Machota: Ezekiel Elliott on Jason Garrett's standard

Cotton

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Ezekiel Elliott on Jason Garrett's standard; Dallas Cowboys are 'expected to compete for a Super Bowl every year'

By Jon Machota , Staff Writer

IRVING -- In Alfred Morris' short time with the Cowboys, the veteran running back has immediately taken notice of Jason Garrett's standard.

Morris said the Cowboys head coach praised the team after Wednesday's organized team activities because they practiced well.

That wasn't the case Tuesday. There were missed assignments and the tempo of practice did not meet the standard.

"He ripped us a new one," Morris said. "He has a standard and I love that. ... 'This is the standard, don't go below this. Go higher, but don't go below it.' I love that."

First-round pick Ezekiel Elliott hasn't been around Garrett much, either. But he has also quickly become aware of the standard.

"The standard from coach Garrett is excellence," Elliott said. "You're the Dallas Cowboys, you're expected to compete for a Super Bowl every year, so that's nothing but excellence. The standard he has for us is the same standard we hold each other by."

Ultimately, the Cowboys would like to return to the offensive success they experienced in 2014, establishing the run and taking pressure off their defense. Darren McFadden, Elliott and Morris will likely each have a role in getting that run game on track.

Elliott is expected to take over DeMarco Murray's role as the bell cow.

But Jason Witten cautions those who simply believe plugging in a talented runner like Elliott will immediately flip Dallas back to a 12-4 team.

"Yeah, I think you've got to be careful," Witten said. "Every team is different. A lot of things happened in that season that you can't predict. But I think what our coaching staff and our organization has tried to do is create a winning formula. It starts with that, being an offense that attacks at all times and does it through both the run game and the pass game.

"That's with Tony [Romo] and then the running game by committee. I think [Elliott] is a great weapon. He's very eager to learn. He's a humble guy.

Obviously he has a lot of talent, picked as high as he was. So he comes in here and seems like he's embracing this opportunity. As a rookie, you have to do that. I think he's done a really good job of that so far just in the couple of weeks I've been with him. He works the right way. He kind of fits our mold of what we're trying to do as a football team."
 

E_D_Guapo

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"The standard from coach Garrett is excellence," Elliott said. "You're the Dallas Cowboys, you're expected to compete for a Super Bowl every year, so that's nothing but excellence. The standard he has for us is the same standard we hold each other by."
Garrett's head coaching record: 45-43. That's the standard he has set as far as I'm concerned. Barely above .500. Losing 3 consecutive season finales that could have potentially put his team in the playoffs. Three consecutive 8-8 seasons. The inability to win a single game without his starting QB last season. That does not look like 'excellence' to me. Good thing for him that his owner does not hold him to the same standards that he expects from his players.
 

Cotton

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Garrett's head coaching record: 45-43. That's the standard he has set as far as I'm concerned. Barely above .500. Losing 3 consecutive season finales that could have potentially put his team in the playoffs. Three consecutive 8-8 seasons. The inability to win a single game without his starting QB last season. That does not look like 'excellence' to me. Good thing for him that his owner does not hold him to the same standards that he expects from his players.
Pretty much spot on.
 

Chocolate Lab

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:jerk
 

boozeman

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All the praise about Garrett tells me is what Parcells used to say about players. They don't know what is good for them.

Garrett says the right things. He is political and appears to have a style that resonates with certain kinds of players.

But when it comes down to the things that win and lose games, the relationships that don't seem right but do work, the dude just doesn't have it.

He is not a psychologist like Johnson. He is not a task master like Parcells.

At the end of the day, great coaches are rarely pointed out verbally by players. You hear about it later, and usually it was that they hated them while playing for them, but later acknowledged they were great.


The great ones have a quiet squad that allows them to lead.

The ones propping up their coach usually are not exactly in tune with what is best for them.

Hell, I have seen ex-Saints players the last few days come out and call Rob Ryan a great coach when he has proven isn't capable of being on the upper crust.
 
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