Wednesday, August 26, 1998

Linebacker Dexter Coakley adds muscle, speed to improve his durability

By Brad Townsend

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

DALLAS - Dexter Coakley knew he was stronger. He knew the 15 pounds he had added this offseason mostly was lean muscle mass.

What Coakley did not know was how the added muscle would affect his best asset as a linebacker: His speed.

The moment of truth arrived in late June, two weeks before training camp. The Cowboys' strength and conditioning staff timed Coakley and his teammates in the 40-yard sprint.

"I warmed up, got ready, and when I ran down the track, I saw the players' reaction," Coakley said. "I was like, 'Whoa, what did I do?' "

Coakley, a 4.35 to 4.45 sprinter prior to his weight gain, ran a 4.28. So much for concerns that he might have sacrificed speed for muscle.

It is a bigger AND faster Coakley who is entering his second NFL season, which potentially is a good thing for the Cowboys. They are counting on a breakout year by Coakley.

That may seem a lot to ask, since Coakley led all NFL rookies in tackles (136), breaking Robert Jones' 1992 Cowboys' rookie record of 108.

While starting all 16 games at weakside linebacker last year, Coakley showed big-play capability that may be second only to Deion Sanders among Dallas defenders. But the Cowboys are looking for more consistency from the 25-year-old from Appalachian State.

"When you're inexperienced, I think consistency is a question," defensive coordinator Dave Campo said. "That's going to firm up. He's going to consistently make more plays."

Two differences, the Cowboys believe, will bring more consistency to Coakley's game this season.

One of the differences is strategy. By altering their 4-3 set to an overshifted 4-3, the Cowboys hope their lineman will be in better position to penetrate, or at least occupy opposing linemen, freeing the linebackers to make more plays.

Last year, Coakley often found himself fending off offensive tackles and tight ends.

"Dave Campo came up with a great scheme," Coakley said. "Anytime I can run and utilize my speed, it's a great asset for me."

The other difference is Coakley. Last year, his playing weight ranged between 215 and 220. This year, he entered training camp weighing 235, and he said he plans to stay between 230 and 235 all season.

"Physically, he can handle the big linemen, but sometimes he can get engulfed with a big guy, where he doesn't see the football," Campo said. "But as far as him knocking him off the ball, they won't do that because he's got great leverage, and he's got real good pop.

"We'll try to keep the big linemen off of him, just so he can see the ball and go get it."

As Coakley showed last year, big things sometimes happen when he is free to roam and react. He intercepted a pass during the season opener at Pittsburgh. During the Monday night game at Washington, Coakley had 11 tackles and a 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

But as the season wore on, Coakley admitted, he wore down. Opponents realized that instead of running to the strong side, away from Coakley (plays in which he often used his speed to catch ball carriers from behind), they were more effective running at him.

"I had to take on more blocks," he said. "They started doing things in the offensive formation, trying to make me the strongside linebacker, blocking with tight ends out of the backfield ... I knew to make it at this level, and to be consistent at what I'm doing, I couldn't continue to play at 215, 220."

Coakley credits strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek's offseason weight program. Coakley already had a chiseled upper body. Most of the muscle he added is in the thighs, hips and torso.

"He's the top worker in the gym," Juraszek said. "I can check my clock every morning at 8:45, and Dexter will walk in the door. Consistency is the key to all facets in life, and he's extremely dedicated, consistent. He's committed to what he wants to do."

Of course, the Cowboys have come to expect no less of Coakley. How else does one rise from high school defensive back to Division I-AA All-America linebacker to NFL rookie starter?

"I feel the durability coming now," Coakley said. "I feel like I can last 16 games, the playoffs and possibly going to the Super Bowl, with the constant banging at the linebacking situation."

And, as a bonus, he got faster, too.

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com/

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.