There is an energy at the Dallas Cowboys OTA practices this week. A buzz.
A “juice”, as Brian Schottenheimer has called it.
There are a lot of things that play into this. The media has picked up on various “Schotty-isms” that have a hand in conveying his competitive culture – like free throw contests and a locker room ping-pong table.
But he doesn’t just talk this talk at his press conferences – during which he sits at a table that’s at a personable eye-level – but he walks the walk all over The Star’s campus … most noticeably on the grass.
The practice field is where Dallas’ new head coach thrives in letting his new culture be heard.
And he’s making sure it’s loud.
His emphasis on hard work, character, competition and selflessness is trickling down to the players, and none other than the Cowboys’ longest-tenured veteran is taking notice.
Tuesday after his workout, quarterback Dak Prescott was asked about Schottenheimer’s intentionality at practice.
“Energy 100%, a lot of it … and starting from Schotty and down to the coaches,” Prescott said.
He continued with an example of Schotty carrying out this standard with members of his staff.
“I mean, he did a hell of a job of calling out the coaches in that instance yesterday and making sure that they’re accountable to that.
“And just to hear their response—and not only their response—the way that they approached practice and the way that they administered some energy and brought it themselves and made sure their players in each position group had it—collectively, you felt it out there in the practice yesterday and obviously today as well.”
CowboyCountry.com’s Mike Fisher was boots on the ground at The Star and noticed this energy, saying the defensive group was “primal, screaming loud” (in a good way).
That energy was started by Matt Eberflus and his staff.
“We’ve spoken very openly about trying to create one of the greatest cultures in professional sports,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday at his OTA press conference.
That starts with bringing the “juice”, and Schotty’s staff is fully bought-in.
Now Dak and the rest of the Cowboys are feeding off of it.
