competitive situations.
“He’s one of the best tackles in the league right now and he’s only going to get better.”
During one practice last week, Smith bested Ware during pass-rush drills only to give up back-to-back sacks during 11-on-11 work. But instead of hanging his head, Smith bounced back to finish the practice strong.
“And that’s a challenge,” Garrett said. “This guy (Ware) is as good as it gets rushing against you every single day. Every time you break the huddle, that guy is standing out there. It’s tough. It’s not easy. But you want the competition. It’s benefiting both of them.”
Particularly Smith, said assistant offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
“He’s going against a hall of fame player every day in No. 94,” Pollack said. “You can’t ask for that kind of work. It’s been great for him, great for his development.”
Ware, of course, is long past the development stage. But working against Smith is helping him make the transition from playing a stand-up outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense he’s played in since he entered the league as the 11th overall pick in 2005 to lining up as a hand-in-the-dirt end in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 scheme.
“As an outside linebacker,” Ware said, “you have to drop back a little bit more and you have a more formations you have to worry about. Now, you’re just putting your hand down in the dirt and reading formations. You’re pass-rushing, actually, 94 percent of the time.”
Ware is fully recovered from the shoulder and elbow injuries that plagued him the last two months of last season. He finished 2012 with 11.5 sacks, his lowest total since 2009, and has a career-low 56 tackles.
“Being able to do everything, go out and play and feel whole again, it feels good again,”
said Ware, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Cowboys defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who counts Julius Peppers and Simeon Rice among the top pass rushers he’s tutored during his 17 previous years in the NFL, marvels at Ware’s passion for rushing the passer.
“The guy is absolutely consumed with pass rush,” Marinellis said. “He loves it. He adores it.
“He’s special. I’ve been around special. He’s special.”
And so are his daily dances with Smith.
“It’s just some of the best stuff there is,” Garrett said, “and that’s certainly one of
the best (matchups) on our team right now.”
Continue reading...
The marquee matchup is must-see action for many at training camp, including Jason Garrett, who could serve as promoter for the Dallas Cowboys’ clash of the titans.
“It’s a great battle,” Garrett said, repeating the sentence for emphasis. “Both guys are so talented, but much more than that, they are so prideful in everything they do: run game, pass game, pass rush.
“Whatever they are doing, they want to win. It’s a fun thing to be a part of.”
The combatants – Smith, a third-year pro that Garrett touts as one of the league’s best tackles, and Ware, a seven-time Pro Bowler – can’t think of a better way to prepare for the season.
“We try to compete and make each other better,” Smith said. “There is always something to work on, always something to improve. He’s working something different. I’m working something different. It’s all about every day trying to get better. It allows us to perfect our technique.”
Said Ware, “It’s a challenge. I know what he’s going to do and he knows what I’m going to do. It’s a chess match, and we battle week in and week out. I’m pushing him as hard and I can and he’s doing the same thing. It’s no-holds bar. We are taking it to each other.
“That competitive spirit carries over into the games.”
And it also provides plenty of entertainment.
“I watch them all time,” said former Nate Newton, a Pro Bowl left guard on all three of Dallas’ Super Bowl championship teams of the 1990s who now does commentary for Dallas-Fort Worth radio station KESN-FM.
“You like seeing competition, bro. You like people who want to win like those two guys. It’s especially good to see the young guy, Smith. He’s getting better and better.”
Fierce practice matchups are nothing new to the Cowboys. Hall of Fame offensive tackle Rayfield Wright took on defensive ends Ed “Too Tall Jones” and Harvey Martin during the Tom Landry era. The 1990s featured defensive end Charley Haley against offensive tackle Mark Tuinei.
Another great skirmish in the ’90s featured two future hall of famers: wide receiver Michael Irvin versus cornerback Deion Sanders. Garrett called that battle “some of the best stuff ever.”
“We had great players, brother – Haley, Leon Lett, Tony Tolbert, Erik Williams, Tuinei, Larry Allen, Michael, Deion, Russell Maryland, Tony Casillas,” Newton said. “So what you are seeing with Smith and Ware is just a small portion of what we had to see every day. We had battles all the time.”
But Smith and Ware fall right in line with those epic clashes.
“I’ve been fortunate in my career to be around a lot of great individual matchups that happen in practice,” Garrett said, “and it’s the kind of matchup you remember for the rest of your life.”
After a strong second half of the 2012 season, many believe Smith this year will fulfill the high expectations that came when Dallas selected him ninth overall out of Southern Cal in 2011.
“It’s always a work in progress, but Tyron’s an outstanding football player,” Garrett said. “But much more than that, he’s mentally tough, physically tough. And he wants to get better. He works really hard at getting his body right to where it needs to be. He works on his technique and he certainly works very hard in those competitive situations.
“He’s one of the best tackles in the league right now and he’s only going to get better.”
During one practice last week, Smith bested Ware during pass-rush drills only to give up back-to-back sacks during 11-on-11 work. But instead of hanging his head, Smith bounced back to finish the practice strong.
“And that’s a challenge,” Garrett said. “This guy (Ware) is as good as it gets rushing against you every single day. Every time you break the huddle, that guy is standing out there. It’s tough. It’s not easy. But you want the competition. It’s benefiting both of them.”
Particularly Smith, said assistant offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
“He’s going against a hall of fame player every day in No. 94,” Pollack said. “You can’t ask for that kind of work. It’s been great for him, great for his development.”
Ware, of course, is long past the development stage. But working against Smith is helping him make the transition from playing a stand-up outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense he’s played in since he entered the league as the 11th overall pick in 2005 to lining up as a hand-in-the-dirt end in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 scheme.
“As an outside linebacker,” Ware said, “you have to drop back a little bit more and you have a more formations you have to worry about. Now, you’re just putting your hand down in the dirt and reading formations. You’re pass-rushing, actually, 94 percent of the time.”
Ware is fully recovered from the shoulder and elbow injuries that plagued him the last two months of last season. He finished 2012 with 11.5 sacks, his lowest total since 2009, and has a career-low 56 tackles.
“Being able to do everything, go out and play and feel whole again, it feels good again,”
said Ware, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Cowboys defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who counts Julius Peppers and Simeon Rice among the top pass rushers he’s tutored during his 17 previous years in the NFL, marvels at Ware’s passion for rushing the passer.
“The guy is absolutely consumed with pass rush,” Marinellis said. “He loves it. He adores it.
“He’s special. I’ve been around special. He’s special.”
And so are his daily dances with Smith.
“It’s just some of the best stuff there is,” Garrett said, “and that’s certainly one of
the best (matchups) on our team right now.”
Continue reading...