Youth And Talent: 2011 And 1992 Cowboys Average Ages:

[Hot_Toddy]

I compiled the average and individual ages for the 2011 and 1992 Cowboys starters for those interested (In a side by side and collective comparison):

Quick notes: The players in parenthesis are not added in totals. However, I placed them by their respective positions as they have started this season (or future starters this season).

A few are indicated at their positions due to the starting lineup differences (i.e. starting 2 TE set vs with a fullback).

I included our 3rd WR on Offense and our 3rd CB on Defense, which is why you see 12 players listed on O and D.

Offense:

2011 average age: 26.75
1992 average age: 26.91

QB Romo 31 - Aikman 26
RB Jones 24 - Smith 23 (DeMarco Murray 23)
FB Fiammetta 25 - Johnston 26
WR Austin 27 - Irvin 26
WR Bryant 23 - Harper 24
WR Robinson 26 - Martin 27
TE Witten 29 - Novacek 30 (Martellus Bennett 24)
T Free 27 - Tuinei 32
T Smith 21 - Williams 24
G Holland 31 - Newton 31 (Nagy 24)
C Costa 24 - Stepnoski 25
G Kosier 33 - Gesek 29


Defense:

2011 average age: 28.75
1992 average age: 27.17

DE Coleman 32 - Tolbert 25
DE Hatcher 29 - Haley 28 (Spears 28)
DT Ratliff 30 - Casillas 29/Maryland 23
LB James 30 - Jones 23 (Carter 23)
LB Lee 25 (Brooking 36)
LB Spencer 27 - Smith 27
LB Ware 29 - Norton 26
CB Jenkins 26 - Smith 22
CB Newman 33 - Holt 30
CB Scandrick 26 - Brown 23
S Elam 30 - Horton 32
S Sensabaugh 28 - Everett 28

Team Totals:

2011 team average age: 27.75
1992 team average age: 27.04

After reading through Hostile's latest "A Touch of Hostility" post: http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222415 (Great read as usual)!!!....

Hos and other fellow-forum members mention 'too young at O-Line'... These words ring very true:

2011 O-Line: Average age: 27.2 (w Nagy - Average age: 25.8)
1992 O-Line: Average age: 28.2

The 1992 and 2011 teams are very similar regarding ages at most positions. With the exception being O-Line where we started the season a full 2 1/2 years younger with Nagy and currently 1 year younger with the vet Holland. I don't think I need to mention the importance of chemistry on any O-Line.

We are an extremely talented and young team. The more experience, playing time, and cohesion together - Then the sky is the limit for our current Cowboys. Our talent pool with this youth is extraordinary.

 

[RS12]

Not relevant. That team would have made road kill out of this one. You cant measure mental toughness and desire. That team had it.

 

[Doomsay]

Oh man, to have that team on the right side of the "-" again.

 

[Cowboyz88]

The '91 was team was dripping with leaders, and as much as I like them, the current team is struggling to find one, effective leader (Ware & Witten are the quiet, lead by example types).

Aikman, Irvin, Moose, Stepnoski, Tuinei, E. Williams, Norton, Haley (Crazy as he was), Everett with Woodson on the bench. Wow.

Given their '91 ages, any one of those guys would step in today and immediately be the man which, IMO, is what this team desperately needs.

Their are some who dismiss the leader thing, but I submit that the teams dearth of playoff appearances/victories coincides with the lack of an effective leader (equal parts physical and vocal ability).

 

[Doomsay]

Their are some who dismiss the leader thing, but I submit that the teams dearth of playoff appearances/victories coincides with the lack of an effective leader (equal parts physical and vocal ability).

Some have also dismissed the "coach" thing, and the "gm" thing as well, when it wasn't convenient.

But I agree with you, there doesn't seem to be an obvious leader on this team, at least from an outsiders perspective.

 

[dboy214]

Not relevant. That team would have made road kill out of this one. You cant measure mental toughness and desire. That team had it.

pretty much. this team has no mental toughness..still after firing wade.

 

[CCBoy]

Nice work up, here. Thanks Hot_Toddy.

A nice overlay might have been, years of experience along with the age correlations. And even level of accomplishments, such as All Pro, etc.

Your point about the offensive line is a valid point of departure for trends on this team. Correlations between team scores/wins, might be interesting to view with personnel changes, such as Holland/or Dockery as well.

But even here, as couchscout pointed up, the thing on the offensive line's interior, is generally adequate. I'm thinking that the Dockery/Holland additions to the roster will prove to be just that. And the Cowboys will be winning at least four of the next five games. Hopefully all five.

At this point, I have a very bad taste in my mouth, over the Dallas center situation. Phil Costa failed to show up for muster formation at this last game....

 

[MC KAos]

age comparisons doesnt matter, we had troy aikman, emmitt smith, michael irvin and that offensive line, thats why that team was great and this team is mediocre at best

 

[CCBoy]

age comparisons doesnt matter, we had troy aikman, emmitt smith, michael irvin and that offensive line, thats why that team was great and this team is mediocre at best

Not so fast here. Unless one was ignorant of all Cowboy related concerns through the Lockout to Camp, then age is very relevent in cap management and team directions as well. Perhaps you also missed the over 30% turnovers for three straight years.

That is exactly why there are concerns on developing an offensive line today, but a large and accumulated bunch of talent, under cap figure...NOW.

The question of today, is how good the band aide solution at interior lineman...Dockery and Holland, will hold up in the interim following injury removal of one of the top shelf youthful players.

 

[MC KAos]

Not so fast here. Unless one was ignorant of all Cowboy related concerns through the Lockout to Camp, then age is very relevent in cap management and team directions as well. Perhaps you also missed the over 30% turnovers for three straight years.

That is exactly why there are concerns on developing an offensive line today, but a large and accumulated bunch of talent, under cap figure...NOW.

The question of today, is how good the band aide solution at interior lineman...Dockery and Holland, will hold up in the interim following injury removal of one of the top shelf youthful players.

thats all good and well, but outside of dez as the number 2, robinson as the number 3 and witten as the TE, that 90's team had an insane talent advantage over this team, so its one thing to turnover and try to get young, but its another to do it with that insane amount of talent we did in the late 80s and early 90s

 

[CCBoy]

thats all good and well, but outside of dez as the number 2, robinson as the number 3 and witten as the TE, that 90's team had an insane talent advantage over this team, so its one thing to turnover and try to get young, but its another to do it with that insane amount of talent we did in the late 80s and early 90s

You must have missed the last two games...as you can add in DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones upon his return from injury. Today's game is a little different to two decades ago. But yea, I would match a projected output at running back by those two with a single producer of even an Emmitt's magnitude. As to Moose Johnson, don't look now, but Dallas again has a fullback, and yea, of the likes of Moose.

As to receiver, I think Dez Bryant and Miles Austin compare well with an Irvin/Harper look. But add in Laurent Robinson as the third receiver, and today's picture is dependent upon how well that Tony Romo receives protection.

As to a valid Hall of Famer in Jason Witten, compared to a good picture of Novacek...c'mon now.

Offensively, the variable challenging this team is it's offensive line. It has started off this year, with change and injury. That is what we are now talking about in a comparative difference.

As to the defensive side...I'll just stay with DeMarcus Ware over any projections with Ed Too-Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, or even a Charles Haley.

Then there is the new kid, Sean Lee...and yea, I'd pre-position him right up there with a Chuck Howley.

 

[MC KAos]

You must have missed the last two games...as you can add in DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones upon his return from injury. Today's game is a little different to two decades ago. But yea, I would match a projected output at running back by those two with a single producer of even an Emmitt's magnitude. As to Moose Johnson, don't look now, but Dallas again has a fullback, and yea, of the likes of Moose.

As to receiver, I think Dez Bryant and Miles Austin compare well with an Irvin/Harper look. But add in Laurent Robinson as the third receiver, and today's picture is dependent upon how well that Tony Romo receives protection.

As to a valid Hall of Famer in Jason Witten, compared to a good picture of Novacek...c'mon now.

Offensively, the variable challenging this team is it's offensive line. It has started off this year, with change and injury. That is what we are now talking about in a comparative difference.

As to the defensive side...I'll just stay with DeMarcus Ware over any projections with Ed Too-Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, or even a Charles Haley.

Then there is the new kid, Sean Lee...and yea, I'd pre-position him right up there with a Chuck Howley.

even if i could buy the blasphemy of comparing demarco murray after 2 good games and felix jones to the greatest cowboys player ever, a man with the record for most rushing yards, touchdowns and whom missed less games than murray and felix have in the little time they have had in the league, and then buy the fact that any combo of receivers that we have compare to irvin and any 2 scrubs, the fact remains that we had what might have been the greatest offensive line of all time. That team was absolutely loaded! if this team was anywhere near as talented as that one we wouldnt be 3-4, struggling to score against the worst pass defense in recent history and an oline coach posing as a defensive coordinator.

 

[CCBoy]

Expanding views of comparisons....

The Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 consecutive winning seasons (1966–1985), in which they only missed the playoffs twice (1974 and 1984), an NFL record that remains unbroken and unchallenged. It remains one of the longest winning streaks in all of professional sports.

Now, that was the period that the Jimmy Johnson/Jerry Jones team was compared to.

Delving a little deeper, this was the actual mechanism of change, even then:

Jones immediately fired Tom Landry, the only head coach in franchise history, replacing him with University of Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson. With the first pick in the draft, the Cowboys selected UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman. Later that same year, they would trade veteran running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for five veteran players and eight draft choices. Although the Cowboys finished the 1989 season with a 1–15 record, their worst in almost 30 years, "The Trade" later allowed Dallas to draft a number of impact players to rebuild the team.

Johnson quickly returned the Cowboys to the NFL's elite. Skillful drafts added fullback Daryl Johnston and center Mark Stepnoski in 1989, running back Emmitt Smith in 1990, defensive tackle Russell Maryland and offensive tackle Erik Williams in 1991, and safety Darren Woodson in 1992. The young talent joined holdovers from the Landry era such as wide receiver Michael Irvin, guard Nate Newton, linebacker Ken Norton Jr., and offensive lineman Mark Tuinei, defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat, and veteran pickups such as tight end Jay Novacek and defensive end Charles Haley.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Cowboys

The Jerry Jones targeted trade involving Herchel Walker, gave the Cowboys the ammo to form the personnel involved in the Dynasty period of the '90's.
There was about a four year window of adding pieces through the draft.

Right now, I would compare this year's Tyron Smith directly with a picture, overall, of Erik Williams.

The major departures from this and the team of the 90's, who this team is now compared back to...is in the offensive line's and defensive line's interior.

This area of focus is exactly where things need to improve for this roster's players. Even the Cowboys of the 90's had to add veterans to their mix. Novacek, Haley, and Deion Sanders were all added to overcome dynamic problems. Today, Dallas may well have to had to both of it's line's interiors.

 

[MC KAos]

i hope your right, but i seriously doubt it

 

[CCBoy]

even if i could buy the blasphemy of comparing demarco murray after 2 good games and felix jones to the greatest cowboys player ever, a man with the record for most rushing yards, touchdowns and whom missed less games than murray and felix have in the little time they have had in the league, and then buy the fact that any combo of receivers that we have compare to irvin and any 2 scrubs, the fact remains that we had what might have been the greatest offensive line of all time. That team was absolutely loaded! if this team was anywhere near as talented as that one we wouldnt be 3-4, struggling to score against the worst pass defense in recent history and an oline coach posing as a defensive coordinator.

A fair assessment...and we had exactly the same conclusion on line(s)...see my next posting. Nice talking with you.

 

[CCBoy]

i hope your right, but i seriously doubt it

The current offensive line directions will play out in full living color against, Seattle, Washington, Miami, and Arizona...you won't have doubts as to exact team status then. For better or worse. I'm still thinking better.

 

[poost]

The current offensive line directions will play out in full living color against, Seattle, Washington, Miami, and Arizona...you won't have doubts as to exact team status then. For better or worse. I'm still thinking better.

So are you saying that the current offensive line personnel would be suitable, because I was under the impression that the interior of the line needs a significant upgrade.

 

[CCBoy]

So are you saying that the current offensive line personnel would be suitable, because I was under the impression that the interior of the line needs a significant upgrade.

You need to get into some of couchscout's threads. His evaluation of the interior offensive line, and apparently current coach's view, is that the interior line has to be just manageable in skillset.

First, Dallas chose direction with a 'rook' manning up at left guard. David Arkin went on IR. So the team was forced to re-direct players. Derrick Dockery was initially brought in during camp, to fill need that could develop at the position.

Both Montrae Holland and Derrick Dockery will show, over the upcoming next five games....just how well they can handle just an 'adequate' picture for the offensive line's interior. Scout's view has made it evident that Phil Costa HAS to improve for even this picture to be functional. But there will be plenty of opportunity for a fan to watch over these next group of games, and know just how far things must improve towards next season. It will also be the litmus test of whether this group of Cowboys is in the playoffs for this season, or not. Just watch...and keep up with couchscout's threads.

 

[poost]

You need to get into some of couchscout's threads. His evaluation of the interior offensive line, and apparently current coach's view, is that the interior line has to be just manageable in skillset.

First, Dallas chose direction with a 'rook' manning up at left guard. David Arkin went on IR. So the team was forced to re-direct players. Derrick Dockery was initially brought in during camp, to fill need that could develop at the position.

Both Montrae Holland and Derrick Dockery will show, over the upcoming next five games....just how well they can handle just an 'adequate' picture for the offensive line's interior. Scout's view has made it evident that Phil Costa HAS to improve for even this picture to be functional. But there will be plenty of opportunity for a fan to watch over these next group of games, and know just how far things must improve towards next season. It will also be the litmus test of whether this group of Cowboys is in the playoffs for this season, or not. Just watch...and keep up with couchscout's threads.

I agree. I read CS's threads whenever they come out. I thought he wasn't very high on Costa and even suggested drafting a center. When I watch the Cowboy's play, it's obvious the line is holding back the offence. Romo does not have that clean pocket to step into. Oh well. Hopefully they gel and stabalize. I think that is the only thing holding the team back . A consistent line would lead to more consistent play.

 

[CCBoy]

I agree. I read CS's threads whenever they come out. I thought he wasn't very high on Costa and even suggested drafting a center. When I watch the Cowboy's play, it's obvious the line is holding back the offence. Romo does not have that clean pocket to step into. Oh well. Hopefully they gel and stabalize. I think that is the only thing holding the team back . A consistent line would lead to more consistent play.

Agreed....:starspin