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USA Today Sports’ Jarrett Bell breaks up his conversation with Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson before being inducted into the NFL HOF.
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As Mike McCarthy recounts, he’s about to get off the road when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called him to alert McCarthy that his team would be featured in this season’s “Hard Knocks”.
Do dozens of NFL Films cameras have access to the inside of the Cowboys? An even brighter spotlight than the one “America’s Team” is already commanding, as McCarthy seeks to remedy a poor 6-10 first campaign in Dallas? McCarthy would not have voted for the arrangement.
“I’m just going to be honest, I almost destroyed my truck when Jerry called,” McCarthy said when the Cowboys arrived at training camp. “But once I’m back on the road, I’m on top of it.”
Also in attendance are Cowboys fans, who got a glimpse of the conversations and personalities of the players and coaches. The first episode of “Hard Knocks: The Dallas Cowboys” debuts Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on HBO. Five weekly episodes are scheduled in total, with the final episode airing two days before the Cowboys’ trip to Tampa Bay for the NFL season opener.
But which players on the 90-player list are most likely to shine in docuseries? Which coaches will emerge as the key faces of 2021? Here are USA TODAY Sports’ top five recommendations for who to follow in the series:
Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons
Parsons previously worked with the NFL Films crew this spring, a level of comfort reflected by Parsons fraternizing with cameramen in some Southern California practices. Parsons is a natural “Hard Knocks” star selection both because of his vibrant and likable personality and because of the tantalizing talent he projects to be on the pitch. It offers filmmakers smiles and jokes as well as team drill pass breakups and interceptions.
How long will it take for the versatile cover man / pass rusher to threaten with this Cowboys defense? Coordinator Dan Quinn aims to speed up that schedule by paying close attention to Parsons, including in individual post-workout sessions. A more in-depth look at this dynamic would delight Cowboys fans.
So would an exploration of the multi-faceted competitive nature of Parsons. The 22-year-old has already challenged teammates like Amari Cooper to games of chess and Connect Four. The results of these games have been mostly secret. Could the “Hard Knocks” episodes change that?
Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn
Whether he’s coaching defensive ends on their exit or defensive tackles on how best to disengage from a keeper, Dan Quinn has already shown a knack for effectively connecting with his players in practices and around the world. facilities. Cowboy players marveled as he challenged their note-taking skills with a vintage rap song, and they celebrate the reviews from him as a sign that he believes in their potential.
Maybe “Hard Knocks” will temper the curses that spring from Quinn’s mouth as he hovers over the rigs and drills. Either way, the man tasked with toppling a historically bad Cowboys defense is likely to command screen time throughout all five episodes.
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Quarterback Dak Prescott
Of course, the first 15 seasons of “Hard Knocks” embraced neglected and marginalized players. But the NFL Films / HBO partnership would be wise to consider compelling veterans on the Cowboys roster, and none are more compelling than Prescott.
The quarterback started 73 straight Cowboys games before his season-ending ankle injury last October. He is making his comeback and receiving $ 40 million to lead the team this season. How well will Prescott’s spirit and snark show through in the elements at the mic? What about his friendship with draft classmate Ezekiel Elliott, as each enters their sixth year – and each celebrated birthdays during training camp? Already, NFL Films released a clip of Prescott poking second-year quarterback Ben DiNucci about his loot counter. Expect more Prescott zingers as the season progresses.
Linebacker Jaylon Smith
With Prescott and Elliott, Smith could push the 2016 draft class in contention for screen time with the 2021 squad. Smith is already embracing the spotlight, his Clear Eye View mentality fueling his energy as well as his motivation to prove the Cowboys have it. right by drafting him out despite a horrific knee injury – then signing him before fully assessing his potential. Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, first player of 2018, will challenge Parsons for the title of top linebacker on this list from Dallas. The veteran duo thrived during Vander Esch’s rookie year, but Vander Esch has since run out of time due to injury while Smith’s tackling and pitch leadership has been inconsistent. Smith embraced Quinn’s plan and his potential to include blitz packages for him.
Smith also insisted that he is blocking the harsh criticisms leveled at him in 2020 – because “Michael Jordan had criticism. James Lebron. Some of the best players in the world. Cowboys fans looking to see if Smith propped up his game will be hungry for any insight “Hard Knocks” can provide.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones
It was Jones who adopted the “Hard Knocks” team as an “easy decision”. Jones celebrates all the attention to the franchise he has incorporated into a spectacle bigger than football. And the Cowboys owner is also intimately involved in talent assessment during training camp, watching practices from an observation tower between the two fields – often with family members.
The “Hard Knocks” cameras have spent time in these observation towers, and Jones will likely give them some leeway to capture his reaction when players like wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and defensive end Randy Gregory flash. Perhaps an earlier episode is more likely to include Jones’ opening press conference, when he was overcome with emotion at how much he yearns to bring the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl. But expect several goals for the 78-year-old throughout the docuseries, including a seat next to him in training.
Premium: The “Hard Knocks” team of about 30 people have eyes and ears all over the Cowboys camp. They will therefore determine which low profile players are the most convincing. But based on practice, defenders including defensive end Tarell Basham and rookie cornerback Kelvin Joseph have shown the kind of advantage that excites a film crew. Receiver Malik Turner and tight end Sean McKeon are talents who have stood out in practice but face an uphill battle in crowded position rooms. An interesting consideration: Would Cowboys staff members, who review the footage before it air, consider downplaying stars like Turner and McKeon in hopes of hiding one on the practice squad? NFL fans will soon know if they tune in to the Cowboys’ third appearance in “Hard Knocks.”
“The Cowboys are going to take care of us,” Prescott said. “If you want to be awesome you have to understand the cameras and all of these things are going to happen. So this is something that I adopted. We’re having fun, and we don’t necessarily care.
“They are doing their job. We are doing our job.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.
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