MOBILE, Ala. – The switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense will come into effect next season for the Cowboys.
Now the challenge becomes fitting the current personnel into that scheme, but defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and owner/GM Jerry Jones aren't concerned about growing pains or the subsequent changes that alteration could cause for the Dallas defenders.
"I think the personnel, looking at it, we looked at some things that might fit a 4-3," Kiffin said. "I don't believe we were going to hire a 4-3 coach. I don't think that was ever the plans for Coach (Jason) Garrett. He just wanted to get the coach he thought would fit."
That coach would be Kiffin, and now the job of fitting people into place belongs in large part to the defensive coordinator. He must figure out which players are suited best for a move to the 4-3, the same way he did masterfully in his 13 seasons as Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator. The head coach for the Bucs at that time was Tony Dungy, who said he thought it might take a couple years and drafts before Kiffin gets the right personnel for his scheme in Dallas.
Kiffin isn't planning to wait that long for his defense to work.
"We were starting from scratch there at Tampa Bay," Kiffin said. "It's a process, but we want to hit it running. This isn't a rebuilding four or five-year plan type deal. So hopefully we can get the process, speed it up a little bit."
It's possible Kiffin slightly tweaks his schemes to fit the Cowboys' defense, which isn't completely foreign to using four down linemen. As Jones mentioned, this defense has utilized more of a hybrid scheme in recent seasons than a straight 3-4.
"In training camp last year, I was asking some of the coaches, I said, 'OK, let's identify what we are,' and they just wouldn't go there," Jones said. "They said, 'We're a combination of 4-3 and 3-4."
Kiffin said it's the coaches' job to be able to fit his players into whatever defense he wants to call. He said a good coach should be able to lead any scheme.
"I totally believe that," Kiffin said. "You could run a 4-4. As long as you've got 11 guys. Just make sure you don't have 12. If you have 10, you're not very smart."
The Cowboys have utilized the 3-4 defense since Bill Parcells made the switch during his coaching tenure. Jones said he's known "for some time" that he's had the personnel to switch to the 4-3 defense, and the down linemen and linebackers have gone into a 4-3 defense "a reasonably good percentage of the time" in recent years.
He indicated there could be changes in technique and how the new defense is implemented, but he remains confident his current personnel can handle the switch.
"When we drafted (Tyrone) Crawford last year, we knew he could be an outstanding 4-3 lineman, not just handling the 3-4," Jones said. "I look at who we drafted over the last several years, and we don't have anyone that doesn't fit in both schemes. (Kyle) Wilber, our linebacker, could easily be a Sam linebacker in the 4-3. We've always tried where we can to keep our options open there."
The Cowboys hope a change in defensive philosophy might help stop division rivals in Washington and Philadelphia, both of which now have the personnel or coaching staff to implement fast-paced rushing schemes.
Kiffin said the read option is "making a name for itself," but he's more concerned with his own team's staff and players than he is about his NFC East competitors at the moment. He said he's in the process of figuring out where his front seven can play, and he emphasized the importance of finding the right fit for each player. But he doesn't want to rush that decision.
If he doesn't like a certain fit with his current personnel, he said the Senior Bowl offers a few prospects that could properly fit into the 4-3 scheme he wants to implement.
"To tell you the truth, we're just trying to get our staff together and get the players in the right place," Kiffin said. "We'll run a 4-3, and we're not going to make any quick decisions. We want to make sure we get the right people, the right place, and of course down there at the Senior Bowl, we've got some good players there. You're always looking to upgrade, so we're kind of busy with that right now."
