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Todd Archer, ESPN Employees Author
FRISCO, Texas — For 4 seasons, the identical voice rang out within the ears of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
For roughly 65 performs a recreation over 65 regular-season video games and three playoff contests, Kellen Moore referred to as performs into Prescott’s helmet because the offensive coordinator. Add in some preseason sequence, in addition to the entire practices over these 4 years, from organized workforce actions to minicamp to coaching camp after which the common season.
That has so as to add as much as greater than 5,000 occasions Moore yapped into Prescott’s ears since 2019.
This spring, it’s all new for Prescott. Moore is now the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers, and coach Mike McCarthy is the Cowboys’ playcaller.
Prescott went from the cadence of Moore, who’s from Washington state, to McCarthy’s Pittsburgh lilt.
“It’s totally different. I’ll inform you, you hear that accent somewhat bit extra when he’s calling these performs,” Prescott stated of McCarthy’s supply. “He referred to as one on the market, and I regarded again, and I’m going, ‘Was it the appropriate one?’ [with McCarthy nodding back] ‘Yeah, it was.’ It’s simply that his accent was robust to listen to.”
Pittsburgh accent apart, McCarthy has needed to regulate to calling performs once more. He had not finished it since his head-coaching tenure ended with the Green Bay Packers late within the 2018 season.
“Most individuals sing within the bathe. I am calling the ultimate drive of the Tremendous Bowl once more,” McCarthy stated earlier within the offseason. “Driving within the automotive, I am pondering of performs.”
McCarthy and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer spent the offseason retooling the Cowboys’ offense.
Schottenheimer stated the offense was not damaged. The Cowboys completed fourth in scoring and eleventh in yards per recreation, though Moore, quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, offensive line coach Joe Philbin and working backs coach Skip Peete weren’t retained.
Simply as McCarthy did in 2020, when he took over as head coach and left the offense in place, McCarthy has tailored the phrasing of his West Coast scheme to what Prescott has identified since his rookie yr, 2016.
“We’re nonetheless in Dak’s language,” McCarthy stated.
The subtleties of how a play is run is likely to be totally different, primarily based on the change the place an out-breaking route that was as soon as strictly carried out at a exact angle may now be rounded off. Or Prescott might need been requested to make a sure learn excessive to low; now it’s low to excessive.
“Are you studying it the identical as you probably did earlier than? Are you emphasizing issues otherwise?” McCarthy stated. “Simply actually the strategies and fundamentals throughout the schemes.”
In McCarthy’s first three years, he and Prescott spent loads of time collectively, however not practically the identical time as a quarterback and playcaller meet. This offseason has been about delving into the “whys” and “hows” of the modifications to the scheme.
The hours are restricted on account of offseason guidelines, however Prescott says he understands the significance of realizing McCarthy’s philosophy as a lot as he did Moore’s.
“Simply with the ability to perceive, being in the identical wavelength and understanding why he’s calling a play, what’s the aim of the play, what he expects out of that, and ensuring we’re on the identical accord there. It needs to be that fixed communication,” Prescott stated. “[After last week’s OTA] he stated, ‘ what, go take a look at all the pieces we put in and ensure we’re working the belongings you like and the issues we’re good at. If it’s one thing you’re somewhat iffy about, let’s get it out. Let’s grasp what we’re nice at.’ Simply having that clear communication, with the ability to work with him day in and time out, it’s new. It’s refreshing. It’s enjoyable for each of us.”
The final time McCarthy referred to as performs, he had banked 11 years of expertise with Aaron Rodgers. He knew what the quarterback appreciated, principally. The quarterback knew what McCarthy appreciated. Whereas a lot was fabricated from the way it ended between McCarthy and Rodgers in Green Bay, that they had seven seasons with at the least 10 wins, gained 5 NFC North titles, made it to a few NFC Championships Video games and gained a Tremendous Bowl.
McCarthy and Prescott gained’t have the identical hands-on expertise in 2023, and McCarthy understands time is a luxurious.
“I’m not likely apprehensive concerning the soccer a part of it,” McCarthy stated. “The on a regular basis soccer half so far as the drills, scheme. It’s simply extra the collaboration of calling the sport. ‘How did you see this play? That is how I see it. That is what I see.’
We have now this factor we name, PCP, simply actually the aim of the playcall. Playcall goal. PCP. It’s one factor to be taught the play and the intricacies of the play, however I believe when you may proceed to anticipate when and the place it’s going to be referred to as, I believe that’s the stronger communication and connection that the quarterback and playcaller has to have.”
McCarthy stated this week’s minicamp will likely be vital to the rapport he and Prescott set up, particularly since it’s the first time the Cowboys can have full workforce drills. That figures to develop when the Cowboys get to coaching camp in Oxnard, California, in addition to nonetheless a lot Prescott performs within the preseason.
McCarthy pared down the verbiage of his offense as a result of time is of the essence.
“I imagine this: A clear, fast playcall is a lot better than the right, late playcall,” McCarthy stated. “As a result of if I’m giving him ample time on the line of scrimmage, he has the flexibility to play quick, talk, get it out and assault the protection. And he additionally has the time to make that verify to place us within the excellent play.”