Watkins: Jerry Jones takes a chance keeping Kiffin

boozeman

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Jerry Jones takes a chance keeping Kiffin

January, 20, 2014


By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com


MOBILE, Ala. -- If the Cowboys were going to make a change to the top of the defensive staff, meaning let go of defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, it would have happened by now.

Owner Jerry Jones had a chance to rid himself of Kiffin when the 2013 season ended. There were several head coaches who were fired once the season ended in Minnesota's Leslie Frazier and Detroit's Jim Schwartz, who could have been perfect to run the Cowboys' 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme.

Kiffin changed from the Tampa 2 scheme at times to play more man-to-man defense to utilize the skill set of corners Brandon Carr, Orlando Scandrick and Morris Claiborne.

Kiffin wasn't against change to the scheme, he just needed to players to produce in it.

As the Cowboys come to view Senior Bowl practices, it seems Kiffin isn't going anywhere.

The goal for the Cowboys now is to upgrade the talent so Kiffin can maximize it.

Jones fired Rob Ryan after two seasons because of a complex defense and an inability to stop anybody. Jones mentioned how injuries hampered Ryan but didn't say too much about the personnel.

Kiffin endured injuries too but the personnel in some areas have regressed.

The veteran defensive coordinator is determined to fix the defense regardless of the injuries and poor play the Cowboys had in 2013.

Kiffin's biggest problem is the defensive line and secondary play against the pass. There were too many open receivers and not enough pass rush in 2013.

You can blame Kiffin if you want or the players on the field. Whatever the problems are, Jones elected to keep Kiffin in charge of the defense, and will fix the personnel through the draft.

At the end of the 2014 season, the Cowboys' defense better see improvement, if not, keeping Kiffin would be considered another mistake by the general manager especially if he upgrades the talent.
 

Texas Ace

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A historically bad defense coupled with another average season overall with an offense that is very inconsistent, and yet not a single coaching change is made.

Is there even a reason to watch next season?
 

Simpleton

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A historically bad defense coupled with another average season overall with an offense that is very inconsistent, and yet not a single coaching change is made.

Is there even a reason to watch next season?
Comedy.
 

Cotton

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Colossal mistake to bring him in and an even worse mistake keeping him after the worst defensive season in our history.
 

Smitty

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Unlike with Ryan, who I thought just suffered from injuries, Kiffin did not strike me like he did even a decent job of his own accord.
 

ravidubey

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Unlike with Ryan, who I thought just suffered from injuries, Kiffin did not strike me like he did even a decent job of his own accord.
The team was way too confused in coverage. Some of that comes from the first year in a scheme and/or dumb players, but you get the feeling there's a disconnect between Kiffen, the assistants, the players, and a basic flaw in the scheme itself vs modern NFL offenses.
 

Smitty

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The team was way too confused in coverage. Some of that comes from the first year in a scheme and/or dumb players, but you get the feeling there's a disconnect between Kiffen, the assistants, the players, and a basic flaw in the scheme itself vs modern NFL offenses.
Though to be fair... we just really don't have very good NFL players.

Carr is ok, though frankly he's not that much better than Scandrick given his price tag, Claiborne has been downright bad at times, we don't really have anything great at safety, our DL was atrocious, Ware had a bad season, too, making Sean Lee the only real plus player we have on defense. And he was injured.
 

Cowboysrock55

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we don't really have anything great at safety
This may be the understatement of the century. Everyone wants to replace our defensive coordinator every year. It's not the coaches failing every year, it's the talent on the roster.
 

Donpingon

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I just wish we'd try Claiborne at FS. I know it's not ideal, but good god we need Claiborne and the S position to pan out
 

Texas Ace

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I just wish we'd try Claiborne at FS. I know it's not ideal, but good god we need Claiborne and the S position to pan out
I agree.

He hasn't displayed any of the ball skills he was known for in college.

He has the size and athleticism to play safety, so maybe he'd start to get some of his playmaking ability back if he could keep everything in front of him at all times.
 

boozeman

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Jerry just held court in Mobile and announced the coordinators are SET.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I agree.

He hasn't displayed any of the ball skills he was known for in college.

He has the size and athleticism to play safety, so maybe he'd start to get some of his playmaking ability back if he could keep everything in front of him at all times.
Then you create a big need at corner. As much as people bitch, I think Claiborne was at least solid at corner when he was on the field. He just hasn't taken the next step to elite yet.
 

1bigfan13

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I'm not a big fan of Kiffin's but you have to admit that personnel talent was the biggest problem last year and not necessarily the scheme.
 

Bob Roberts

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Jerry must like older people. All I know is, if LT Fan's posting quality starts to dip in the slightest, he's out on his ass
 

Cotton

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Coordinator switches can come at any time
January, 21, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- If you want to take Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones on his word that there will not be any changes with the coordinators in 2014, go ahead.

From the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Jones said, “everybody has a contract and I plan on them being there.”

He also said he does not “anticipate anything at all.” We can parse the words and say Jones has the ability to change his mind -- or have his mind changed -- at any time.

Today is Jan. 21. The next time the Cowboys coaches are on the field with the players is in the spring for some on-field teaching days. What might be true on Monday might not be true in a couple of days, weeks or months.

The Cowboys do not have to make a decision on Monte Kiffin and/or Bill Callahan today because there won’t be a scheme change if the coordinators change.

Is Jones just being stubborn?

It was his idea to bring in Kiffin last year. It was his idea to make Callahan the playcaller.

The defense was historically bad in 2013. Injuries played a part, but Rob Ryan was not allowed a third year after he oversaw a bad defense with the Cowboys. And that bad defense played better than Kiffin’s with more starters and key contributors missing games. The offense was OK, but did it truly overwhelm anybody? The performances away from AT&T Stadium were pedestrian at best.

The Cowboys will run the 4-3 in 2014. It will be a form of Kiffin’s Tampa 2. The Cowboys can simply elevate Rod Marinelli or Matt Eberflus to the coordinator role whenever they want before the on-field teaching sessions and have that continuity Jones wants.

The Cowboys will run Jason Garrett’s offensive scheme in 2014. Jones put the head coach and offensive coordinator in bad spots in 2013 by having Callahan call the plays. He was not familiar with the passing game, coming mostly from a West Coast background. He might have been the offensive coordinator in 2012, but he was not involved in the passing game at all. Garrett got more involved in the offense after the bye week, calling the plays into the quarterback.

If a change comes on the offensive side of the ball, then Garrett can simply take back the playcalling duties as he enters the final year of his contract. That transition is easier than what would happen on defense. The Cowboys could simply elevate Frank Pollack from assistant offensive line coach to run the whole group. That unit has a ton of respect for Pollack, who had more day-to-day contact with the line then Callahan did.

That Kiffin and Callahan are at the Senior Bowl scouting players means nothing to me. Leading up to the draft Jones says the most important information he has comes from the scouts. Three days of watching an all-star game practice should not mean the assistants would have a great read on the players. And, if truth be told, assistant coaches spend more time talking to friends from other staffs than actually intently watching these practices anyway.

Jones can say what he wants now about possible changes on the staff, but he or Garrett would not have to look far for replacements.
 

boozeman

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I'm not a big fan of Kiffin's but you have to admit that personnel talent was the biggest problem last year and not necessarily the scheme.
Agreed.

As much as you want heads to roll and another DC brought in, it is not going to happen since Garrett is getting another season. It was inevitable, because no coach worth their salt is going to want to go to Dallas with the risk of being thrown out with the bathwater in 2015.

Overall, this just has to be a defensive draft. It simply has to. The failed strategy using hope for Ratliff and Spencer was a colossal waste.

In that I hate to give Jones credit, the table is set because of this choice to remain with the system and specifically Kiffin's system.

Had the 3-4 still been here or back in play if Kiffin were let go, we would be competing with a lot of other 3-4 teams. And judging by this year's group of DL, there are a lot more undersized players than in previous years. That might be due to the spread offenses taking over college football. There are simply a lot more pass rushers now than I have seen. Thing is, there are a lot of these guys being tried out at the Senior Bowl as linebackers...a lot are really struggling.

We could benefit from that if we are smart and avoid going after that shiny new WR, TE or even worse, CB.
 

NoDak

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We could benefit from that if we are smart and avoid going after that shiny new WR, TE or even worse, CB.
I know the mantra is supposed to be 'hate everything CB', but I certainly wouldn't say selecting a CB would be worse than taking a TE.
 

boozeman

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I know the mantra is supposed to be 'hate everything CB', but I certainly wouldn't say selecting a CB would be worse than taking a TE.
If we took one high, yes it would be. The TE thing would be worse, but there is no reason to take a CB higher than the fourth round.

We have too much money and too many resources tied up in the position. Claiborne, Carr and Scandrick are not going anywhere and we would be spending a premium choice for a player who would be lucky to see the field except in specialized packages.

While I would have no issue looking for Webb's replacement, it would be asinine to spend a top choice on it given our needs elsewhere on the team.

1) DT
2) DE
3) OLB
4) OG
5) S
6) OT
7) QB

Then start worrying about everything else.

You could get a cheap 4th CB in FA, even with our cap space. Guys like Drayton Florence can be had on the cheap. Or hell, just roll with Sterling Moore who did okay.
 
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