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Rod Marinelli has more options to rush passer
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Like any coach, Rod Marinelli likes options.
In his first year as the Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach in 2013, Marinelli's options were mostly street free agents. Some players signed on a Tuesday and played on a Sunday. He made it work with guys like George Selvie and Jarius Wynn.
In his first year as the Cowboys defensive coordinator last season, Marinelli's options were mostly guys trying to restart their careers either from injury or downward trends. He made it work with guys like Jeremy Mincey, Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer.
The Cowboys drafted Randy Gregory to help bolster a defense that was ranked poorly in the pass rush. AP Photo/Nati Harnik
As he begins his second year as Cowboys defensive coordinator, Marinelli's options have a different look. They added the best pass-rusher in free agency in Greg Hardy. They added Randy Gregory, considered by many to be the best pass-rusher in the draft.
"We've got more talent, movement, all those things," Marinelli said. "Now, that's got to be worked into production. We've got to go produce with it and that takes a long time, a lot of training. The one thing all these guys have is a real love and care about being a ballplayer to work at it. That's our job. Right now it's conditioning, strength and tying all that together with technique down in and down out.
"We had a bunch of men last year who did that, really played hard. And that is not something you can come to a conclusion and say, 'Oh, we have that.' You never have that. Ever. So we start again with the basics of the system."
The Cowboys have lauded the work they have seen from Hardy even if his social media use has rankled them at times. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he likes Hardy's "zest" and added, "it's contagious."
Defensive teammates have noticed as well.
"I coach him hard and he reacts hard," Marinelli said. "And he plays hard every snap out there. That's how I coach him. I want him to get better every day. Every day we walk off this field, he's better."
From Marinelli's point of view the talent upgrade means nothing if a player doesn't want to work. The options don't become better from the past if a player wants to coast.
"We've got a lot of guys back from last year," Marinelli said. "Now we lost some real good men too up front, but the men that are back from Jack Crawford and Mince, some real tough guys, Nick Hayden and Terrell McClain. They were a big part of this thing in terms of developing a toughness and the effort of that group. As we bring more men in and we get some young guys from last year with a chance to display their skill, now it's still about heart."
Two years ago Jones thought the strength of the defense would have been the defensive line. DeMarcus Ware missed the first three games of his career and was compromised because of injury. Spencer played in just one game because of a knee injury. Jay Ratliff did not play at all as he was cut during the season.
The Cowboys didn't have options.
Now Jerry Jones sees options and is once again seeing the line as a strength.
"When I look at what we got our of Tyrone Crawford last year on the interior, when I look at how Terrell McClain came along, when I look at the interior, then I actually think that with the personnel we've got competing with them and behind them, I think we got real good inside push or rush that exceeds last year," Jones said. "I look to the outside and I see the numbers we've got. I see the potential to have a rotation. I see the quality or the skill of those pass rushers out there and will say without hesitation we're dramatically better on the outside. Our coach will tell you that is to be seen. We've got to have the work that goes along with it.
"One of the things I like about the players that we're counting on is that all of them are exceptional effort guys, in practice and on the field. When I look at their unique skills as well as effort guys, overachiever types out there, every one of them, then we really have helped our pass rush."
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Like any coach, Rod Marinelli likes options.
In his first year as the Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach in 2013, Marinelli's options were mostly street free agents. Some players signed on a Tuesday and played on a Sunday. He made it work with guys like George Selvie and Jarius Wynn.
In his first year as the Cowboys defensive coordinator last season, Marinelli's options were mostly guys trying to restart their careers either from injury or downward trends. He made it work with guys like Jeremy Mincey, Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer.
The Cowboys drafted Randy Gregory to help bolster a defense that was ranked poorly in the pass rush. AP Photo/Nati Harnik
As he begins his second year as Cowboys defensive coordinator, Marinelli's options have a different look. They added the best pass-rusher in free agency in Greg Hardy. They added Randy Gregory, considered by many to be the best pass-rusher in the draft.
"We've got more talent, movement, all those things," Marinelli said. "Now, that's got to be worked into production. We've got to go produce with it and that takes a long time, a lot of training. The one thing all these guys have is a real love and care about being a ballplayer to work at it. That's our job. Right now it's conditioning, strength and tying all that together with technique down in and down out.
"We had a bunch of men last year who did that, really played hard. And that is not something you can come to a conclusion and say, 'Oh, we have that.' You never have that. Ever. So we start again with the basics of the system."
The Cowboys have lauded the work they have seen from Hardy even if his social media use has rankled them at times. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he likes Hardy's "zest" and added, "it's contagious."
Defensive teammates have noticed as well.
"I coach him hard and he reacts hard," Marinelli said. "And he plays hard every snap out there. That's how I coach him. I want him to get better every day. Every day we walk off this field, he's better."
From Marinelli's point of view the talent upgrade means nothing if a player doesn't want to work. The options don't become better from the past if a player wants to coast.
"We've got a lot of guys back from last year," Marinelli said. "Now we lost some real good men too up front, but the men that are back from Jack Crawford and Mince, some real tough guys, Nick Hayden and Terrell McClain. They were a big part of this thing in terms of developing a toughness and the effort of that group. As we bring more men in and we get some young guys from last year with a chance to display their skill, now it's still about heart."
Two years ago Jones thought the strength of the defense would have been the defensive line. DeMarcus Ware missed the first three games of his career and was compromised because of injury. Spencer played in just one game because of a knee injury. Jay Ratliff did not play at all as he was cut during the season.
The Cowboys didn't have options.
Now Jerry Jones sees options and is once again seeing the line as a strength.
"When I look at what we got our of Tyrone Crawford last year on the interior, when I look at how Terrell McClain came along, when I look at the interior, then I actually think that with the personnel we've got competing with them and behind them, I think we got real good inside push or rush that exceeds last year," Jones said. "I look to the outside and I see the numbers we've got. I see the potential to have a rotation. I see the quality or the skill of those pass rushers out there and will say without hesitation we're dramatically better on the outside. Our coach will tell you that is to be seen. We've got to have the work that goes along with it.
"One of the things I like about the players that we're counting on is that all of them are exceptional effort guys, in practice and on the field. When I look at their unique skills as well as effort guys, overachiever types out there, every one of them, then we really have helped our pass rush."
