Machota: Marinelli makes a sign change, refers to his group as ‘Rushmen’

Rod Marinelli makes a sign change at Valley Ranch, refers to his group as ‘Rushmen’


By Jon Machota / Special Contributor
jmachota@dallasnews.com
5:53 pm on May 11, 2013 | Permalink



IRVING — When Rod Marinelli was coaching the Chicago Bears’ defensive line the previous four seasons he referred to his linemen as “rush men.” Now, as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line coach, Marinelli is identifying his four-man front the same way.

Marinelli even had the sign on the defensive line’s Valley Ranch meeting room door changed to say “Rushmen.” The 63-year-old coach is making it known that he needs all of his linemen to be able to get to the quarterback.



Rod Marinelli's sign change at Valley Ranch.


“That’s what we have to do,” Marinelli said Saturday when asked about the sign change. “In the four-man front, you try to identify a position or men with one thing they got to be able to do, and that’s that. It’s very clear.

“It’s all part of what we are. We make sure we understand it and we just go on from there.”


The Bears finished with 41 sacks last year, seven more than the Cowboys. But over the last four seasons, the Cowboys have totaled 153 sacks, 10 more than the Bears during that time.


That’s not to say that sacks are the lone way to measure a good pass rush. Marinelli will have no problem with his group missing out on sacks if his guys are in the pocket, making the opposing quarterback uncomfortable, something that often leads to poor decisions and turnovers. The Bears led the NFL last season with 44 takeaways, 28 more than the Cowboys.


And Marinelli is no stranger to finding unique ways to motivate his players. While he was the head coach of the Detroit Lions, Marinelli had a large rock placed in the middle of the locker room, symbolizing his slogan “Pound the Rock.” The Lions didn’t have much success with that mentality, however, finishing 10-38 during his three seasons, which included going 0-16 in 2008.


Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota

I so wanna wave my towel to this but the fact that we added no DL worth a shit during the offseason makes me keep my towel in check.

boozeman said:

That’s not to say that sacks are the lone way to measure a good pass rush. Marinelli will have no problem with his group missing out on sacks if his guys are in the pocket, making the opposing quarterback uncomfortable, something that often leads to poor decisions and turnovers. The Bears led the NFL last season with 44 takeaways, 28 more than the Cowboys.

Click to expand...

It's amazing what a good d-line can do. It's too bad that we don't have one.

And Marinelli is no stranger to finding unique ways to motivate his players. While he was the head coach of the Detroit Lions, Marinelli had a large rock placed in the middle of the locker room, symbolizing his slogan “Pound the Rock.” The Lions didn’t have much success with that mentality, however, finishing 10-38 during his three seasons, which included going 0-16 in 2008.

Click to expand...

He'll find similar success with us. Our lack of leadership, accountability and general interest in anything other than cashing a pay check will be prominently displayed very early into his tenure here.

Cowboys D-line to be in a rush
May, 13, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas – The rooms along the hallway inside the Cowboys’ Valley Ranch practice facility are labeled the way you would think they would be labeled: tight ends, offensive line and so on. The defensive line used to be there.

Rod Marinelli changed it to Rushmen.

“It’s what we have to do, OK,” said Marinelli, the Cowboys defensive line coach. “It’s something in the four-man front that what you try to identify a position or men the No. 1 thing they’ve got to be able to do, and that it’s very clear.”

In the 3-4 scheme the Cowboys ran from 2005-12, the defensive line was not hugely responsible for the pass rush, though Jay Ratliff had 7 1/2 and six sacks in 2008-09 from his nose tackle spot. In the 4-3 scheme the Cowboys will run this year, the pressure on the quarterback has to come from the defensive line.

DeMarcus Ware is one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL. Anthony Spencer had a career-high 11 sacks in 2012 and was named to the Pro Bowl. The Cowboys do not believe their transitions from outside linebacker to defensive end will be difficult.

Ratliff, however, has seen his sack total decline every year for the last five years. Jason Hatcher has never had more than 4 1/2 sacks in a season. Sean Lissemore and Tyrone Crawford will have to get to the passer more than they did last year, too.

The new sign is more of an attitude check.

“It’s all part of what we are,” Marinelli said. “I make sure we understand it and we go on from there.”

Marinelli: Moving to defensive line won't be difficult for Ware, Spencer



JON MACHOTA |

Published: Saturday, May 11, 2013

IRVING, Texas – It didn't take long for Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Rod Marinelli to show a few players at Friday's rookie minicamp how he coaches during the season.

Only a few minutes into the session, the former Detroit Lions head coach was shouting at players to run a drill correctly.

However, after the morning camp concluded, Marinelli was a man of few words with reporters.

"Words don't mean anything, it's what we do on the field," Marinelli repeated.

Unlike the rookie minicamp, the 63-year-old former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach won't be dealing with many young players during the season. The Cowboys, who didn't draft a single defensive lineman despite switching to a 4-3 defensive scheme, will be lead by a veteran group up front.

"I think it's a deep group," Marinelli said. "I believe that in my heart. They're great workers. All those things that we feel good about."

With Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher likely starting at the tackle positions and Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware on the ends, Marinelli won't have a starter under the age of 29.

And Marinelli doesn't seem to mind that.

"I really like them," he said. "I think these guys are established veterans in this league."

For Ware and Spencer, it will be the first time in their NFL careers that they'll be playing on the defensive line. Some might think that switching from outside linebacker in a 3-4 to defensive end in a 4-3 is a big deal.

Marinelli does not.

"I don't see it as hard as all," he said. "It's going to be good."

Marinelli was named the Cowboys' defensive line coach in January. Before coaching in Chicago and Detroit, he spent 10 seasons in Tampa Bay, working with current Cowboys defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

Are we sure Marinelli didn't put that sign on the OL's room?