Jason Garrett Aims to Restore Accountability to Dallas Cowboys

Filed under: Cowboys, NFC East, NFL Coaching

Jerry Jones fired often-befuddled nice guy Wade Phillips Monday in hopes of changing the culture of the floundering Cowboys.

If new coach Jason Garrett's first press conference was any indication, a change is going to come in Dallas quickly. Where the plump, white-haired Phillips, 63, seemed like everyone's beloved uncle, the slim, carrot-topped Garrett, 44, gave an almost military-like impression, with his constant focus on Sunday's game at the NFC East-leading New York Giants and the importance of leadership.

"Any time you have a head coaching change, the team, in some way, takes on the character of that coach," said Garrett, who starred at Princeton, played in the World and Canadian football leagues, then severed as a backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman in Dallas for seven years before doing so for the Giants for four more.

"All I can do is be who I am. ... The personality of this group going forward will have my stamp on it a little more than it has in the past."

Garrett, who coached the Dolphins' quarterbacks for two years and then became the Cowboys' offensive coordinator in 2007, said he won't make drastic changes. However, more discipline is in store for a team that has plunged from four straight winning years (and two NFC East titles) to the bottom of the conference at 1-7, in part because of 19 turnovers and 62 penalties.

"We're going to try restore that tradition that this organization had for so long," Garrett said. "It has to be clear as to what you expect from everyone in your organization and hold them accountable to those expectations. We'll do that on a daily basis ... We need to get back to doing things the right way. ... We need to embrace the opportunity that's in front of us. We have eight games to go, and I'm convinced that the players and coaches on this football team are going to do everything they can to win each of these games. We need to be great each and every day."

Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/08/jason-garrett-aims-to-restore-accountability-to-dallas-cowboys/

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