Coaching Trio Looks to Guide Dallas to Playoffs

This season we will see the three musketeers of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff. Jerry Jones is trying a unique approach with his coaching staff: Who needs a head coach?

That’s right. You’re thinking that the head coach is Wade Phillips. That is in name only.

Phillips is the defensive coordinator. Jason Garrett is the offensive coordinator. Joe Decamillis is the special teams coordinator.

Who’s in charge? My guess is Jerry.

But don’t count me among the many that think this is a bad idea. With Phillips fully in charge of the defense, the Cowboys will be tops in the league. His track record as a defensive coordinator speaks for itself.

Meanwhile, Jason Garrett is under fire for a mediocre season on offense last year. Mediocre means 13th in total yards, ninth in passing, 21st in rushing, 18th in scoring and 10th in touchdowns. Three categories were in the top half of the league, but Cowboys fans have high standards.

This season, Garrett will have to make changes in his play calling and maybe even the playbook to get his offense back to 2007 form.

Why add DeCamillis to the list? Because Jones did. Last year, the Dallas special teams were sub par. Special teams cost Dallas the Arizona game and had a hand in quite a few others.

Dallas concentrated on special teams skills in the draft, and Phillips has, uncharacteristically, begun to give DeCamillis more time in practice.

And if there were any thoughts he might have earned some latitude after he broke his neck in the practice facility collapse, DeCamillis brushed it off with energetic appearances in organized team activities, neck brace be damned.

The 2009 season rests on the shoulders of this trio, but they have been prepared to handle it.

DeCamillis has 21 years of experience in the NFL while Phillips boasts 32 years in the league. Garrett heads into his fifth season as a coach, but countless coaches and players said he proved to be more of a coach in his 12 seasons as a backup quarterback.

Both Phillips and Garrett come from a line of coaches. Phillips has been trying to coach his way out of the shadow that Bum Phillips’ 10-gallon hat casts. If he can lead the Cowboys to their first playoff win in 13 years, he’ll be well on his way.

Garrett’s father, Jim, was either a coach or a scout in the NFL for more than 30 years. Two of his brothers are coaching. John coaches tight ends for the Cowboys while another brother, Judd, serves as the assistant director of pro scouting.

While DeCamillis doesn’t hail from a long line of coaches, he may start his own. He has been coaching special teams in the NFL since 1988, and became the special teams coordinator for Dan Reeves’ New York Giants in 1993. Since then, his teams have put up outstanding numbers.

In 1996, his punt coverage team led the NFL in punts downed inside the 20-yard line. In consecutive years in Atlanta from 1997-98, DeCamillis’ punt coverage teams were top 10 in the NFL since 1978 in return yards allowed. In 2002, his punter, Chris Mohr, led the league in net average.

More recently, DeCamillis molded the Jacksonville Jaguars special teams into one of the best in the league. Last season, they led the league in opponents’ average starting field position and tied Washington for the fewest opponents’ kickoff returns of 20-or-more yards while finishing third in kickoff return average.

The man has an impressive record, but so do Garrett and Phillips. They understand that in long careers there are some rough seasons.

Look for all three to right the track in Dallas this season. At least two of their careers may hinge on it.