Sunday, January 11, 1998

Players knew coach's time was up; assistants unhappy

By Roger B. Brown And Donald Emmons / Knight-Ridder Newspapers

IRVING, Texas -- As Cowboys defensive tackle Antonio Anderson limped into the team's training complex at Valley Ranch on Friday, he was caught off guard. When Anderson came for therapy on his injured right knee, he didn't know that coach Barry Switzer had resigned.

"I still don't know what's going on," said Anderson as he hobbled into the locker room while Jerry Jones held a news conference at Valley Ranch to confirm Switzer's resignation.

Many of the Cowboys, however, expected Switzer's resignation. Some said it was necessary. Other team members didn't blame the "former" coach for the past two disappointing seasons.

"This was something that not only needed to be done but had to be done," defensive tackle Chad Hennings said. "Most of the guys felt that way.

"It was the small things like paying attention to details that eventually did in this team. We should take on some of that responsibility, but that ultimately falls on the coach. Discipline was a problem. And you need that on any level, from junior high to high school to colleges right on up to the professional level. That was something we were sorely lacking in."

All-Pro offensive lineman Larry Allen said the blame shouldn't be placed solely on Switzer.

"I thought it was our fault," said Allen, who Tuesday signed a six-year, $24 million contract. "We've just got to do a better job."

Veteran defensive tackle Tony Casillas, who played for Switzer when he coached at Oklahoma, said that Switzer didn't get a fair shake.

"Barry was in a no-win situation when he first came here," Casillas said. "I think it all goes back to his days at Oklahoma. Some people around here just can't forget about that.

"He never really had a chance because no matter what he did, he wasn't going to get the credit. However, he was going to get blamed for anything that went wrong. He was never going to live up to Jimmy's (Johnson) legacy, and people made sure he knew that."

Cornerback Kevin Smith said it might not be as tough for Switzer's successor to follow in his footsteps as it was for Switzer to follow Johnson.

"In a perfect world, Barry would be a great pro coach because he believes in letting the players motivate themselves," Smith said. "That's the way it should be on this level, but we live in an imperfect world. He knows how to get along with the guys, but some of the fellows took advantage of that.

"I don't know if his way of doing things is any worse than the way Jimmy Johnson did things. It's just that people aren't going to settle for losing around here because we're the Cowboys. And that's the real bottom line. He may have survived this kind of season someplace else, but not here. Something had to be done."

Not surprisingly, Switzer still had the support of assistant coaches on the day he officially stepped down.

"I think Barry Switzer has had a great coaching career," special-teams coach Joe Avezzano said. "He treated the assistant coaches here with great respect, and I think he deserves an awful lot of recognition for the things he's done in this profession."

Linebackers coach Jim Bates, whom Switzer hired to join the Cowboys' coaching staff for the 1996 season, expressed similar feelings.

"It's always a tough situation any time you lose a person that you've worked for," Bates said.

Veteran linebacker Vinson Smith said the players knew Switzer's days were numbered even before the season was over.

"It's hard on the players and the coaches any time you have a losing season," Smith said. "We are all under the gun right now. You have to do something just to show the fans that you're not going to settle for the kind of season we just went through, especially the Dallas Cowboys.

"Barry Switzer might just be the first person to go. But you can be sure there will be more changes to come."

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(c) 1998, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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