The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Cowboys blowing out of the backfield.
Next blowing down the sidelines.
Is Hanging with the Boys, presented by Wing Stuff where Flavor gets its wings. Now your hosts Nate Newton, Kurt Daniels, Jesse Holly, and Shannon Gross.
It's Hunt.
It's Wednesday, and you're looking at a live look at the Tostito Championship Plaza outside in front of the Ford Center.
Where it's hot, y'all. I'm lett telling y'all. I'm telling you.
If you live in Texas, you get it. If you don't live in Texas, it's hot. It's in the triple digits. It's gonna be in the triple digits all week. I think this week we get up to like one hundred and five.
It is.
We are without Shannon today, But that's okay because I'm sitting in the Captain syat until my left. I got my boy Kurt on the phone, I got my boy Nate in the back. We got Jazzo holding this down together. We oh, wait a second, and then me can't forget me, you know, saltn Pepper Poppy together, we make Hanging with the Boy the sports talk equivalent of Braille.
People fee us when we speak.
This segment is brought to you each in every episode by Wingstop, where Flavor gets its.
We brand Today.
Yeah, Brandon Cooks and from Mike McCarthy's mouth, has had one of the best camps thus far.
The old grizzled vet is showing up.
We camp.
Well, I wouldn't. I wouldn't quite say that. I wouldn't.
I didn't quite say that. We're just gonna say Brandon Cook's having a good camp. We're not gonna say we don't need CD lambing camp, who, by the way, still not in camp, still doesn't have a deal done, still holding out right now for the money that he is looking for.
But before we get more.
Into that, the Cowboys had a preseason game the other day. I know you guys talked about that on Monday. Yeah, they're practicing again today, right, Nate's that practice joint practice today? Connected correct, tomorrow, tomorrow, today, Today's happening.
Right, it's been happening about two or three minutes.
All right, Well, let's go to Nate Newton, who is live boots on the ground in Oxnard. Uh So tell us Nate, so far, what are some of the things that you've seen in practice.
Well, first of all, we've we've asschu mon Doga from six to six to three months, six weeks to three months. So that puts uh the star as the first round pick. He's he's launched in there, whether he earned it or not, he's the man. And uh that Austin Richards. That puts
him out of tackle. Now they was gonna try to let him battle for the inside guard tween guard, but now that gives them first shot at being sweet and tackle are some riches and that's that's the first thing and the next thing that we need to soar up our interior defensive line. They show improvement far as this game versus the run, but no no pass rush. Nobody has stepped up to give us some inside pressure except Osa where who did not play. But that's our only
guy that can give us some pass rush. So they're kind of looking for some guys to step up and get into that pass rush. And and I think that's a lot of why the Rams wanted to come to us again, to get to get this good look and to get this good work. I think a lot of things failed through for them because they had I think it was somebody else there was one to scrimmage against. But they fell through and they were the easier pickings. And you know, right down being right down the road.
So it's why it's the instantial off the interior defensive line and they tackles for the offense. Mind that that's the most important thing right now that I.
See you made it sound last time these two practice that the Rams kind of controlled the line, is that right?
They did? They did? They they came at us man uh with UH with Byron Young and Jerry burst outside linebackers. They they they they rushed with some intensity, with some with some fire in them, man. And then you go to the inside of the defensive line, you know, Tyler David Stevens Lineman showed to be pretty active, you know, and they got a good load uh And they got Kobe Turner at the nose tackle. So they got some guys that can get get after the get after the passer. Man.
And they seem to have been okay against the run because we got when both teams got into the red zone inside the this past game, nobody was successful. All we had was field goal out of the field go into that last little who right at the end of the But it's good work here. I mean, I wish just could have stayed because to see it, because this is some good work that the Rams and the Cowboys are competing against one another.
One of the updates that we got from Mike McCarthy, yes, we found out that Chill o'dok a broken big.
Toe is out for some time.
But also Mike McCarthy said, hey, we're gonna give the rookie BB Cooper BB the first team REP. So now you're talking about having Guide you and BB in that first team rep. Operation Nate from your perspective, because I know where I stand on this and I'll speak after Nate. But yes, injury kind of propelled Guiding to be in there full time. But do you think this isn't the right way to go to Mike McCarthy A company, say hey, listen, these are gonna be the guys that were going here.
We appreciate you, brock Hoffman, but I'm gonna give all these young guys all the reps that they can leading up into the season so that they can be ready to go.
Come to.
Me and you talked about this joing OTAs, why are we wasting time? Give these guys every possible rep that you can that is feasible so your team can prosper, you know, because if this is your long haul, this is game eight and beyond. Why not? Why wait? I mean it looked kind of shaky for BB at the beginning of training camp, but as his training camp has been going on in progress and he's been better and better with his snaps. I think he did okay in
the game with his snaps. I just first, second, and third round pick suggestion. You know, in this new NFL, why did they wait?
I mean, why did they wait? Why did they wait? That BB should have been even though.
His snap's running perfect, You should have been getting reps with the back with the first team because this.
You know, because if Hoffman go down, now that's what they realized. If Hoffman do go down.
That's who's running in the game. It's gonna be BB. So you better give him all the reps he can get, so, you know, I by that from day one, you know, and doubt I'm gonna this needling kid is getting real. Not not that Sam is hurt. I hate that, but I'm glad that Needland is getting all the rep's getting he need him. This is these are seven or eight cores guys every preseason game. We need to get better so this team can have a chance to compete during the season.
No, I totally agree with what that what that perspective, because let's be honest, like, you drafted Guiding in the first round for a reason. If if you thought that Tuma or Awesome or somebody else could get the job done, you would have went a different direction than the first round, you know what I mean that that would have set you up for somewhere else. But you went this route first round because you knew that there was there was a major need there with the loss of Tyron Smith that you.
Had to address.
So why play around with it, like like, let's not let's not make this thing. You know what you have in this player. You know why you drafted them that early and and even and even uh, you know bbe relatively high draft pick in the sense of of where he went. These are guys that you took that high in the draft for an absolute purpose. Then let them
fulfill that purpose. There's no long there's no need to hold them back from something that's inevitable, you know what I mean, Like, you know what you have in brock Hoffin. And I'm not saying that those guys can't get some first team reps.
But let's not play with this thing.
Let's not let's not make this a situation where there is a there's a back and forth battle. And I don't want to sound like a hypcrit because I think I've said before. You know, you know, being a guy that's been around here, that you kind of want to have an opportunity to keep your job or fight for your job. That's cool, but you're gonna have to now fight.
From behind, right.
But let me ask you guys this.
So obviously those two guys BB and guy need to get as many reps as they can, and you would like to see some reps in the preseason game. McCarthy though his history is he don't play as starters. How do you think he's going to handle that house? Should he handle that?
Well? This we're here against the Raiders. He should just run him out there. I mean not not just you know, Dyke needs to play and BB needs to play. It is exceptions to every rule. You know.
Once they get two series.
Bring them out of the game. But let them get let them understand, I mean maybe a half. I don't care how long you play me. I would play him the whole game. But that's not the new NFL. You know, two series, three series, and the and the coaches decide that they gave brock hoffin last week, I think two and a half three series. Then they brought him out of the game and they started the rotation. Do the same for this kid here Bb given two, three, maybe four series, then get him out of the game if
that's how you feel. But if you want to leave, man, I have no problem. You know, I have no problem.
Which you think Dak would prefer you do. Make sure he's healthier, make sure you've got reps.
Yeah, and and I think the more and this is what anything we've said this before here on this show. I don't care what profession you're in. If you're a baker, the more baking you do, the better you become. If you're a carpenter, the more things that you build, the better that you become. If you're whatever, the a surgeon, the more surgeries you partake in, the better you become. I just I don't understand why we get to football and all of a sudden, and I get it. This
is this is a physical game. It's a it's a it's a it's a hurting game. But I just don't understand the the the reasoning behind, especially guys who lacked the experience. I was a little bit shocked last week when I was saw when I saw that Jaylen Tobert had kind of got the veteran treatment a little bit.
I was shocked.
I was floored when I was like, wait, what, wait, wait where is he? That blew my mind. I'm like, he isn't done enough. There's no way you've convinced me enough that you're good enough that you don't need or deserve any of these preseason rep Those rights are reserved for guys who hold out, right.
You gotta be good enough to hold out, you see.
So I don't know why, Like we have the scientific proof that anytime you want to get better in something that it needs to be led by repetition.
And then we get the football and it's like, let's not give him the repetition. It just doesn't.
And then what's gonna happen is you're gonna just say okay, because two or three series are fine, but as you know, Nate, you don't get you know what I'm saying, Kurt, you don't get. You don't get good to the second round when you go in there. You know what I'm saying. When you're in the bedroom, that first round for you until you get that when you come back in with that second.
Round, you knocking the wall.
You know what I'm saying. You gotta get a rhythm. You gotta get I get a chance to. And this is why it's important to me from any perspective of any position. Lineman, running back, quarterbacks, dbs. You hear it a lot in baseball. It's you know, sometimes they don't want that picture to cycle through that group again because now if I'm a batter, I don't watch you two or three goals now I didn't see. I got a rhythm, I got those reps in. But in football, I gotta
be able to see this thing happen. I need to be able to see that stunt again. I need I need to be able to hear that to figure out what this guy does, how does he play? Because if not, then I'm gonna be shocked in the moment when when when the live see when the live.
Bullets, beef are flying.
There is no blow the whistle, running again, line up, run it again, line up, running again. There is no Oh, it's just a preseason game, you know as not back there red jerseys are on all that. No, when Miles Garrett is standing over top of you, it matters. You see what I'm saying, And I want to be able to have. Now, will all the reps in the world prepare you.
For Miles Garrett? I don't know, but I know that you will be.
I know that you would be better suited to have the reps and be ready for him then not have the reps. And now everything that you see is new to you. That's the part I just don't I don't. I don't get why we get to this point and all of a sudden we start pulling reps away that.
It makes sense for guys that need them.
You got anything, Nate, that was good unless you had something. I thought you got something, but that one. You know, Kurt, you put in an interesting thing talking about reps, having those live moments. You you found something in the athletic that talked about they took a poll and I want to I want to I want to hear what you have to think about this Nate and YouTube Kurt the Athletic took a poll and there are a few teams that tackle in practice to the ground. Those teams are
the Chiefs, the Dolphins, the Lions, the Steelers. When you think about those teams, you think about at least two out of the three, two out of the four are kind of blue collar, right, So Lions are still a blue collar, you know. And then you think the Chiefs, well, they doing something right they stay in the Super Bowl, and then the Dolphins kind of their new their new found swinging their thing. I want to get you guys opinion. Don't answer now. We're gonna take a break. When we
come back. I want to hear your opinion on your thoughts of tackling to the ground in practice. Does it hurt? Does it help? Is it minutia? Should more teams do it? Say right here with me, right back to hanging with the boys.
How's wing stop sound? Christy juicy classic wings made to order, cook to perfection and sauceted toss and those eleven soul satisfying flavors paired with handcut season fries, housemade honey, mustard, blue cheese, or signature Winstop branch and of course, spicy.
Cajun fried corns.
I think you've heard enough. Get your flavor delivered at Winstop dot com.
Are you the twenty twenty four Dallas Cowboys Fan of the Year. The Dallas Cowboys and Captain Morgan are celebrating extraordinary, inspiring and original fans. Nominate yourself or the biggest Cowboys fan you know for a chance to be named the twenty twenty four Fan of the Year and win prizes including a trip to Super Bowl fifty nine. Visit Dallascowboys dot com slash Fan of the Year, Go Cowboys.
I'm Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, and they snapper.
The fresh guy who looks white. It's not there. He escaped flapped. He'll look for a first down.
Just like football, when it comes to crypto, it's important to have a team you can trust. With Blockchain dot Com, I know I'm in good hands, says twenty eleven. They've been trusted by millions around the world to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency.
Prescott's gonna run this himself, run it up the middle, and he scores.
Whether you're new to crypto or an active trader. They've got you covered. What are you waiting for? Get started at blockchain dot Com.
Fall is here and that means football is back, bringing all the delicious game day foods with it as you prep for all the big games, tailgates and watch parties. Lay Yo Kiero be your one stop destination for all things homegating. Yo Kiero's fresh, flavorful, ready to serve guacamoli made with real half avocados will score taste bud touchdowns
as you cheer on the Cowboys. Yo Kiro's wide range of mouth watering and versatile products can be found in your local grocery stores, produce or deli section.
Grab some today. Back to Hanging with the Boards.
Welcome back to Hanging with the Boards on this hump Day edition. This segment is brought to you by Blockchain Blockchain dot Com.
It is Wednesday.
You know, Wednesday is mental health day for me, so I gotta do my check ins. I didn't do it to get into the show. But Kirk, where you're at? How's your mentors outdidentals doing good?
Everything's uh going all right?
Hook Nate? What about you?
How's your mentors and dentals great, thanks.
Good good mentors are good. Starting a new job soon, so I'll be getting new benefits. So once I get that intact, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna attack that. I told you I tipped. I tipped my wisdom tooth. So once I get the new dentals, the new dental benefits, I'll go and I'll go and attack those things because that's gonna be I don't want to pay that out.
Of I don't want to pay that out of pocket costs. I don't want to pay that out of pocket.
The good thing is, and I know, Nate, you probably use this, but one of the benefits at the NFL still gives some of the former players that I do get reimbursed. But I just don't want to come out of the pocket with a couple of thousand dollars. I'll just it's not killing me. Now I can go get it done and then get reimbursed. It's not it's not painful, it doesn't hurt. I just know that if I don't get it done, you know it's gonna turn into that.
So I'm gonna just wait till these new benefits something so I can keep some money in my pocket. With that jazz, how's your mentals and dentals?
It's like a feeling.
Okay, Jazz is coming out of her locks, and I've told everybody that.
Breaking breaking. Sorry.
Sorry, you know, I tried to do what we do on this show, but I just didn't. Sorry, sorry, dang shoot, didn't mean to do that, all right. I teased it before we went in to break some football teams during practice tackle to the ground.
Not a lot.
Well, they ranked them, and there was three teams that did it they said often. There was one team that did it very often, which is Steelers. I guess Mike Tomlin. That's his thing. We're gonna get physical in practice.
And his quote was you can't box without sparring.
Yeah. I think that's a great, great quote.
Yeah.
So, and you got to look at those four teams, you know, you mentioned them. Two were in the super Bowl last year, and like you said, Steelers are known for their toughness and Tomlin, especially with him as coaches all these years, and then the Dolphins are a team on the rise. So you gotta wonder. I mean, heck, Chiefs Patrick Mahons played in their first p Chiefs start there yeah, you know, they play their starters, so I
don't know. We've talked about it before. There has to be a balance, and you just got to wonder, as he said, how can you be ready to box if you're not sparring?
And they I'll let you answer next. I am. I'm a little bit indifferent, really, and the reason being is.
I take this football team, for example, and one of the things that we've longed for. I've longed for is a level of physicality to be the identity. And the only way that you get to that point is a you you get players in here that are physical, b you begin to coach in a physical manner. I had I had an opportunity to have a conversation with excuse me with with Zim. I had a breakfast comedy. It wasn't that's about four or five minutes a breakfast comments.
And I'll talk about that in the third segment. But a part of me thinks that there needs to be a level of physicalness.
Now.
You have to teach it the proper way, though, because teams that are undisciplined, teams that don't do things properly, can lead to injuries. If your team isn't well coached on how to form to if your team is well coached in understanding that, hey, we're not we're not dving for the knees, you know what I mean, We're not We're not trying to have those cheap shots. If your team isn't well coached in that, then that could potentially lead.
To a a a an injury.
But if they are coached well in that, again, it goes back to what I said in the first segment. If I rep more often than not live tackling, I begin to form the habit of what it looks like. I can teach it up on film because no one teaches. If everything is a thud or a tag off, there is no there's no coaching going on in the meeting rooms on.
How to tackle.
But if we could pull up film from from a couple of live periods that we do in practice, that we practice we tackle to the ground, then I can say, hey, this is not how we do it. Hey, this is not how that's done. You know, Hey, across the bow, bring you know, shoot your guns, all that kind of stuff in the form of tackling.
Those are tackling terms.
So that part of me says, I wish the Cowboys did that more because we've seen a lot of times where this team isn't the best tackling team, this team isn't the physical team at the point of attack.
And with Zim being an.
Older school coach, but I know that they've taken on some new school philosophies. I would love to see that implement it more in the Cowboys way.
Of living, to to.
Promote the physicalness of what I want to do when the football on the football.
Game that was the apparently the Steelers they say they start every practice with a drill called seven shots, and it's seven chances from the two yard line to get in the end zone, and it's full tilt. I mean, starters are tackling. I mean, it reminds me of you know, Nate used to go through those. I can't remember what it was when you guys lined up inside.
Runs let's go.
Yeah.
So, I mean, of the I think it's of the thirty two teams, twenty four either don't tackle at all, which I think Cowboys are in that, or do a little bit of tackling, maybe the backups and that sort of thing. And then these last four or whatever or four to eight whatever it was that some tackle.
And Nay, I'm gonna let you go just two seconds. I just it makes me think and I know that I was indifferent, but it just again, it just puts me in the space of football is physical, like that is the that is the essence of this game. And more and more we are trying to pull away from the thing that made this game what it is. And I get it as far as the injuries in the long term effected this, but this is why you see some of these things.
This is why you're gonna do.
I mean, they're taking hitting and tackling out of the game, and this is why you're gonna see more of those knee injuries and lower leg injuries because people don't anymore. The tackling is pissed poor. And it ain't just the dbs. It's it's the defensive ends, it's linebackers. Like those days of those guys being the physical, brute force people. It's more becoming finesse in a sense.
What do you think they Oh, yeah, I agree with you. The thing is we've always in this league been able to coach tackling. And the way you learn how to coach tackling is allowing the guys to do it during practice, and so they have taken it out some coaches that you know, a few coaches are still holding on to that. It makes you a better team. It makes you physical
without thinking. You know, you don't want to do like the Cowboys do at the end of every year and all of a sudden, you've finish face a physical team. Now you've got to start thinking physical. You can't think physical. That has to be in your in your DNA. And so, uh, these guys, uh, the Stealers. There is one team that I knew they was gonna be on the list when I was reading this earlier, I knew the Stillers was
gonna be on the list. Andy Reid has been notorious, especially when he was in Philadelphia for almost tackling the whole practice. Baby, just have to go to him and say Andy enough or not. So Andy Reid has always been this guy.
Uh.
Now, what's shocking to me is the Miami Dolphins. But their coach, I mean, look at this guy. You wouldn't think he would be doing an attacking Yeah. Yeah, but and Dan cambll detroited you know, you know him, so it helps bro It is no uh, the pros and cons is great on both sides. It is no way that you're telling me taking eight or nine our physical repts and practice is going to destroy you because the next day you're gonna be off. You're gonna be off
the next day. Said you tell him you can't other from four or five shots.
Come on, now, do you think the players today or maybe even when you were do you think players today wish they were some tackling, wish there was more hitting when you were.
Playing for the easy way out? The guys are always no matter who you are, you always do for the easy way out. The mindset of the coaches, what is what makes the difference. These guys already know Hey man, I'm gonna go ahead and get my four or five shots. You know, and uh but what But what I'll go back to is now you don't have to think physical. Now, you don't have to think physical. You are physical. It is what you do now. We may not look at the Miament Dolphins is.
Physical, but we gotta understand they run almost.
As much as they passed. So it's something to that they run almosts much as they passed. And then when they're running, game is clicking. You can't stop the passing game. So it's something to this man, it's all about it's all about being it, it's all about being physic. Every year it seemed like the most physical teams go a libit buzz in this league.
I remember where is it, well any one of these last few years where they were gonna put pads on before they had to face the forty nine ers because they were going to get more physical. And I remember us talking about you can't just flip the switch and all of a sudden we get more physical.
Yeah.
Yeah, and me, I like that terminology that you use, like to be physical without thinking.
Yeah like that that.
Like that is the part that you know what I'm saying, because you physical is not something you can turn off and on.
It just isn't like either you are or you are not. That is it. And and.
The things that come into play for football teams in the in the moments that mattered the most, our second nature habits.
That's right, you feel?
Does that make sense?
Yeah?
Yeah? When the heat his own heat, his own, when you're.
Tired, that that game is it's a it's a My example is this, I'll use the basketball for the Olympics. They're playing France, and this game is is is tight. It's in a heated moment and the ball goes to Steph Curry and four times in a.
Row, bang bang bang bang.
It was so second nature to him that it wasn't the moment wasn't too big, but that was his rhythm. That was he didn't think about making those shots. He was saying, I've taken this shot in every which way possible. I'm gonna do it again. And the biggest moments games on the line, like you were trailing, you were you were up, You're trying to keep him at bay.
You're trying to close the game out. And it's it's not.
In week two or three when you're fresh and you're flying around. It's in week twelve. It's on the road in the fourth quarter. It's when things haven't been going right, but I.
Gotta make a play.
It's in the playoffs when teams have honed in on all of your weaknesses. And that's one of that that's been our Achilles Hill against the really good teams, when when it came time for us to to to to fire the physical gun.
We shot blanks. So I said, I'm indifferent about it.
It don't sound it.
Because I know that it could lead to something out. But maybe that's just the cost of doing business.
Like you said, if you're doing it right though, you know.
Hopefully when the boom boxes there is loud, when the.
Boom boxes out its loudest, will you respond when the super grimlin is coming at you?
Will you be able to pour the water?
The water?
How you get rid of the giblin? The grimlin water makes it grow? Right, whatever you gotta do to get rid of the grimlin?
Who you gonna call those busters in those movements? All right, we'll heading to our last break.
When we come back, I'll detail a couple of conversations that I had when I was an aux SNAr. I got a chance to sit down at breakfast and at dinner with a lot of what's your defensive coordinator, a defensive line coach, and your assistant head coach dB coach. I'll tell you what we talked about. I'll tell you what they said when we come back.
After this. This is hang with the boys. We'll be right back, are you.
The twenty twenty four Dallas Cowboys Fan of the Year, the Dallas Cowboys and Captain Morgan are celebrating extraordinary, inspiring and original fans. Nominate yourself or the biggest Cowboys fan you know for a chance to be named the twenty twenty four Fan of the Year and win prizes including a trip to Super Bowl fifty nine. Visit Dallascowboys dot com slash Fan of the Year, Go Cowboys.
How's wing Stop Sound crispy, juicy, classic wings made to order, cook to perfection and sauted, tossed and those eleven souls satisfying flavors paired with handcut, seasoned fries, housemade honey, mustard, blue cheese or signature Windstop Ranch, and of course spicy.
Cajun fried corn.
I think you've heard enough, get your flavor delivered at Wingstop dot Com.
Fall is here and that means football is back, bringing all the delicious game day foods with it As you prep for all the big games, tailgates and watch parties. Let Yo Kiero be your one stop destination for all things homegating. Yo Kiero's fresh, flavorful, ready to serve guacamole made with real half avocados will score taste bud touchdowns as you cheer on the Cowboys. Yo Kiro's wide range of mouthwatering and versatile products can be found in your local grocery stores, produce or delis.
Grab some today.
I'm Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, and they snapped the press.
Guy who looks right, it's not there.
He escapes left.
He'll look for a first down.
Just like football, when it comes to crypto, it's important to have a team you can trust. With Blockchain dot Com, I know I'm in good hands. Since twenty eleven, they've been trusted by millions around the world to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency.
Prescott's gonna run this himself, run it up the middle and he scores.
Whether you're new to crypto or an active trader, They've got you covered.
What are you waiting for?
Get started at blockchain dot Com.
Back to Hanging with the Boards. Welcome back to Hanging with the Boys.
This Wednesday Hunt, they auditioned the third and final segment of the day. That segment is brought to you by Jigsaw, the official dating partner all the Dallas Cowboys. Head over to Jigsaw dot com and hook yourself up. Look yourself up with a little something something over there at Jacksaw. I don't know what's going on over there, but go over there and you find out. Uh, you know for yourself. I don't know, all right. So I was recently in ox Snard. I was in San Bernardino, I was in Oxnard.
I was a little bit of Malibu. I was, I was, I was around, I was outside, as the young people like to say. But while I was in ox Snart, I had the opportunity to have a couple of conversations. And that's one of the privileges of So if you're in Oxnard, if you know this, you wouldn't know this. Fans, you guys wouldn't know this because you don't you're not accessible. You don't have access to the behind the scenes stuff. But when you're eating an Auxtionnard, there are two rooms.
When you walk past the front desk, to the right is where the players eat, and then to the left is where other staff members and stuff like that eating. I don't know if you're not supposed to eat there, whatever you whatever. Sometimes I forget I'm a player.
I'm a player.
Still in your blood, it's still in my blood. I shed blood on the hollow grounds of actional. So I ate with the players and coaches ate.
I went in there. They had better stuff in there. They had they did.
They have the grills and stuff up there, people up there, the boches and all that kind of stuff.
You know, they're cooking in there.
So while I was in there, and oddly enough, I don't think the office, the offensive coaches must be like on a a caloric deficit, a calorie deficit type thing. No offensive people were eating none. I didn't run a one offensive coach in three days.
Were the offensive players in there?
Maybe they Yeah, some guys came in there, but like, I didn't see many offensive coaches. I guess the defensive players they're saying, we're all hungry. All they're all doing the micah and rubbing their stomachs. Because I had a conversation with UH, with three coaches, and it wasn't long in depth conversation.
We didn't we didn't.
We didn't get into a lot of about three to five minutes a piece. I was respectful of their time and and so on and so forth. But so what do you want to hear?
First? You want to hear Mike Zimmer. You want to hear.
UH Demico Potter. I'm gonna say his name right or you want to hear Al Harris.
Have about Harris?
Okay, So I got a chance to talk to your assistant head coach and defensive back coach, Al Harris, and you know, in those spaces sometimes you gotta make it light. So I reminded him of a story that Chad Johnson had told me when my first team was the Cincinnati Bank was my rookie year. So Chad Johnson Ochiol Sinka was my was my vet. And one of the people that he always raved about was Al Harris. That was the one dB that he gave the utmost respect to. He said, he said, Al Harris, if he pressed you,
it was a rap. He got his hands on you, it was over. And so I kind of shared that with him and he laughed about it. He goes, man, me and Chad have some good values, like that's my dude, and we kind of just and so that kind of ushered and opened up the way for us to have a conversation. And I told him that the Carson kid was my pet cat, and why it was my pet cat. I just thought, you know, acc guy, power fole conference. I just looked at the guy said he has a
ton of experience to be a four year starter. You know how many reps that is that you get. Going back to the rep conversation, and he raved about this kid, he said that he says, man, he said, I got me another one. Wow, he said, I got me another one.
That's nice.
And he said, he said, you know, and and if people are asking why, you know, maybe we aren't signing a guy like Stefan Gilmour, he got him another one. And he said, he said, he said, this kid has everything that you want. He said the biggest thing about him though, that he's eager to learn more. And he said, that's there's anything that I found in coaching in the newer generation. He said, everybody isn't eager to learn more.
They want to learn enough, and once that enough kind of gets them on the field, they don't want to know anymore, or or they don't they don't want to spend enough time learning more. And he says, this kid is different, like he wants to know more. He's eager to learn more and more and more and more. And he said, he basically said, I got another one, and and.
And that was that was exciting to hear.
And you know, and so I talked about him and he kind of briefly talked about Diggs and other guys and he said, you know, this this group that I have of dbs now is the way they challenge each other, he said it was it was something he said, it's the iron sharp and iron theory that each one of these guys pushed themselves and they compete in everything.
And he's like, everything, it's a competition.
Everybody wants to beat the next man in something that we do as a unit.
And so that just kind of left me.
You know, that was like, wow, Okay, I got my confirmation on Carson. You know, he believed Diggs is gonna get back to form. They're just they're kind of slow walking him back in it, but he's gonna be ready to go. And just sitting there talking to him, and we talked about some other stuff that's you know, personal stuff, but just getting to sit and talk with him and talk ball with him. It's a bright dude man like
I get and understand why. I know why I know I might want to bring up I'm not Mike dan Quinn. I know why Dan wanted to bring him I know I might want to keep him, Like I'm I am one hundred percent after sitting and talking with him, I'm one hundred percent clear why and if, if for whatever reason, Mike McCarthy isn't re signed or Zim isn't re signed, there is going to be an all out free for
all free agent battle to grab Al Harris. He's intelligent, he's engaging, he's likable, he's knowledgeable, like he's one of those he's a leader of men, and players love him and that's because he's authentic. Like just sitting there talking to him, you felt that the authenticity and the things that he were saying. And then I'll go I'll go next to Uh to coach Zim. I have a chance
to talk to co Zim. And I was kind of just giving him like Zingers, and I asked him, I said, coach, if you had to give me, if you had to give me one word for your defense, He kind of paused for a second.
He looked at me, and he said, unpredictable.
Huh, okay, all right. I hope that means the offense doesn't know where they're going.
Right, And I think no, I think that he meant the offense doesn't know where he's coming from.
You put in the notes as well.
He called this last game without a play sheet, right. And one of the things that I heard Sean McVay say about playing against this defense was they confused us. They got after us, and and they had some looks and some things that we didn't see coming. And this was a this was a conversation that I had with Zim and he said unpredictable. And I didn't get into specific players with him about certain things, but he said unpredictable. I want this defense to be unpredictable. And I'm I'm paraphrasing,
but I'm assuming he meant to the opposing offense. I don't want them to ever get to have a bead on where we're going and what we're doing. And and he just said that my goal is to get all the guys in the right place to be successful. And so that another thing that you want to hear from from coaches. And it looked if you looked at the first preseason game, there were some looks where they were getting after I mean, for interception against Stetsan Bennett.
And the players seem to be I mean, they've been talking about there's a lot of new twists and turns to this defense. You seem to really like what's going on.
This defense doesn't have the the.
Complexity or the what we're gonna looking for. It's simple. It's simpler in the sense of of what they're wanting to do.
Now.
I don't know how that'll grow throughout the season, but the push was to get simpler.
To get faster, right, and that's what they wanted to do.
And then the last one that I had a former teammate of mine and he didn't remember at first, and then I had to kind of bring stories to him and he was like, oh yeah, Now, either he was a really good liar or he actually genuinely remembered these things.
But it's one of the assistants. I'm saying his name wrong.
His last name is Peca, the Maunta Pekka. He's a defensive lineman. And I asked him about the defensive lineman. I asked him about Mazi and those guys, and he said, you know, you know, he said, he I'm not coach, he said, but what I will say is this young group.
They listen, he said, they listen.
He said, I've tried to coach some other guys and other teams in other places, and they just didn't want to grasp the concept that I was trying to teach him. And this is the guy who's been in the league. Man, he probably played in his league plus twelve years, you know, so a.
Ton of knowledge.
And he said, this young group listens, and so I'm hoping that's the next step that guys like Mazi and so on and so forth take. He didn't get specific and who he was talking about, but he just said, Man, I really like coaching this group because they listen and and that's I mean, I'm taking all these pluses.
Yeah, that sounds good too. Yeah, So.
Any any conversation that you may have had with any of the coaches while you've been there, that kind of plays into into that.
Yeah.
They these guys, man, they they they they they good started coaches. Man, I just watch them being I hate just watching them. They constant, Man, they like most coaches, they're constantly talking to their players there, Uh, to the to the point where they have to move way back
from plays because they about to tell the play. You know how some you get so hype so deep it uh, you know, stress like stress like look for you know, about to look for this, you know, you know, looking at trying to get them to read their keys.
And uh, these young.
Guys, you know you see Greg Ellis and the young man that you're talking about, always in these players here on and off when they'll run on and off filled with the other coach Dick jeff Man, he played like seventeen years man. They all they running on off the field talking to these guys. They don't hit, they don't wait till they get to the sideline, talk to them. They will run it out there and meet them. This is what you need to do. This is what you're
looking for. This is what your keys. So they're coaching their coaching and they're trying to put them all in the right place the key I think for this campus for when you said that coached them and saying I'm trying to get guys to line up in the right place and do your responsibility because he is banking I know, coach them is banking on coach l Harrison to have that back in right because our front end is gonna
take some work. And so if he can get that, they keep that back in in place with no with no major injuries. It's going to help that front end tremendous expressially past situations.
Oh yeah, you're right. The Peko he was a long time and he was a career nose tackle under Zimmer.
Yeah.
Yeah, they brought him in a guest help teach that the defense. That's that's great.
Yeah, he was my teammate in Cincinnati way back when in two thousand and seven.
He was therefore forever. Yeah, he was there for real. He was there for a real long time, real real long years.
Yeah. All the guys coach Jeff Packer, Greg As, all these guys played ten plus years. They got a wealth of knowledge. Man, it's just will the players be willing to listen? Will they be willing to listen and go to the next level?
So and and the one thing that this has been normally how it works. Defense, when you're talking about like, all right, what side of the ball is, usually comes together and and and.
In jails and forms faster. It's always defense.
Defense always comes together because if you're running Cover three, you're running like those principles don't change, you, see what I'm saying. If you're a linebacker, your drops are still the same. Cover three has been the same thing since high school, in college and in the pros. You see what I'm saying, Like, those things don't change. So if you're running the cover two or Cover four or quarters or quarter quarter half, whatever it is, those principles don't change.
Now when you get the exotics is where you know if you're adding some some some sauce to it, if you're adding a rush or blitz off of it. But Cover two is Cover two. That that that does not change your drops and Cover two. So that's why sometimes it always gels and comes together a little bit quicker defensively because you've been you've been running the same coverage patterns and and the same draft that you would have in any other time that you play that position offensively.
It takes more, the timing takes a little bit more.
Get more guys geled, because you literally have all these guys doing separate things that that sometimes can be you know, they have to connect, It has to it has to all go together. So right now, the defense looking like to play well, have four interceptions the last game and more work to do. It will be another challenge this week against the Vegas Raiders. Uh, this is a sidebar. This is just a sidebar. This is this is just
messy jess. It's just messy jests Mark Davis. Nobody, nobody is watching the Dak Prescott Jones' front office contract battle closer than Mark Davis. They're a quarterback away, their quarterback away.
Now.
They they got two good tight ends.
They got Mike Myers and and and and the kid from Georgia brock Bowers.
They got running backs. They got Davante Adams.
There.
Now they got Gardamentshew and the other kid ain't O'Connell. They're they're a quarter back away, their quarterback away. And Mark Davis he I yeah, I think he'll print the money. I think he'll print the money. If I'm not mistaken, Vegas, I'll have state tax either.
Right right?
Yeah, So so so do you.
That don't play no more? Hey, stay taxed, don't stay taxing. Vegas houses probably a little cheaper somewhere on the desert. So there's one person that's watching this whole thing unfold. Quarterback got Garna Minshew and what's the other kid named, ain't O'Connell.
Yeah, Mark Davis is sitting there with that bowl cut.
He's sitting there with that gold cut and he's just saying, don't pay him. He said, he said, he said, he said, Jared, you gamble if you want, I'm gonna bet the house or the boy. So I just I look at that and I go, there's there's not one person that's watching. I'm gonna be looking to see Mark Davis on the field, pregame who who.
Hand he's trying to shake?
If he's got the conversation a little too long with that, I'm just being messy jests, y'all. I'll be I'll be on being messy jests. But I know Mark Davis is like the minute he walks out free agency, we're putting the deal on the table, sixty million dollars. Alright, alright, that's it for us.
Can I oh sorry, Can I give a shameless plug? Yes, Bob Hayes documentary comes posting tomorrow Night's okay on YouTube.
What's the name of Boys Now? It's called The fast Lane. The fast Lane part of our Deep Blue series.
It will air online tomorrow night at seven and then we'll be local here in.
The Channel eleven.
You know you can't speak up, Kurt when you need you.
My boy trying he's trying to win this second. Let's go, baby, let's go. Let's get that. So go ahead and check that out on the on on Cowboy eleven.
Yeah yeah, YouTube channel Cowboys Now app. It'll be on Channel eleven locally on Saturday night.
All right, The Fast Line, the Bob Hayes Documentary.
Okay, see you rattlers.
Yeah, all right, that'll do in the world.
That'll do it for us. Appreciate you. I don't know what's gonna happen on Friday. We got some something we need to work out.
No, we won't have a show Friday. Well okay, yeah, it's all over it. We'll see you. We'll see y'all next week. Yes, sir, Daddy trying to look out for us. Man, I'm telling you, trying to wipe us out. I'm like, no, I ain't.
Gonna be like that, daddy, Nate said, Daddy. They said we're not having the show.
So well, Pepper Pampy what we call.
You, Poppy Poppy seven.
Yeah, I'm letting you know your your boyd sit next. You messed it all up.
Start to finish, all right, man, let us get usup. Let's get us up out of here.
Man.
Appreciate your Curt. Thank you Jack, keep us in the back.
Thank you Josh for for doing what you do even while you're in ox start. Nate, we appreciate you. Boots on the ground. Hey, Nate, those rooms are nice, right, I was into one of those little Yeah, I was.
Yeah, I was upstairs, downstairs.
Not but the whold of the wing over there got room, nice little sweets over there.
They got some nice rule out.
Yeah.
No, no, no, no, no, no no no no.
I understand. You know, ain't no trailer parks. Ain't no trailer parks and Ox no you weren't. You didn't have training camp.
Yeah, I know I had a training camp out.
I didn't have no trade.
His home, I know, right, you know you go down the mallible stuff like that. All right, man for salt and pepper, Poppy. This is hanging with the boys until next time we are We
Has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.