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Randy Gregory seems to have all angles covered
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- After recording a sack in each of his three preseason games, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory should feel confident as he goes into Sunday’s season opener against the New York Giants.
Gregory is a rookie, but he can see things clearly.
“I’ve always said it’s preseason and not all of them were against first-team offenses and a couple of them I kind of fell into them,” Gregory said. “So I wasn’t as happy with my play as other people were. I think it’s a stepping stone for sure, but I’m never satisfied. I think I have a lot more to prove out there.”
Gregory is a kid -- he’s just 22 -- and does kids’ things and acts kid-like, but he also has a seriousness to him to understand things will be different Sunday. He is asked about the number of sacks he would like for his rookie season and he swipes at the question the way he does his tackle’s hands.
He can see the headlines before the story should he not meet his stated preseason expectations.
“I like to keep those to myself,” Gregory said. “You start throwing numbers out there, I’m really not that guy. Some people may take it as being overly confident or cocky. I’m just a rookie. I’m not going to go out there and expect too much out of myself, but I do expect a certain level of play out of myself. It’s not all about sacks. There are other aspects of my game to work on. I’m not going to go and put my goals out there in public. I’ll just let my play speak for itself.”
Most rookies cannot wait for their first game. It’s the culmination of a lifelong dream. Gregory will have friends and family at AT&T Stadium for the occasion, but he said he won’t be nervous. The day-to-day focus Jason Garrett demands from his players is something Gregory had before arriving in Dallas.
“I wouldn’t say it’s hard for me,” Gregory said. “I don’t want to downplay it. It’s a big deal but since I’ve probably gotten in college, I’ve developed a good way at just staying calm throughout the process and letting myself get ready mentally for the game as far as staying hyped up all week and then losing a certain amount of energy come game time. I fully expect to be ready to go an hour before the game. I’ll be ready to get on the field as fast as possible, but like I said, I try to work the process the right way too.”
There will be expectations on Gregory, and not just because of the three sacks he had in the preseason, whether he felt he earned them all or not. With Greg Hardy out the first four games of the year because of a suspension, the Cowboys need Gregory to agitate the opposing quarterback, starting with Eli Manning on Sunday.
But again, Gregory responds to the question about pressure on him like a veteran.
“I know there’s a certain level of play they want out of me and I expect out of myself,” Gregory said. “So that’s always been that way whether Greg’s here or not.”
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has constantly challenged Gregory since the Cowboys drafted him. He has had him look at pass rushers of the past, such as Simeon Rice and Jason Taylor. He has pushed him to improve getting off the ball and come up with a signature pass-rush move.
Most coaches try to temper expectations for rookies. Marinelli won’t do that for Gregory.
“Everything he’s done to this point has been really good,” Marinelli said. “Now this next step, this next major step, is when we tee it up on Sunday. Everything I’ve seen, I expect him to play well. The game just doesn’t seem too big for him. There’s a certain confidence about him.”
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- After recording a sack in each of his three preseason games, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory should feel confident as he goes into Sunday’s season opener against the New York Giants.
Gregory is a rookie, but he can see things clearly.
“I’ve always said it’s preseason and not all of them were against first-team offenses and a couple of them I kind of fell into them,” Gregory said. “So I wasn’t as happy with my play as other people were. I think it’s a stepping stone for sure, but I’m never satisfied. I think I have a lot more to prove out there.”
Gregory is a kid -- he’s just 22 -- and does kids’ things and acts kid-like, but he also has a seriousness to him to understand things will be different Sunday. He is asked about the number of sacks he would like for his rookie season and he swipes at the question the way he does his tackle’s hands.
He can see the headlines before the story should he not meet his stated preseason expectations.
“I like to keep those to myself,” Gregory said. “You start throwing numbers out there, I’m really not that guy. Some people may take it as being overly confident or cocky. I’m just a rookie. I’m not going to go out there and expect too much out of myself, but I do expect a certain level of play out of myself. It’s not all about sacks. There are other aspects of my game to work on. I’m not going to go and put my goals out there in public. I’ll just let my play speak for itself.”
Most rookies cannot wait for their first game. It’s the culmination of a lifelong dream. Gregory will have friends and family at AT&T Stadium for the occasion, but he said he won’t be nervous. The day-to-day focus Jason Garrett demands from his players is something Gregory had before arriving in Dallas.
“I wouldn’t say it’s hard for me,” Gregory said. “I don’t want to downplay it. It’s a big deal but since I’ve probably gotten in college, I’ve developed a good way at just staying calm throughout the process and letting myself get ready mentally for the game as far as staying hyped up all week and then losing a certain amount of energy come game time. I fully expect to be ready to go an hour before the game. I’ll be ready to get on the field as fast as possible, but like I said, I try to work the process the right way too.”
There will be expectations on Gregory, and not just because of the three sacks he had in the preseason, whether he felt he earned them all or not. With Greg Hardy out the first four games of the year because of a suspension, the Cowboys need Gregory to agitate the opposing quarterback, starting with Eli Manning on Sunday.
But again, Gregory responds to the question about pressure on him like a veteran.
“I know there’s a certain level of play they want out of me and I expect out of myself,” Gregory said. “So that’s always been that way whether Greg’s here or not.”
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has constantly challenged Gregory since the Cowboys drafted him. He has had him look at pass rushers of the past, such as Simeon Rice and Jason Taylor. He has pushed him to improve getting off the ball and come up with a signature pass-rush move.
Most coaches try to temper expectations for rookies. Marinelli won’t do that for Gregory.
“Everything he’s done to this point has been really good,” Marinelli said. “Now this next step, this next major step, is when we tee it up on Sunday. Everything I’ve seen, I expect him to play well. The game just doesn’t seem too big for him. There’s a certain confidence about him.”
