FRISCO, Texas – If there was one thing that stood out the most in Christian Parker's initial press conference last week, he's got a level of confidence with him that we haven't quite seen before on this coaching staff.
Now, I'm not saying he's the smartest person in the room … he just seems like it.
And that's not saying Parker was arrogant or egotistical in any way during his press conference, it's just an aurora about him that was as evident as the excitement Brian Schottenehimer had sitting next to him.
It seems like the Cowboys have found themselves a good one here at defensive coordinator. Then again, nothing really matters until the pads come on and you have to figure out how to stop Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley with the Eagles – a couple of guys he should know a little about having practiced against them for the last couple of years.
Obviously, my point is that words – especially in mid-February – can only get you so far. And just being a smart person doesn't exactly mean you're going to be able to coach defense. I wouldn't exactly expect the folks at NASA to know how to stop the Tush Push either.
But I know this, Christian Parker is a smart football coach. And the way he wants to play football this year will demand his players need to be smart, too.
Multiple fronts? Parker said the core principles of the defense will be "3-4 by nature, but 4-3 spacing will be appropriate, 4-2-5 in nickel, different front structures, coverages behind it." Parker added that "being multiple is probably the most important thing."
I mean, just typing that out sounds a little overwhelming. Now, it's not out of the ordinary for teams to play different schemes throughout the season – one week a little more than the other. But if you're going to truly be multiple – meaning you could play 3-4, 4-3 and 4-2-5 on three straight downs in the same series, then it's not going to be a simple task for these players to learn right away.
It sounds easy enough, but it can't be or every team would be able to do it. Not only do you need the type of players who can be versatile enough to play multiple positions, but it's going to take a level of Football IQ that we haven't always seen around here either.
And that's the question I asked Parker immediately after the press conference in the short walk-off session, asking just how important Football IQ is to playing the type of defense he wants.
"It's very important. That's where it starts," Parker explained. "Anytime you're doing something, you don't want to beat yourself. More games are lost than they're won. Us being able to do things on our terms and doing things the right way. It starts with the players you can acquire."
And let's be clear about something – Football IQ isn't just about being smart or not. It's way more than that and it comes down to understanding the game, the concepts and their role on each specific play.
One thing that I keep hearing, even before the press conference, but then from Parker himself, is the importance of teaching players the "why" more than just where to be and where to go. It's one thing to tell a linebacker where he needs to line up on this particular play. But it's another to explain why they're there and what the defense is truly trying to accomplish. Now that sounds like teaching. We've all been in classrooms (some a lot longer removed than others) where the teachers either tell you the answer or explain it.
Sounds like Parker really wants to go out of his way to explain the defense to these players and do it in a way that can help them play differently than we've seen before. So yes, it's up to him to be able to teach it, but the players also have to be willing to learn as well.
And when it comes to teaching, this is the time for all of that. No, it's not football season until late July when the pads come on. But class will be in session long before that.
