The Manster

CowboyMike

CowboyMike

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I was born in '88, so I never saw Randy White or Staubach or any of those guys play. I only know highlights.

I have a question about Randy White. It is my understanding that he was a DT in college but Landry wanted to turn him into a MLB when we drafted him. Apparently we played him there for a few years with marginal success. Once we moved him back to DT, he became a beast. I'm assuming this is why he wore #54.

My question is, what did he display that made Landry think he could be an MLB? How good of a linebacker was he while he was in that position?

And did he and Bob Lilly ever play DT next to eachother? Or did Randy move in after Lilly had left? Because if they were playing next to eachother... OMG. That must have been a scary, amazing defensive line.
 
Manster came after Lilly by 1 year. Lilly retired after the 1974 season. Randy was drafted in 1975 as part of the Dirty Dozen.

Landry saw his aggressive instincts for the football.

BTW, off topic a little but I found out Sunday that a friend of mine is a 1st cousin to Todd Chistensen. He was a FB in college at BYU. Landry wanted him to play TE. He didn't want to and we cut him. Then he went on to be an All Pro TE for Oakland. Landry was a smart man.

BTW, Jeff says his cousin is arrogant and they do not see eye to eye.
 
CowboyMike;3523513 said:
I was born in '88, so I never saw Randy White or Staubach or any of those guys play. I only know highlights.

I have a question about Randy White. It is my understanding that he was a DT in college but Landry wanted to turn him into a MLB when we drafted him. Apparently we played him there for a few years with marginal success. Once we moved him back to DT, he became a beast. I'm assuming this is why he wore #54.

My question is, what did he display that made Landry think he could be an MLB? How good of a linebacker was he while he was in that position?

And did he and Bob Lilly ever play DT next to eachother? Or did Randy move in after Lilly had left? Because if they were playing next to eachother... OMG. That must have been a scary, amazing defensive line.
Click to expand...


No. Lilly retired after the '74 season, and White wasn't drafted 'til '75.

Have you read Landry's Boys? You should.
 
CowboyMike;3523513 said:
I was born in '88, so I never saw Randy White or Staubach or any of those guys play. I only know highlights.

I have a question about Randy White. It is my understanding that he was a DT in college but Landry wanted to turn him into a MLB when we drafted him. Apparently we played him there for a few years with marginal success. Once we moved him back to DT, he became a beast. I'm assuming this is why he wore #54.

My question is, what did he display that made Landry think he could be an MLB? How good of a linebacker was he while he was in that position?

And did he and Bob Lilly ever play DT next to eachother? Or did Randy move in after Lilly had left? Because if they were playing next to eachother... OMG. That must have been a scary, amazing defensive line.
Click to expand...

Mike, you missed a great decade of football in the 70's is all I can say. Some great players and exciting teams and games. Honestly it was kind of a golden era and the Cowboys always made for great TV. Did not have the number of great athletes that exist now but I think the game was fundamentally better played than it is now. Not nearly as many "me first" athletes with their hand out and mugging for the cameras.
 
White came to Dallas carrying only about 245 on a 6-4 frame. He also had good speed and quickness, so that's why Landry had visions of him playing linebacker.

As a rookie, he came in on passing downs and was used as a situational pass-rusher a lot, often times replacing Lee Roy Jordan.

White wasn't a linebacker long. He was just better suited as a lineman, especially when he started putting on muscle with Bob Ward's help. And they also discovered that year that another rookie in that group -- Bob Breunig -- while lacking White's amazing talent, was a good fit as MLB in the flex defense, mainly because of his smarts and his ability to play within the strict retraints of that defense.
 
Landry was a creative, innovative coach who experimented with different ideas. He was right much more often than not, of course, but occasionally Landry outthought himself. That's what happened with Randy White's first few years.
 
Thanks for the quick response guys. Y'all answered my questions beyond what I expected. It's a shame he never played with Lilly. And yes, I did miss a great decade of football. There is a feel games had even when I was a little kid that doesn't exist today.

DC, that one segment of video, plus the history of the Cowboys DVD, is pretty much all I knew of Randy White before this thread.

I have not read Landry's Boys. I intend to, thanks. I've also been looking at God's Coach. Is that any good?

And Bob, I'm 22, so I think I'm plenty old enough to be up this late, thank you though. It's only 8:30 here anyway. :) Don't you have a Willard to sell?
 
I remember reading (or seeing) from someone, I think Gil Brandt, that Landry thought Randy could be the next Dick Butkus and that's why they tried him at MLB.

He was a total terror, though. Like Brad Sham said in that show, Randy wasn't just one of the best DTs ever, he was one of the best football players, period, ever. Just an amazing motor, and played as angry as anyone.
 
White just had a tremendous combination of strength, speed, tenacity, and football smarts. NO ONE ever played the game harder with more passion. However, it didn't take Landy that long to realize White just wasn't a LB. You didn't want that guy covering TEs or backs. You wanted him blowing up plays at the line of scrimmage and terrorizing opposing QBs. Pluse, White was so strong and quick that he could bring down RBs from behind if they did get by the line or if they ran away from him. He did that as well as anyone.
 
CowboyMike;3523636 said:
Thanks for the quick response guys. Y'all answered my questions beyond what I expected. It's a shame he never played with Lilly. And yes, I did miss a great decade of football. There is a feel games had even when I was a little kid that doesn't exist today.

DC, that one segment of video, plus the history of the Cowboys DVD, is pretty much all I knew of Randy White before this thread.

I have not read Landry's Boys. I intend to, thanks. I've also been looking at God's Coach. Is that any good?

And Bob, I'm 22, so I think I'm plenty old enough to be up this late, thank you though. It's only 8:30 here anyway. :) Don't you have a Willard to sell?
Click to expand...

Later. I have to tuck you into bed 1st, son. :p::D
 
I had always thought that Landry had stashed White as a LB just to keep him on the team that first year. He definitely played lights out on the line. Every time I see a picture of him today, I think he still might be able to play. Probably only situational now though..... :D
 
I know one thing.

Bobby Carpenter wearing 54 was straight up blasphemy.

That was painful to watch.

Please let Randy White's number rest in peace.
 
CowboyMike;3523513 said:
I was born in '88, so I never saw Randy White or Staubach or any of those guys play. I only know highlights.

I have a question about Randy White. It is my understanding that he was a DT in college but Landry wanted to turn him into a MLB when we drafted him. Apparently we played him there for a few years with marginal success. Once we moved him back to DT, he became a beast. I'm assuming this is why he wore #54.

My question is, what did he display that made Landry think he could be an MLB? How good of a linebacker was he while he was in that position?

And did he and Bob Lilly ever play DT next to eachother? Or did Randy move in after Lilly had left? Because if they were playing next to eachother... OMG. That must have been a scary, amazing defensive line.
Click to expand...

Mike,

I never would have thought you were born in 1988 with the old liquor guy as your avatar.

In 1988, I turned 24. This means that I was blessed to see the 1970s Cowboys growing up in my grade school years. I vaguely remember Bob Lilly and Chuck Howley. I definately remember Randy White. Infact, I obviously used his nickname for my Username. The "68" comes from offensive lineman Herb Scott. Not many people know that.

One of Tom Landry's Assistant Coaches at that time helped push Landry in trying to make Randy White a MLB. He said that Randy looked about as close to Dick Butkus as anyone he has ever seen. So it wasn't just Tom Landry's idea to try Randy White as a MLB.

That Assistant Coach's name?

Dan Reeves
 
Some more on the great Randy White. First and foremost i have yet to see a DT in Dallas that can compare to his dominance(Ratliff getting close to it) . Man was he fun to watch. He was a tad light in the britches for a DT, coming out of College, Landry initially projected him as a MLB, becaues he could run like the wind. From his DT position, he use to chase RB's down from behind when they tried to turn the corner. The famous banner on him was that he was such a warrior and competior, that he would get stronger as the game got longer. He often owned the 4th corner. A freind of mine attended UMD when he did and told me that often in the middle of the night they would see a light on in wieght room and it would be Randy working out becaues he couldnt sleep. He was a classic workout warrior. Tied with Staubach he's my favorite all time palyer.
 
Bob Sacamano;3523566 said:
'88? Dang, you're young. Sure you should be posting this late, Mike?
Click to expand...
not that young, i was born in 85' thus making me 25 today. Hes old enough to buy you a beer at a strip club. Thats old to me.
 
My all time favorite Cowboy and just an all around bad man. We are looking at buying an English Bulldog and I want to name him "Manster".
 
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