Sturm: What adding Tavon Austin tells us about Scott Linehan’s redesign plans

UncleMilti

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My son and Tavon text all the time...they had tons of classes together at WVU and are pretty good friends. He said he's not at liberty to talk very freely about team matters but Tavon was told by none other than Linehan that he was going to be used in a WR role with the Cowboys. He wanted to be put in situations like he was used in at WVU, getting the ball in space and Linehan agreed thats where he would be most productive. At RB in the NFL is not where he will be his best.

Obviously, someone, somewhere with the Cowboys has decided that RB is where he will be his best, even though it hasn't panned out so far.. Its gotta be Jones or Gingerfuck.
 
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p1_

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Tavon Austin on Dallas Cowboys role: 'I'm a playmaker'



By Kevin Patra
Around the NFL Writer
Published: May 25, 2018 at 08:51 a.m.

When the Dallas Cowboys acquired Tavon Austin from the Los Angeles Rams, the team immediately define him as a "web back" who they hope could fill the vacant Lance Dunbar role.

Austin is labeled as a running back on the roster sheet but spends time during organized team activities in the wide receiver's room. The former first-round pick brushed off questions trying to define his role in 2018.


"I don't care what I'm being called as long as I'm playing, that's all that matters," Austin said, via the Dallas Morning News. "You can call me anything you want as long as I'm playing."

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones put an outlandish goal of getting Austin between 12 and 24 touches per game. That outsized target range would be miles ahead of the "Lance Dunbar role" -- Dunbar's career-high in touches for a season in Dallas was 47.

Last year in Sean McVay's offense, Austin touched the ball an average of 4.23 times per game, including a goose egg in the Rams' playoffs loss. Of his 72 touches in 2017, just 13 came in the passing game. If an offensive mind like McVay couldn't figure out a way to use Austin, it's fair to wonder if the Cowboys will have success in that endeavor.

The 28-year-old is set to return punts for Dallas and could be used on kick returns. Austin is willing to play any role that gets the ball in his hands so he can finally show off the talent that got him drafted eighth overall in 2013.

"At the end of the day, I'm a playmaker," Austin said. "That's how I describe myself. I don't really care where I'm at on the field. I just want the ball and a little bit of space and let me create and I'm going from there...

"An athlete who creates, the thing I did my whole life. I'm cool with it, running back, receiver, punt returner, it really doesn't make a difference to me. I just definitely want my opportunity to get the ball in my hands and get a little bit of space and do what I do best."

Thus far, no coach has unlocked the secret to utilizing Austin's strengths in a consistent, productive manner. In Dallas' revamped offense there are plenty of touches up for grabs. Whether Austin warrants a large chunk remains to be seen.
 

Chocolate Lab

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I think the trade was worth a shot, too, but I'm surprised at all the hype for this guy. He had years in STL/LA to fulfill his promise, including one under one of the best offensive minds in the game. But this coaching staff is going to make him into a transformative weapon? Don't see it.
 

p1_

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I think the trade was worth a shot, too, but I'm surprised at all the hype for this guy. He had years in STL/LA to fulfill his promise, including one under one of the best offensive minds in the game. But this coaching staff is going to make him into a transformative weapon? Don't see it.
I agree. I think it tells you about the state of this offense that the writers are so eager to talk about the potential. The reality can't live up to the hype or it would have done so already.
 

ravidubey

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I think the trade was worth a shot, too, but I'm surprised at all the hype for this guy. He had years in STL/LA to fulfill his promise, including one under one of the best offensive minds in the game. But this coaching staff is going to make him into a transformative weapon? Don't see it.
Comes down to chemistry. If he can get open on those short curls ala Beasley Dak will find him. Then it’s up to Austin to gain YAC. If it ends up being more dink and dunk then the experiment failed.

I any case definitely worth a 6th round pick.
 

p1_

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Seems most folks agree it was worth a 6th. A cheap gamble.
 

townsend

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I hope we really committ to keeping Austin as a 3rd down back, and if we plan on doing plays with an empty backfield we let him split out wide after initially showing a look where he’s lined up at RB.
 

deadrise

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I agree. I think it tells you about the state of this offense that the writers are so eager to talk about the potential. The reality can't live up to the hype or it would have done so already.

Yeah, the writers are grasping at straws. Austin, a guy the Rams were willing to dump for a 6th rounder, a magic wand to cure Ginger's lack of creativity and coaching acumen. Kris Richard, a coach dumped by the Seahawks, now the second coming of Vince Lombardi.

(The worst of these is Blogging the Boys. It should be called Blowing the Boys.)

Admittedly, the NFL is a game of coaching musical chairs where the Peter Principle is on full display. But it never seems like Dallas hires a coach on the way UP.

They're always picking off the discard pile.
 

p1_

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But it never seems like Dallas hires a coach on the way UP. They're always picking off the discard pile.
Only the gutless need apply, I think that's embedded in the job description.
 

lostxn

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Yeah, the writers are grasping at straws. Austin, a guy the Rams were willing to dump for a 6th rounder, a magic wand to cure Ginger's lack of creativity and coaching acumen. Kris Richard, a coach dumped by the Seahawks, now the second coming of Vince Lombardi.

(The worst of these is Blogging the Boys. It should be called Blowing the Boys.)

Admittedly, the NFL is a game of coaching musical chairs where the Peter Principle is on full display. But it never seems like Dallas hires a coach on the way UP.

They're always picking off the discard pile.
Let's not pretend these type of things never work out. See Irving. Also, it's gone the other way. See Jimmy Smith. Leary played well. I could go on, but again it's worth a 6th rounder to have some elite speed on the team. It's something we sorely lack.
 

p1_

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You’re absolutely right. We do lack elite speed on offense, aside from Zeke. The real test comes with Linehan finding ways to take advantage of said speed.
 

ravidubey

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You’re absolutely right. We do lack elite speed on offense, aside from Zeke. The real test comes with Linehan finding ways to take advantage of said speed.
And even Zeke was more young than fast as a rookie. Combine speed vs actual field speed varies for backs more than just about any other skill position.

Backs like Zeke take a beating. Some can still turn on the jets late in games when they’re beat down, others can’t.

Regardless, being young helps, and Zekes had over 1200 touches the last four years wearing away at that youth.
 

Cowboysrock55

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You’re absolutely right. We do lack elite speed on offense, aside from Zeke. The real test comes with Linehan finding ways to take advantage of said speed.
We might lack elite speed but we got a lot faster this off season. Dez and Witten were slow. Guys like Gallup, Wilson and Schultz might not be burners but they are definitely faster. Same with really any of our TEs. And obviously Austin and Thompson are elite speed guys.
 

ravidubey

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We might lack elite speed but we got a lot faster this off season. Dez and Witten were slow. Guys like Gallup, Wilson and Schultz might not be burners but they are definitely faster. Same with really any of our TEs. And obviously Austin and Thompson are elite speed guys.
Absolutely got a lot faster all around. Getting younger really, really helps general team speed in addition to replacing Dez and Witten specifically.
 

p1_

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Sadly true, subtracting the age and slowness necessarily makes us faster. We got faster the moment they were off the roster.
 

Cotton

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p1_

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First in one category and last in another. There seems to be no middle ground with Austin.
 

ravidubey

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Austin’s stats and growth have been severely limited by his environment.

He needs accurate ball placement that allows him to catch the ball while facing the end zone.

In Dallas it’s all about comebacks with the WR stopping to face the QB, especially in the slot. We don’t lead WRs open and upfield like Austin needs.
 
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