AUSTIN, Texas (KRT) - Cornerback is a crucial and demanding position. The
Dallas Cowboys have increased the challenge for Alundis Brice.
Dallas defensive coordinator Dave Campo and secondary coach Mike Zimmer
have concluded Brice could be a prominent figure in determining whether
the Cowboys become more like the teams pursuing them - challengers with
powerful offenses and incendiary defenses. The Cowboys confront that uncertain
fate depending on several players, none more unproven than Brice.
"Alundis Brice has to become a player," Campo said Tuesday.
There are no defensive positions more important than cover cornerback and
pass-rusher. The Cowboys contend with major uncertainties in both regards
as long as Deion Sanders is playing wide receiver while Kevin Smith and
Charles Haley are not practicing.
Brice is confident he can capably perform, that he can replace Smith if
his comeback fails or Sanders if the defensive playmaker becomes more of
an impact offensive player. That Brice has any confidence remaining is somewhat
remarkable considering what has happened throughout training camp.
He constantly has been matched in coverage against Sanders. Furthermore,
to make it as difficult as possible for Brice, the coaches have forced him
to play bump-and-run coverage.
Sanders, who knows the technique and possesses the speed to defeat it, has
prevailed most of the time.
"I'm not down about Deion beating me," Brice said. "He knows
every time he comes up, I'm going to do that one thing - motor and stick.
It's pretty easy for him when he knows what I'm doing, especially since
he taught me how to do it.
"I think I can cover Deion on any given day. Deion is a great receiver
and a great athlete, but I'm not going to give him the advantage of thinking
I don't want to cover him. I want to cover Deion every day."
But the more Sanders plays offense and Brice cornerback, the more the Cowboys
are reminded just how desperately they need Sanders on defense. On the few
occasions Brice plays the proper technique and runs with the receiver, he
has had trouble turning and locating the ball.
Coach Barry Switzer approached Brice before the first practice Tuesday.
He knew Brice had played terribly in a weekend scrimmage, improper technique
and a strained hamstring contributing to his problems. Switzer told the
player his only concern was that he so often contradicted the mechanics
his coaches have been teaching.
The loss of Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown, the suspension and release of Clayton
Holmes, Smith's medical problems and Sanders' manic approach to playing
wide receiver has made Brice the common denominator in a situation confused
with possibilities.
Switzer said if Smith is healthy, then Sanders can play offense while Brice
takes Sanders' defensive spot. But if Smith is not healthy, then Sanders
has to play every down on defense with Brice deployed at the other cornerback
position.
Switzer has called the cornerback dilemma the most unnerving development
of training camp. The potential for trouble there combined with a depleted
defensive line where Hurvin McCormack ranks as the third-best end and tackle
in camp has Campo concerned about maintaining the high performance standards
of the recent past.
"I think we're going to put a representative defense on the field,"
he said.
The secondary play has been so abysmal that Campo rushed onto the practice
field Tuesday morning to congratulate a cornerback not for making an interception
or deflecting a pass but for merely making a tackle. Brice has been beaten
as often as anybody.
"They've been throwing at me," he said. "But if I get beat
here, I won't get beat in the games."
Brice started in Brown's place against the Oakland Raiders last season.
He played well, even though he had not regained muscle tone and conditioning
while recovering from the gunshot wound he suffered while playing peacemaker
at Mississippi.
"It feels a lot better knowing I'm preparing to be a part of something
now," he said. "I know this year I'm preparing to play NFL football,
not practice squad or filling in for somebody. I know that Sunday or Monday
night I'm going to be covering somebody's receivers and helping the Dallas
Cowboys to another Super Bowl."
(c) 1996, Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information
Services.