Was Jason Garrett testing Cowboys' commitment by canceling sprints? If so, 75 passed with flying colors
DAVID MOORE
Staff Writer
dmoore@dallasnews.com
Published: 22 July 2014 10:54 PM
Updated: 23 July 2014 12:40 AM
OXNARD, Calif. — Not all tests are about conditioning as players prepare for the grind of training camp. Head coaches have been known to structure an exam to gauge accountability and commitment.
The Cowboys passed with flying colors before their plane landed in Southern California on Tuesday afternoon.
The series of 20 sprints that players are customarily required to complete during their first full day of training camp has been canceled. Head coach Jason Garrett informed the team of his decision before it left for Oxnard.
Tight end Jason Witten and other veteran players responded by conducting the sessions on their own Monday at Valley Ranch.
“When Coach said we weren’t going to have a conditioning test this year, a couple of the older guys wanted to make sure that we had everybody in the right shape,’’ center Travis Frederick said. “Sometimes if you don’t do it, you’re not in the right shape and you’re not ready to practice.
“When you come out and practice as hard as we do and you do it as much as you do during training camp, that’s when it leads to guys getting hurt.’’
Roughly 75 players showed up at the team’s practice facility to run the sprints. It was a statement to one another about how seriously they take this camp and the upcoming season.
“When the players get together and do something like that I think that it shows there’s a level of maturity,’’ Frederick said. “There’s a level of work and a level of expectations.
“Coach says there’s no conditioning test and we could easily just not do it and everybody is like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s great. We don’t have to do it.’ But are you going to be ready? Are you ready to work? Are you ready to come out and practice as hard as we need to practice to make ourselves into the caliber of team we want to be?’’
Safety Barry Church said it’s about camaraderie.
“I feel like it’s showing that the players are trying to make this team our own and go out there and have our own type of identity,’’ Church said.
The ownership theme is one Frederick echoes.
“I think that the coaches see how much the players want to win,’’ Frederick said. “The players want to work. That’s not always the case. So when they see that they kind of give it to the players a little bit so they can take that and move forward.
“I think that’s when the team takes a step forward.’’
The Cowboys are desperate to take a step forward after finishing 8-8 for three consecutive seasons. Questions abound on the defensive side of the ball after a historically dreadful group lost some of its best players.
“I felt that going into OTAs [organized team activities] until I saw the work ethic everybody has out there,’’ Church said. “They’re ready to go as much as I’m ready to go. I know they’ll have my back.
“I’m looking forward to it.’’
The players believe the groundwork for improvement was laid with the work they put in during the off-season. Now, it’s time to bring that attitude to training camp and move forward.
“I can speak especially for the offensive line and tell you that our group has put in the work and we’re ready to go,’’ Frederick said. “I know that we’ve seen that throughout the other [groups].
“We don’t always get to work out with everybody else but every chance that I’ve seen guys are in here working, they’re working extra and guys are excited and ready to go.’’
The players passed the first test administered by Garrett before this camp officially got underway.
There will be plenty more over the next 24 days before the Cowboys break camp and return home.
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And who says the media is all evil.
The idea that they can suggest that it was just a clever way for Garrett to test the resolve of the players makes me laugh and laugh and laugh.
