- 2 days ago
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer addresses the media at the team's OTA press conference at The Star! Coach Schottenheimer dives deep into his confidence level with the defense, joint practices against the Rams, Klayton Adams' development, the team's health, and much more.
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00:01Brian Totter with ESPN.
00:02When you see the Rams acquire Marlins Garrett the other day,
00:07got me thinking about the pass rush here.
00:09What's the confidence level that you guys have in what you have on hand now?
00:14Do you need to go out and add players?
00:16I know you're going to say it's 24-7 and you're always looking,
00:18but what's the confidence level you have in the guys in the building
00:22to be able to affect the quarterback?
00:24Yeah, I mean, I'm going to start with Donovan Azaraku going into year two.
00:27I mean, there's a reason we felt so highly of him last year,
00:31and then you look back at knowing that he played the last number of games
00:35with some ailments.
00:37You go out and get a guy like Rashawn Gary,
00:39who I've been blown away by his professionalism, his leadership.
00:43He's a grown-ass man.
00:45You just watch him work and he understands what work ethic takes to be a great player,
00:51and I'm really, really excited about that.
00:53Malachi Lawrence is picking it up really, really quickly.
00:56We're very excited about that.
00:59You know, James Houston, there's a lot of guys, you know, bringing T. Wheat back.
01:03And it is.
01:04You know, we're going to go through this process.
01:05I'm very pleased with where we are.
01:07Marist is doing a great job for us at Outside Linebacker.
01:10He's had some really good rushes.
01:11Now, I say that, Todd, there's restrictions and OTAs of what you can do.
01:15Like, there's always a halo around the quarterback,
01:18but there's even more restrictions of it's not real football.
01:21It never will be real football.
01:23So, I'm going to hold my praise, but I'm very pleased with the guys that we've added,
01:28and I'm pleased with the group.
01:31Is it about the group and not the individual in some respects?
01:34And is that what Christian came from when he was in Philly?
01:37I don't know if you looked at them and said there was one dominant pass rush that they had?
01:41I think some of the best pass rushing teams that I know we face, you know,
01:44don't have necessarily one guy.
01:47It's easier to shut one guy down.
01:49You know, one elite guy you can pay a lot of attention to, you know,
01:51and it's better off when you're looking at Denver's,
01:55and obviously Benito put up big numbers, but, I mean, they were getting six-plus sacks,
01:59I think, from seven or eight different guys of something crazy like that.
02:02And I really do think it's more of the unit, and that's what we're excited about
02:07with the depth that we feel like we have.
02:10John, I'm sure with the Athletic, what was your immediate reaction on Monday
02:12when you see that the Miles Garrett trade happens, then later in the day
02:16you have A.J. Brown getting traded, obviously, out of the division?
02:19It must be post-June 1 was my first thought.
02:22And, no, I mean, hey, it's what you love about it.
02:25You know, it's competitive business, and everyone's trying to get their roster right,
02:28and each roster is different and each roster is unique to themselves.
02:32And, you know, we feel like we've had an incredible off-season of additions.
02:38And, you know, I'll let the cat out of the bag on this one.
02:41We'll have a joint practice against Miles and the Rams,
02:45along with New Orleans and Kellen and those guys.
02:47And I think that's because of the relationship we've built up with Sean and his staff.
02:52And, you know, obviously we know Kellen, but we had a couple other options
02:56that we were looking at, but we want to go compete against some of the better teams
03:00and better players.
03:01And you guys know our stance for playing starters in the preseason.
03:06So we want to get that work done.
03:07It's funny for me because I now notice last year I was not noticing you guys
03:11were all tweeting things that come out.
03:13It's kind of cool.
03:13It's a race of fingers.
03:15I will say John is very quick.
03:18Hey, he's very quick.
03:19I mean, he's asking the question.
03:21Hey, that's pretty good.
03:23I now know what you guys are doing.
03:24I was like, man, they're really taking my notes, seriously.
03:27Yeah, multitask.
03:28And then with that, as Raku and Bland,
03:30do you still expect them to be ready for the start of training camp?
03:32Oh, yeah.
03:33Absolutely, yeah.
03:34Both guys are doing great.
03:35It's more of us taking precaution and being smart.
03:38You know, they both want to get out there.
03:40But, again, it's OTAs.
03:42And it's more important that they're learning the scheme and system
03:47and all that as opposed to them going out there and getting team reps.
03:50Bland's the foot, right?
03:52Say again?
03:52Bland's the foot.
03:53That's nothing new.
03:54That's correct.
03:54Nick Harris for Star Telegram.
03:56Compared to last season versus now
03:58and just seeing how the defense is operating this week,
04:00is there anything tangible you can point to or anything
04:02where it kind of clicked for you like, hey, this defensive unit,
04:05not just the coaching staff,
04:06but the unit itself feels different than it did last year?
04:10Yeah, I'm not going to compare.
04:11Last year, you know, last year just didn't work.
04:13And we know that, and it's for different reasons,
04:15and that falls on me more than anybody else as a head coach.
04:18But I'm thrilled with the way these guys teach, the way these guys explain,
04:22the way these guys focus on fundamentals.
04:25I think, you know, you would be remiss standing up here if you didn't talk about the disguise element of
04:31it.
04:33You know, this system that CP's bringing to us, you know, based off from Vic Fangio and Vance Joseph
04:40and guys like that that have been involved, like, they make you work post-snap, and that's a big part
04:44of it.
04:44And, you know, the less movement that the defense does, it tells the quarterback less information,
04:52so therefore he's trying to process it at different times, and that allows the pass rush to get home,
04:57which is why I think, you know, going back to Todd's question,
05:00you see teams like Denver that base out of this system get a number of sacks.
05:05It's not just that the pass rush is elite, it's that the quarterbacks are confused.
05:09And they're like, oh, I'm not sure if this is cover four, cover six, cover eight, cover two, cover one,
05:14whatever it is.
05:15And I think that that's been really fun for me to see.
05:18How much weight at this point in the offseason can you put into quote-unquote position battles?
05:22I know it means a lot more when the pads come on at training camp, but what do you get
05:25out of,
05:26hey, this guy, let's rotate him in with the first team or this?
05:28Yeah, you know, look, we're evaluating everything, but again, it's, I'll go back, it's not real football.
05:34You know, the defense does not have equal right to the football.
05:37So, you know, it's a hard thing for the head coach to say day one of OTAs, like defensive guys,
05:42you do not have equal right to the football.
05:43If it's a close play, you have to pull off.
05:46And so, again, you're evaluating these guys and how they're picking up the system,
05:51how they're moving in some of the individual things.
05:53You know, CD's had a great camp.
05:54He looks awesome.
05:55He's jumping out of his shoes.
05:57Kalen Carson has had a great couple days.
06:00Love to see the confidence he's playing with right now.
06:03But it is hard, Nick.
06:04I mean, it's hard to sit there.
06:06And because if I talk to these guys about you're fighting your asses off for a job right now,
06:10then guess what?
06:10They're going to die for balls.
06:11They're going to do things like that.
06:12And that's not what we want.
06:14Packer.
06:15Hey, Shari.
06:16Patrick, Walker, Dallas Cowboys dot com.
06:17A couple of questions.
06:18First being from the head coaching perspective, obviously, you and everyone involved know what the ultimate goal is to get
06:25to and to win the Super Bowl.
06:26So from a head coaching perspective, how do you manage your players mindset as far as keeping them focused on
06:32the goal at hand,
06:34but while staying present in the moment so that they can get one percent better every day?
06:38Yeah.
06:40The goal is the goal.
06:41The goal is February 14, 2027.
06:43We want to be playing in the Super Bowl in SoFi Stadium.
06:46That's the goal.
06:46But we can't do anything about that right now other than have a great OTA number three.
06:52Today's a red zone two minute day.
06:53So you have to go back to the process.
06:55And I think what I've been, you know, again, self-critical of myself is last year I had a saying,
07:01the standard is a standard.
07:03But, you know, I didn't do a very good job of addressing what the standard was and defining it.
07:07You know, like what we started with, we've hit the first two, but really it's, you know, protect your brother.
07:12You know, and then we're focusing today is embracing the daily grind.
07:15What does that mean?
07:15It means you look forward to the next meeting you have so you can learn something.
07:19You look forward to the next mock so you can make calls, communicate, see things.
07:23You look forward to the next practice.
07:25So there's a fundamental or a skill set that you improve on.
07:28And you have to trust the process.
07:31And, again, there is a build up to this.
07:34OTAs, minicamp, going to be just a regular OTA with afternoon meetings.
07:37That's all it's going to be for you guys that get to be there for those all three days.
07:42And then, obviously, a little bit of time off for these guys.
07:44And then training camp, same thing.
07:46You've got a ramp up period.
07:47And then you get going.
07:48And once we hit the ground running, we'll have a better sense of truly figuring out position battles
07:53and competition and kind of where we are as a football team.
07:55Well, Coach, I think you read my mind or my notes because you just had a second question.
08:00Both.
08:00Yeah.
08:01I was going to ask.
08:01That's Tad and the Pete Rozelle winning award winning staff.
08:05Way to have a crux, Tad.
08:06I appreciate that.
08:07I was just going to ask, looking back at year one, what's your biggest takeaway?
08:10Because there was a lot of good to come out of year one, obviously,
08:12especially from the offensive side of the ball.
08:14But what was your biggest takeaway that you look back and you say, you know what, I can learn from
08:18that.
08:18And how can that make you become better in year one?
08:21Yeah.
08:21Again, I think there's a ton of things, Patrick.
08:24The first thing that I, you know, obviously say is being the head coach.
08:27You know, I'm going to be the play caller here.
08:28I love being the play caller here.
08:30I'm pretty good at it, I think.
08:31So that's never going to change.
08:33I should never say never.
08:3510, 12 years from now, maybe I will.
08:37But, you know, being the head coach matters.
08:39And I think it's how you started.
08:41So, like, right now I've been in probably 50% of the offense and 50% of the defensive meetings.
08:47Why?
08:48Because I think I have to be the head coach.
08:50And we talk a lot about Christian Parker in this room, but I cannot talk enough about Clayton Adams.
08:55This guy is absolutely kicking ass.
08:59He's so much more comfortable this year in his role.
09:03The, you know, he reads my mind kind of like how I read your notes in your mind of what
09:08question you're going to ask me.
09:09But, like, let's not forget that we're thrilled to have CP here.
09:13But Clayton Adams has proven it not only in year one, but he's even taken another step in year two.
09:19Jane.
09:20Jane Slater, NFL Network, ESPN, whatever it is these days.
09:25Sounds like a coach's job.
09:27I'm not really sure sometimes.
09:28So, shared sacrifice is a word that came up when I talked to a veteran about the importance of OTAs.
09:33And I realize that they're voluntary and this isn't a knock on George.
09:36But my question is, given the potential you guys have been about the staff changing this defense,
09:42what are some of just the little nuances that someone might miss if they're not here at OTAs?
09:47You know, I think, Jane, more than anything, you know, there's the connection piece that's the most important to me.
09:54I mean, it's, you know, this is the time of year where these guys are training.
09:59The workouts are a little bit longer.
10:01It's actually more about the strength weight room program than even the football, quite honestly,
10:06working through phase one and phase two.
10:08And I've always believed this, and this has got nothing to do with a single player.
10:15How do you prove to your teammates that you're doing everything in your power to be the best version of
10:19yourself
10:20if they don't see you doing that?
10:21I have no question George is preparing.
10:23Just like I had no question that Micah was going to prepare or whoever.
10:27It's voluntary.
10:28But that's the biggest thing for me.
10:29It's not really the scheme.
10:31You know, GP will learn some of the language and stuff that we do.
10:34And, you know, with he and Dak throwing and things like that,
10:37the relationship he has with CD and Joe Milton and all those guys, I don't worry about that.
10:40But more than anything, it's just the connection piece.
10:42You know, we've got a lot of new faces on defense and some new ones on offense.
10:46But that's probably the biggest thing if you're not attending the off-season program that you probably miss out on.
10:53It doesn't mean you can't make it up.
10:55I'm not in those meeting rooms, but are there two installs when you think about OTAs and training camp?
11:02What are you specifically trying to get accomplished in OTAs and minicamps?
11:06Yeah, so the way we do it, everybody's different.
11:10We obviously went eight weeks this year, did not want to do the nine weeks.
11:13I did not want the first week of the off-season program to be during the draft.
11:18I wanted to focus on the draft and not be distracted and have our time that way.
11:22And I did not want the rookies to miss the start of phase two on the grass.
11:25So that was the whole reason why.
11:28So this year, the only thing that's different is last year we did nine installs and three reviews in OTAs.
11:34So we would go first, second down, install, third down, install, and then red zone two-minute, which is what
11:39today is, install.
11:41Then the fourth day was a review.
11:42Well, we've lost those review days during OTAs.
11:45We have a make-up day.
11:47Wednesday's our make-up day.
11:48It's a phase two-type day that we kind of hit that stuff.
11:52But that's the only thing that's different.
11:54And then when we get to training camp, you do it again.
11:56So some of the young players are spinning a little bit right now.
11:59Like, it's moving fast for them because we don't set the installation to them.
12:04We set it to the veterans, guys like Dax, CD, Deron, Bland, you know, Demo, players like that, Malik Hooker.
12:12And the rooks have to get caught up.
12:14But they'll hear the same information when we get to training camp in pretty much the same exact order.
12:20Joe.
12:21Joe White, Dallas Mornings.
12:22You talked a little bit about Clayton Adams.
12:23He participated in the Accelerator program for coaches.
12:26How has he taken that next step, and what are your expectations for him as the season goes on?
12:30Yeah, I think, number one, very deserved, you know, very deserving that he was there.
12:38I think the NFL is doing a great job with that, of getting the right people there.
12:42And Clayton certainly deserves it.
12:43You can't watch him run an offensive unit meeting and not be impressed with his command, his leadership, his personality.
12:52I think where he's really grown is it's been fun for me, Joe, to watch him do the pass install.
12:57I think if you would have asked him last year that he was going to do the pass install, he
13:01probably would have maybe thrown up in his mouth a little bit.
13:04But he's up there just, you know, ripping it.
13:07And it's been really, really cool to see.
13:09And so he's evolving as a coach.
13:11But I also think a lot like how I challenged or I was challenged by Pete Carroll a few years
13:16ago.
13:16Like I'm challenging Clayton in that regard.
13:18Like, hey, what do you really believe in, man?
13:20Like, you know, and I think I see that coming out in him, you know, each and every time he
13:24gets up in front of the group.
13:25And the respect that our players have for Clayton Adams is unmatched.
13:29There you go.
13:31Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer right here on 105.3 The Fan.
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