2014 COWBOYS CAMP COVERAGE: Jason Garrett’s padded practice presser; Pope’s porta potty | Coach Jerome Henderson mic’d up | Jerry Jones on Rolando McClain expectations
Mic’d Up: Secondary Coach Jerome Henderson | 1:09 | Follow along with Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson as he goes through the teams morning walkthrough during training camp. (Watch | Listen)
Jason Garrett Press Conference: Pre-Padded practice; Pope’s porta potty | 14:44 | Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett on the upcoming first padded practice of the 2014 seasons Training Camp; Tight Ends coach Mike Pope’s porta potty (Watch | Listen)
Jason Garrett Press Conference: Post-Padded practice | 16:44 | Jason Garrett on the first padded practice of the 2014 seasons Training Camp (Watch | Listen)
Jerry Jones – McClain Impressions And Expectations | 5:46 | Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talks about the addition of linebacker Rolando McClain. (Watch | Listen)
TALKING TEXAS-2 DEFENSE: The versatility of DBs should be effective in new 4-3 scheme
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The Cowboys have picked 20th overall four different times in club history, getting Marcus Spears in 2005, Ebenezer Ekuban in 1999, Billy Joe DuPree in 1973 and Dennis Homan in 1968.
IRVING, Texas – As the Cowboys focus on the offseason, training camp is still in sight.
Coming off two straight 8-8 seasons and three full seasons removed from the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys have plenty of question marks surrounding them as they prepare for the 2013 season.
With 19 days (July 20th) until the Cowboys take the field in Oxnard, Calif., one question centers on the versatility of defensive backs.
The versatility of DBs should be effective in new 4-3 scheme
Last year, we saw the Cowboys use a variety of defensive back rotations – some of which because of injury and other times to simply put players in effective spots.
Brandon Carr manned the cornerback spot most of the year, but he spent some time at safety early in the year after the Cowboys lost both Barry Church and Gerald Sensabaugh to injury.
Orlando Scandrick has played primarily slot corner, but has been used as a safety in certain packages. The Cowboys also signed Sterling Moore in midseason from the Patriots’ depth chart and he immediately helped at both safety and cornerback.
In this new 4-3 scheme from Monte Kiffin, the Cowboys might have to rely on their versatile players more than ever.
Looking back in Cowboys’ history, no player excelled at both cornerback and safety better than Mel Renfro. The 10-time Pro Bowler made it five times as a safety and five times as a corner – often going back and forth later in his career. If anyone came close to excelling like that, it would be Renfro’s teammates Cornell Green, who often swapped roles with Renfro on those early Doomsday Defenses.
Obviously it’s a stretch to assume the Cowboys will have any player on this roster, or any in the future, that can be as dominant as Mel Renfro, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.
However, having versatility at any position is clutch, especially in the secondary. With the NFL becoming a more passing league by each year, having players with the ability to cover ground like a safety, coupled with the skills to cover in the slot is almost a lost art.
That trait alone might keep a player like Moore on the roster and actually get him activated on game day as well.
This team suffered many injuries last year so guys like Carr and Scandrick might be asked to play some safety in a pinch as well.
They don’t have to be all-world like Renfro or even Green, but just serviceable at another position can be beneficial.
A closer look at the number 20:
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No player has ever worn No. 20 as long as Mel Renfro, who had it from 1964-77. Other notable players to wear No. 20 include Ron Springs, Ray Horton and Richie Anderson.
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Currently, rookie B.W. Webb wears No. 20.
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Roger Staubach’s 20 rushing touchdowns are the most by any Cowboys’ quarterback and ranks 11th all-time in Cowboys history.
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Preston Pearson ranks 20th in Cowboys history with 1,207 rushing yards.
COACHES ROSTER: Meet the 2013-14 Dallas Cowboys coaching staff
There have been a number of changes in the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff over the offseason. Here’s an updated list of the assistant coaches and links for more detailed information on each of them. This page will be updated if any other changes are made.
DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD COACH
Jason Garrett was named the eighth head coach in Dallas Cowboys history on January 5, 2011. Garrett, who played for or worked alongside four of his predecessors, became the first former Dallas Cowboys player to become the team’s head coach.
DALLAS COWBOYS COACHING STAFF
| Offensive Coaches | Defensive Coaches | Specialty Coaches |
| Jimmy Robinson Asst. Head Coach/Wide Receivers |
Monte Kiffin Defensive Coordinator |
Mike Woicik Strength and Conditioning |
| To Be Determined Tight Ends/Passing Game Coord. |
Jerome Henderson Secondary |
Chris Boniol Assistant Special Teams/ Kickers |
| Wade Wilson Quarterbacks |
Matt Eberflus Linebackers |
Brett Bech Assistant Strength and Conditioning |
| Bill Callahan Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
Rod Marinelli Defensive Line |
Rich Bisaccia
Special Teams |
| Wes Phillips Assistant Offensive Line |
Ben Bloom Quality Control/Linebackers |
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| Keith O’Quinn Off. Quality Control/Wide Receivers |
Joe Baker Assistant Secondary |
DEFENSIVE CONFIRMATION: Monte Kiffin verified switching defense to 4-3; his coaches set for new season
MOBILE, Ala. – The second day of Senior Bowl practices are underway, with several coaches and scouts filling up the grandstands at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett has addressed the media. It does appear the defensive coaching staff has been set.
Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin not only confirmed what we all expected in the team will be switching over to his 4-3 scheme, but said after meeting with several candidates, the defensive coaches are locked in.
“We’ve been trying to get our staff together and get the right players in the right place,” Kiffin said.
The biggest change will be defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who was the Bears defensive coordinator the last three years and has worked with Kiffin in Tampa Bay. But the Cowboys are also planning to keep linebackers coach Matt Eberflus and defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, two coaches who came with Rob Ryan from Cleveland.
The Cowboys are also expected to retain assistant defensive backs coach Joe Baker, assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett.
“It’s exciting,” Kiffin said Tuesday morning. “It happened really quick. We put together the staff and I think the staff is real important. The Joneses and Coach Garrett, they like certain people there they wanted me to interview. It was real good to put our heads together – Coach Garrett and myself. But there’s some real good coaches there right now. To bring in Rod Marinelli as our defensive line coach, he’s an icon.”
As for the offensive side of the ball, there are still holes to fill. The Cowboys will need to hire coaches for the running backs, tight ends and possibly wide receivers.
RELATED: Jerry Jones says Cowboys won’t complete staff during Senior Bowl week
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he does not expect to complete the coaching staff before the Cowboys leave the Senior Bowl.
He said the Cowboys, who have assistant coaching vacancies in at least four positions – tight end, defensive line, running backs and special teams – are interviewing this week at the all-star game but that there is no deadline.
“No, not at all. We have no timetable pressures here,” he said after watching the South team practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, where the Senior Bowl will be played Saturday. “I don’t look for anything such as a finalization of decisions on staff while we’re here.”
Asked about Houston Nutt’s visit to Valley Ranch last week, Jones declined to comment but promised to talk more about staff decisions later in the week.
“It’s going to be real limited on staff because we’re not going to sum it all up for competitive reasons and negotiating reasons,” Jones said. “We just are going to let that come out as we make those decisions about adding any new staff members.”
DALLAS’ TRIPLE-CORNER FLEX DEFENSE: Dallas Cowboy CB Brandon Carr willing to play safety the rest of the season; three cover corners could be the solution to pass-happy NFL.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr has accepted the accolades that accompanied his surprising – and successful – debut as an NFL safety in Sunday’s 16-10 victory over Tampa Bay. Carr played much of the game at safety in place of injured starter Gerald Sensabaugh, who skipped the contest with a strained calf.
Carr’s future could include an extended run at that position now that Barry Church, the other starting safety, is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Sensabaugh’s availability remains day-to-day, said coach Jason Garrett, which could mean additional time for Carr at safety while Morris Claiborne and Mike Jenkins handle the cornerback spots.
Although he signed a five-year, $50.1 million contract in the off-season to be the Cowboys’ shutdown cornerback, and coaches still consider him their best player at that position, Carr said he would embrace an extended run at safety if that is in the best interest of the team.
“If that’s what we have to do for us to get our best 11 on their 11 and to get off the field and win ball games, I’m all for it,” Carr said. “I came here with one thing in mind and that was to win ball games.”
Although he last played safety in high school, and only briefly then, Carr said he is willing to spend the rest of the season there if coach Jason Garrett and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan believes it is in the team’s best interest.
“If this is the role that I’m going to have to have this whole season, then I’m going to accept it and be ready to work and have everybody ready to go when my number’s called,” Carr said.
Because the Cowboys are expected to sign a veteran safety this week to replace Church, who is headed to the injured reserve list, Carr’s days at the position may be numbered. But it became clear against Tampa Bay that having three cover corners on the field at the same time _ Carr, Jenkins and Claiborne _ can be a positive defensive move in today’s pass-happy NFL.
Might the three-corners defense become a Cowboys’ staple going forward?
“I have no clue,” Carr said, smiling. “That’s the good thing about being a player. After each game is over with, you tell me what to do and I say, ‘Ok, coach’ and get ready and prepare myself for Sunday. Each week is going to be exciting to see what new wrinkle we add to our defense. I feel like we have a lot of guys that can play a lot of positions, so, hopefully, that will help us out in our versatility and our different looks. It’s going to be fun.”
RELATED: Jason Garrett credits Rob Ryan, Jerome Henderson for idea of Carr to safety
Jason Garrett gave defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and secondary coach Jerome Henderson credit for finding a way to have Brandon Carr play safety and Mike Jenkins to play cornerback while also keeping Vincent Jackson in check.
The Cowboys needed a way to make up for the loss of safety Gerald Sensabaugh, and putting Carr at safety was one way to do that and also to open up snaps at cornerback for Jenkins, who had been working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery.
“I think it was a real good idea by Rob and by Jerome early on in the week to do that,” Garrett said. “I think it was a great job by Brandon Carr of embracing the idea, saying, ‘Hey, I can do this. Absolutely, I’m excited to do this. I haven’t played safety since high school.’ He was kind of champing at the bit to do it.
“The concerns we had in the discussion was, they have this big guy, Vincent Jackson, and we have this big corner, this is the best matchup, should we really do this? And I think the combination of him playing corner but also playing safety and getting Jenks out there was a good way to go, and I think everybody responded really well to it.”
Garrett said now that Carr has put in some time at safety, the Cowboys have developed a little versatility.
“It’s nice to have that option in your hip pocket,” he said. “If we get in trouble and don’t have other options, we can say, let’s go back and do that again. We obviously want him to play corner. That’s what we feel like he’s best at. But to be able to do that with a guy to absorb an injury, that’s a good thing to have in your hip pocket going forward.”
COACHES ROSTER: Meet the 2013-14 Dallas Cowboys coaching staff
There have been a number of changes in the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff over the past few years. Here’s an updated list of the assistant coaches and links for more detailed information on each of them.
DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD COACH
Jason Garrett was named the eighth head coach in Dallas Cowboys history on January 5, 2011. Garrett, who played for or worked alongside four of his predecessors, became the first former Dallas Cowboys player to become the team’s head coach.
DALLAS COWBOYS COACHING STAFF
| Offensive Coaches | Defensive Coaches | Specialty Coaches |
| Jimmy Robinson Asst. Head Coach/Wide Receivers |
Monte Kiffin Defensive Coordinator |
Mike Woicik Strength and Conditioning |
| To Be Determined Tight Ends/Passing Game Coord. |
Jerome Henderson Secondary |
Chris Boniol Assistant Special Teams/ Kickers |
| Wade Wilson Quarterbacks |
Matt Eberflus Linebackers |
Brett Bech Assistant Strength and Conditioning |
| Bill Callahan Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
Rod Marinelli Defensive Line |
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| Wes Phillips Assistant Offensive Line |
Ben Bloom Quality Control/Linebackers |
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| Keith O’Quinn Off. Quality Control/Wide Receivers |
Joe Baker Assistant Secondary |
This post has been revised. Please click HERE.
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK: Rob Ryan likes his secondary’s confidence, second year player upgrades
When Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan watched his secondary last season, he saw a secondary without confidence.
He already sees a different attitude this year.
"Right now, I think there is a comfort level that we never had last year," Ryan said Wednesday after the Cowboys’ eighth OTA practice. "Guys are starting to understand the defense more."
The Cowboys had two of the worst passing defenses in team history the past two seasons. They gave up 3,906 passing yards last season after allowing 3,894 the previous year. Only the 1983 Cowboys, who allowed 3,928 passing yards, were worse.
Ryan didn’t have as much time working with his defense before the 2011 season because of the lockout-shortened season.
"Unfortunately I probably put a little too much in too early [last year]," Ryan said. "By the end of the year, I think we lost some confidence, especially in the secondary. We weren’t challenging receivers like we need to do. Obviously it showed, and it hurt us."
The Cowboys might have more confidence, because they have better players.
Dallas signed Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million contract in free agency before moving up to sixth overall to draft Morris Claiborne. They will join Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. The Cowboys also have a new secondary coach in Jerome Henderson, who replaced Dave Campo.
Henderson has had his secondary learning different multiple positions.
"Jerome trains them that way so they can move them all over the place," Ryan said. "That way, you can play them at more spots, and be a better defense."
DIGGING IN: New Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson demonstrates technique
Last weekend was not only the first chance for the Cowboys’ rookies to be seen on the field, it was also the first on-field action for the new assistant coaches.
New secondary coach Jerome Henderson stood out.
He wore cleats, he was demonstrative, and he came off the field brimming with enthusiasm to reporters.
“I’m just excited to be here in Dallas,” he said Saturday after one of the practices at Valley Ranch. “It’s been a great offseason so far. We made some really good additions to the secondary, to our team. I’m excited to be a part of it. I’m excited to get in here and start working with the guys and getting my hands on them as far as starting to teach them how we want to play this year and what our new philosophy will be and our thought process as we play.
“I’m just excited to start working with the guys.”
To that end, the 42-year-old coach wore cleats and ran around showing exactly the technique he wanted.
“I do, just because some times, when I’m trying to show something in a drill and I’m trying to move and you have tennis shoes on, I just can’t move or can’t react like I want to help them,” he said. “Like right now, as I get going, hopefully I’ll move around a lot more, and I’ll work one-on-one with guys because I know what an NFL corner feels like when he jams you. I know how strong he is, and I know his punch. So I want to feel that, so I can correct it one-on-one and I’m not looking at it saying, ‘Well, OK, that looked like a good punch.’ It’s a good punch because my chest hurts. I know what it feels like.”
Henderson played cornerback eight years in the NFL. He was a second-round pick of the New England Patriots in 1991, and he played for their Super Bowl team in 1996. He also played in a Super Bowl for the Buffalo Bills and played for the Eagles and Jets.
He spent the two years before coming to the Cowboys as secondary coach for the Cleveland Browns, where he developed cornerback Joe Haden (who had six interceptions as a rookie in 2010) and safety T.J. Ward (who led the Browns in tackles as a rookie the same year).
With the Cowboys, he now has a chance to work with the team’s No. 1 pick, cornerback Morris Claiborne. The Cowboys also return a former first-round cornerback, Mike Jenkins, veterans Orlando Scandrick and Gerald Sensabaugh and signed one of the top free agent cornerbacks available in the past offseason, Brandon Carr.
So, Henderson was asked: Is this the best secondary, on paper, he’s worked with?
“You know, on paper, you look at things on paper and you may say it is,” he said. “But again, we don’t play football on paper. We play out there on Sundays. It’ll be the most talented if we play that way. Whether we will or not, we’ve got a lot of work.”
Henderson said he has to put a mentality in his group.
“The mentality we’re going to try to build is that we fight; we scratch, and we claw, no matter what the situation,” he said. “It may not be pretty all the time, and it’s not going to be perfect. But the one thing you know – and this is our expectation, and this is what we’ve been talking about – is this group will play smart, and they will compete, down in and down out.”
Dallas Cowboys 2012 coaching staff nears completion
Running backs coach Skip Peete, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the 2011 league year, has signed a new two-year deal. Assistant offensive line coach Wes Phillips and offensive quality control/wide receivers coach Keith O’Quinn also will return with new deals.
The Cowboys introduced their two new coaches — secondary coach Jerome Henderson and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Callahan — Thursday. Their staff is complete, Jason Garrett said, aside from an assistant secondary coach to help Henderson.
"Jerome is the secondary coach; he is the head secondary coach so to speak," Garrett said. "In the last few years, we’ve had kind of dual secondary guys. Jerome is going to coach the secondary, but we are going to look into hiring a secondary assistant. We’re starting that process here really in the next few days, and hopefully we’ll get it done here in the next couple of weeks."
Brett Maxie and Dave Campo split the secondary duties the past four years. Campo was not retained, and he left to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Kansas.
The Cowboys wanted to have Henderson split the duties with Maxie, but Maxie decided to leave for the Tennessee Titans.
HAPPY DAYS: Jerome Henderson is happy to reunite with Rob Ryan
Jerome Henderson jumped at a chance to reunite with Rob Ryan in Dallas. Henderson coached under Ryan for two seasons in Cleveland. The Cowboys hired him when his contract with the Browns expired.
“If you know coach Ryan, if he’s gone, you miss him,” Henderson at his introductory news conference. “My experience with coach Ryan is he’s very intelligent; he’s very passionate about this game. He thinks football all the time, and he knows football. He’s very loyal. He’s going to wrap his arm around all his guys, and he’s going to make sure he takes care of his guys. You appreciate that as a coach. You appreciate the way he thinks about you, and he’s not afraid to say, ‘I think you do a hell of a job.’ You appreciate that as well. And you miss that. You do. You miss his fire. You miss everything that he is.”
Jason Garrett said he was swayed on Henderson by the opinions of Ryan, linebackers coach Matt Eberflus and defensive ends coach Ben Bloom, who all worked with him in Cleveland.
“They just spoke so highly of him,” Garrett said.
Henderson played eight seasons (1991-98) in the NFL as a defensive back.
“I think there are pieces in place that excite you here,” he said. “And I just hope to contribute to what’s already being done here.”
Dallas Cowboys in process of hiring Cleveland assistant Jerome Henderson as new secondary coach
The Cowboys are in the process of hiring Jerome Henderson as their new secondary coach to replace Dave Campo. The Cowboys had already informed Campo that they wouldn’t renew his contract.
Henderson, 42, has spent the last three seasons as the Cleveland Browns’ secondary coach and he would be reunited with Rob Ryan in Dallas. Henderson worked under Ryan, the Cowboys defensive coordinator, his first two seasons in Cleveland.
Reached at his Cleveland-area home on Tuesday night, Henderson confirmed that he’s currently in discussions with the Cowboys about their secondary coaching position.
"Right now nothing has transpired between me and the Cowboys. We are in discussions but nothing has happened," Henderson said. "I don’t want to speak out of turn."
Henderson declined to comment further. The Cowboys did receive permission to speak to Henderson and a deal could be finalized soon.
Prior to joining the Browns, Henderson spent the previous two seasons as a member of the New York Jets’ staff.
Henderson played eight seasons as a defensive back in the NFL after New England made him a second-round draft choice in 1991. He played with the Patriots (1991-93, 1996), Buffalo (1993-94), Philadelphia (1995) and the Jets (1997-98) in his NFL career, during which time he appeared in 98 games with 34 starts. He recorded nine career interceptions. Henderson played in two Super Bowls, with the Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII and with New England in Super Bowl XXXI.
Henderson grew up in Statesville, N.C., and went on to play four years at Clemson (1987-90).
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