(KRT)
The Cowboys must pare their roster from 82 to 60 on Aug. 20, three days
after Saturday's pre-season game against Denver.
Most teams have 80 players, but the Cowboys received World League exemptions
for offensive linemen George Hegamin and Michael Batiste.
With cuts imminent, coach Barry Switzer said he doesn't want his assistant
coaches wasting time criticizing players who will obviously be cut.
"I told our coaches, 'When you're grading the film, don't be dog-cussing
someone who's not going to be here. If you do, you're wasting a lot of energy
and effort.' "
Coach Barry Switzer doesn't like the way his defense is playing.
Dallas has allowed 97 points in three pre-season games, including at least
30 points in each contest.
"I have some questions about how good we can be on defense because
if we can't control the line of scrimmage we can't beat anybody," Switzer
said. "It starts right there on defense. If you can't control the line
of scrimmage, I don't care how many good people you have that can play pass
coverage because the other team doesn't have to throw the football. ...
They can get the third-and-two and third-and-one situations. You can have
four Deions back there and it won't matter."
With so little experienced depth, coach Barry Switzer said the Cowboys
need to make the most out of their practice time.
"We need a lot of group work. A lot of one-on-one blocking, but we
can't just have middle drills and beat up on each other," Switzer said.
"We need technique and teaching work because some of these guys are
going to have to play. They'll get better as we move along."
Second-year receiver Oronde Gadsden fractured the orbital bone below
his right eye on Monday when Dave Megget's elbow penetrated his face mask
during a vicious collision in the first quarter.
Gadsden, who moved ahead of Stepfret Williams as the club's No. 3 receiver
last week, is out indefinitely.
Pro Bowl tight end Jay Novacek continues to rehabilitate his back, but no
timetable has been set for his return to the practice field.
"He can't do the Stairmaster fast and he hasn't run. He said it feels
better than it has in some time, but he hasn't been working real hard,"
coach Barry Switzer Switzer said. "Without Novacek and Michael Irvin
we have problems - big problems - because we can't replace them."
(c) 1996, Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information
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