Switzer interview - staff wanted him to be a RB

[Roadtrip635]

It's kind of interesting if you listened to Jerry talking after the Draft picks.

Everybody was harping on how the Talking heads said that we wanted Dallas Go. and the eagles jumped up and stole him. Which turned out to be false, we did not want him.

However when asked about it Jerry did talk about when we drafted Switzer.

He said they wanted a 3rd down RB Donnel Pumphrey from San Diego state but the Eagles jumped up in front of the Cowboys and took him. He then said we "had" to take Switzer with the pick. Odd choice of words. Like that was not who they initially wanted but it was someone with similar abilities that maybe they could fit into the role they envisioned for Pumphrey.

And it seems they are looking for that person who can be the small, fast, quick shifty guy out of the back field for the Jet sweeps or just passes. They had Dunbar who never really panned out. They had Lucky Whitehead that left via FA. They wanted Pumphrey but he was taken so they "had" to take Switzer. However they rarely used switzer and from the sounds of it did not even seem to indicate to him what kind of role they wanted him to play.

Maybe...MAYBE with Austin they finally have someone who can fill the role they want and with the total revamping of the WR corp, the dedication to the run game and things being "Dak Friendly" they will finally work things out.

However I have to say that the history of Garrett and Linehan with this team does not make me very confidant that they can incorporate this into the offense for any thing other than a few trick plays at most. We have seen time and time again when they have some kind of New idea for the offense. The Two TE offense, the Switzer use...frankly the best we might have seen it was with Lucky Whitehead in Daks rookie year.

Hoping they can make something out of it...history is preparing me for otherwise.

I'm not very confident that they can incorporate either, and also using past experience from this coaching staff. I have been desperately wanting this team to diversify their use of the RBs and get them more involved in the passing game other than check downs. I like the idea of scatback type RBs, but they have to be used properly and have the right skillset. I don't understand this fascination of Dunbar/Whitehead and the jet sweep gadget plays.

The more successful scatback types like Sproles, Danny Woodhead, Kamara etc. are quick, elusive and great in the short passing game, but also capable of running inside. The more successful ones do a great job running in tight spaces inside to keep teams honest, think draws and traps. I don't know if Austin is capable enough to run inside, to keep teams from shading the corners. It's going to be up to the coaching staff to figure out how to use the pieces more effectively.

 

[OmerV]

Let me bottom line this for me.......FO screwed missed on this pick. If we make habit of not getting any more than more year from our 4th round picks, it will come back and bite you in A at some point. I'm not a FO or Garrett, Stephen, or Jerry basher, especially when comes to drafts. I've seen to many situations where they may miss of fairly high pick but hit a home run on mid to low. But I do call it the way I see it and this was a bad pick, not the player, but pick.

The 3 years prior to drafting Switzer in the 4th round we got Dak Prescott, Damien Wilson and Anthony Hitchens in the 4th round, so the one year thing with Switzer isn't a habit - or at least hasn't been in recent years. Even with Switzer I think it's a little premature to treat it as a failed pick because its possible Ward may end up doing well.

 

[CATCH17]

I'm not very confident that they can incorporate either, and also using past experience from this coaching staff. I have been desperately wanting this team to diversify their use of the RBs and get them more involved in the passing game other than check downs. I like the idea of scatback type RBs, but they have to be used properly and have the right skillset. I don't understand this fascination of Dunbar/Whitehead and the jet sweep gadget plays.

The more successful scatback types like Sproles, Danny Woodhead, Kamara etc. are quick, elusive and great in the short passing game, but also capable of running inside. The more successful ones do a great job running in tight spaces inside to keep teams honest, think draws and traps. I don't know if Austin is capable enough to run inside, to keep teams from shading the corners. It's going to be up to the coaching staff to figure out how to use the pieces more effectively.

I get you but the threat of the jet sweep opened up some things for our run game that I felt like we missed in 2017.

I like it. You have to account for it and if it cause the defense to hesitate at all then it's a win for our offense.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Switzer interview - staff wanted him to be a RB

Switzer: I don't know if were trying to use me as like a scat-back or what. There was a lot of talk about my high school days and being a RB and I don't think I ever fit that mold as a change-of-pace back or someone with slide sweeps and carries. I don't know if that's the plan they had for me [because] it was never spoken, but when I try to piece these things together -- that's kind of what I'm thinking. ...I think that had a little bit to do with it because I can't really think of anything else. ...I did, like coach Garrett [told] me, I did everything [asked of me] and more. I felt like that, too. I'm not really sure. That's about as good of a guess as I have.

His RB experience was a sell to me on him for a pick too. He was a different spot along the gimmick RB-WR continuum.

RB -> WR
Dunbar -> Switzer -> Austin -> Whitehead

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

This is what's odd or strange. Sounds as if they LOCKED in on that position for THAT round which makes zero sense. Although you like fill a position there but once your player came off the board, go with BEST avail player and clean the position of need up later. Drafting a WR to play RB is a head scratcher big-time.

Well...one time they drafted a RB to play Slot WR.

Ohio State kid RB Michael Wiley. Drafted him and said they drafted him to play WR and I think Slot WR IIRC. But that was in the Campo era.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I had high hopes for Switz but in the end I'm not sure he's quick enough to play his type of game at the NFL level. I think we'll see immediate improvement at pr/kr just based on Tavon's speed.

Given his fumbling history on punt returns, we just shouldn't use him there.

 

[Roadtrip635]

You're obviously entitled to your opinion. I'll just refer back to what I said earlier: if you're getting more back in terms of your assessed value than you're giving up when you give up on that 4th round pick after one year, then pretty much by definition it isn't a mistake.

You can like a guy and trade him and a pick for two guys you like better.

I agree you can like a guy and still trade him, but it was still a mistake. This is more a case of making lemonade out of lemons. Switzer might have been liked, but didn't contribute as much as they had hoped. The trade was more of a lateral move, he became expendable with the glut at WR and traded for a player in position of need, not because that player himself was overly productive. Drafting Switzer was a mistake, but the trade may work in our favor.

 

[Melonfeud]

I get you but the threat of the jet sweep opened up some things for our run game that I felt like we missed in 2017.

I like it. You have to account for it and if it cause the defense to hesitate at all then it's a win for our offense.

Yet! Nothing like a skinny post/slot receiver struck dead-nuts on at middle field from 20 yards deep ,,,who takes it another 40 yards!,,, that'll definitely wrench the ol' tighten-up on the opposition formation,,,


* our attack game has been so lame,guys

 

[Chuck 54]

He’s a 4th round WR they drafted primarily as a returner and who thought might replace Beasley by his third year. In the mean time, they experimented with him in the Lucky/Dunbar role to get him some snaps on offense.

There’s no great mystery, and nothing to piece together. He’s just a dude. I liked his potential as much as many of us did, but he was likely to be nothing more than a complementary player like Beasley is at his best.

It was always telling about his return security that, as a specialist, they still felt the need to put Beasley in for fair catch situations in our end.

 

[xwalker]

We barely even used Dunbar when we had him. The coaches would talk him up all off season then when it came down to it they never really could figure out how to get him on the field in a productive manner.

Because he got injured.

 

[Melonfeud]

Because he got injured.

I've always grooved to that "tune"




*

 

[Roadtrip635]

I get you but the threat of the jet sweep opened up some things for our run game that I felt like we missed in 2017.

I like it. You have to account for it and if it cause the defense to hesitate at all then it's a win for our offense.

I get the idea, but I have read more about the jet sweep in the last couple weeks like it was some kind of magical play. I cringed, I'm sure other fans as well, when we ran it, it busted as much as boomed. I would like to see more motion in this offense though.

 

[CATCH17]

I get the idea, but I have read more about the jet sweep in the last couple weeks like it was some kind of magical play. I cringed, I'm sure other fans as well, when we ran it, it busted as much as boomed. I would like to see more motion in this offense though.

Oh I agree.. The jet sweep has been overblown. It's not some magical play but it does stretch the defense sideways and create some extra space.

Anything to make our opponents feel a little off balance instead of the typical Garrett line up and beat your man for 4 quarters is a plus.

 

[stilltheguru88]

Did they decide to stop coaching well after 13-3? 10 games over .500 last two years. I think fans overestimate talent and pet cats

They caught people off guard Daks/Zeke first year. We’ll see what real adjustments they made now that they’ve had a season to realize the rookie gameplan doesn’t work in the sophomore campaign

 

[the_h0wey]

I think this shows a lot about our staff. Dallas really drafted him to be a RB and to run sweeps? Dude is a dynamic slot receiver and great PR guy. He never returned kickoffs and never played rb at UNC. So lets draft him to play rb and return kicks. That's a great idea. He was confused as how him and Beasley could be used. So was I. Dallas never tried playing them both on the field together running underneath stuff. What is the staff's infatuation with the (dunbar role) dynamic 3rd down rb/wr? What's that guy going to get 5 touches? Leave Zeke on the field. Switzer was one of my favorite college players to watch recently and I think he has a place in this league. Dallas had a different plan for him, than using him for what he excels at as a player. I guess Tavon Austin will be our next experiment at this position.

https://247sports.com/college/north...-feeling-wanted-by-Raiders-and-more-118031958

Switzer: I don't know. That's something I'm still kind of pondering. The more I think on it, I think that they had a different plan for me than what I was capable of doing. I don't know. Looking back I had two or three rushes in the NFL before receptions and I was taking reps at running back at times. I don't know if were trying to use me as like a scat-back or what. There was a lot of talk about my high school days and being a RB and I don't think I ever fit that mold as a change-of-pace back or someone with slide sweeps and carries. I don't know if that's the plan they had for me [because] it was never spoken, but when I try to piece these things together -- that's kind of what I'm thinking. ...I think that had a little bit to do with it because I can't really think of anything else. ...I did, like coach Garrett [told] me, I did everything [asked of me] and more. I felt like that, too. I'm not really sure. That's about as good of a guess as I have.

The thing that sticks out in my mind about Switzer is when he muffed a punt that basically cost us the Rams game. Everyone kept saying how he was this dynamic return guy and I never really saw that.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Oh I agree.. The jet sweep has been overblown. It's not some magical play but it does stretch the defense sideways and create some extra space.

Anything to make our opponents feel a little off balance instead of the typical Garrett line up and beat your man for 4 quarters is a plus.

Someone needs to do some research on our magical jet sweep. I want to know how many times and amount +/- yds per play. It seems we only ran it in between our own 20-50yd line and from sometime in the middle of the 1 qtr to middle of the 2nd qtr. Usually our 2-4th drives, cuz tendencies. I could be wrong tho.

 

[Melonfeud]

How many people owned a Switzer jersey????

"WIN Ben Steins $",,,ROCKED!

 

[Ddisco22]

and just what is the new playing style...time and time again these new playing styles are gadget offenses that overall do not work out.
Football is still football, line them up and play...fundamentals work over gadgets every time.

Run and Shoot...gone
Original West Coast Offense, not used like it was when it really worked for awhile.
Spread offense just about all the time, no.
No huddle as when the Bills ran it. It got them there, to the SB, but they did not win...what won...basic fundamental football....
Sugar huddles, no
Wild Cat, no
I am sure there are others that are pretty much defunct
How long did Chip Kelley's style last as it did not work..college yes, NFL, no

Maybe that's what we need a little change from basic football, I get we are supposed to be a run first team and have been for a while but little by little the game is changing. nfl teams starting by basically getting rid of the full-back position.
we threw in a few gadget/trick plays at times and they worked, like when the kicker bailed us out with that fake punt run. I'm just saying if the old isn't working, try something new is all.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

 

[joseephuss]

I don't understand this ? It seemed so simple in my eyes

Go 4 wide and have beasly and switz in both inside positions with zeke single back mismatch nightmare and not even attempted Thats SAD !

Sometimes the answer is just so obvious and simple sounds like the cowboys overthought this one !

Goes back to a thread i made a while back wishing we would stop trying guys at various positions and let them excel at 1

SMH

It seemed so simple in my eyes that Switzer missing most of training camp and pre-season really limited what he could learn and what the team could do with him.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Switzer will do well in this league. Jihad Ward, I don’t know. Looks like a bad trade but we will see.