By CHIP BROWN
Associated Press
(August 11, 1996)
AUSTIN - More important than Michael Irvin's return to practice
with the Dallas Cowboys this week was the return of cornerback
Kevin Smith, whose recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon is critical
to the Super Bowl champs.
In his first practice on Wednesday, Smith closed quickly on an
out route by Irvin and batted the ball away. A couple plays later,
Smith made up ground and deflected a 50-yard pass away from former
sprinter Ed Hervey.
Each day since, he has blanketed receivers with a blazing backpedal
and powerful bursts on his cuts.
"I was ready a month before we came to training camp, and
I will be ready on Sept. 2 against the (Chicago) Bears,"
Smith said. "I am not scared about the tendon. If it pops,
it goes. But it's just as strong as it was before."
If Smith suffers any setbacks, the Cowboys will have to move Deion
Sanders from receiver back to cornerback and then find a wideout
who can fill in for Irvin, who is suspended for the first five
games.
In other words, chaos.
But the first test of Smith's Achilles in live contact drills
this week brought smiles to coaches and players.
"It doesn't look like he's lost a step," said Dallas
coach Barry Switzer. "What he's done out here makes us think
that he can play a whole game and a whole season.
"The key is when he has to play when he's tired and how does
the tendon perform over the long haul for four quarters. Playing
five or six or seven snaps is not playing four quarters."
Smith says the tendon requires more warmup before practice and
icing down after practice, which he doesn't like. He says the
tendon tightens up if he isn't in motion and still causes some
pain, like a "slightly sprained ankle."
But he says he hasn't lost any speed.
"I am able to hang with the guys out here right now,"
Smith said. "I don't know how pretty it looks, but I seem
to get to the ball. I am content with that."
Smith's presence in practice has been a welcomed relief for defensive
backs coach Mike Zimmer, who has watched Sanders play receiver
while growing frustrated with backup corners Alundis Brice, Buster
Owens, Wendell Davis and Reggie Reser.
"I am really excited because if you watch the rest of practice,
it looks like Pearl Harbor out here," Zimmer said. "I've
finally got one corner who can come out here and cover a little
bit."
Smith, a first-round draft pick from Texas A&M in 1992, tore
his right Achilles' tendon in the Cowboys' 1995 season-opener.
It happened 24 hours after he signed a long-term contract that
will make him a Cowboy for life.
"It's going to mean a lot personally to take the field in
Chicago," Smith said. "I have never been injured like
that. Team-wise, I know that the team needs me when Deion plays
wideout."
Pro Bowl safety Darren Woodson said the team has "a totally
different defense if Kevin isn't out there."
"The defense has confidence when he's on the field because
everyone knows he will make plays and take care of his assignments,"
Woodsen said. "He's one of the top corners in the league.
He takes guys out of the game."
Switzer says the real test for Smith will come on AstroTurf, the
surface on which he suffered his injury.
"He's got to gain confidence in stopping and starting and
changing directions on turf because his injury was caused on the
same surface," Switzer said.
Smith said it was frustrating to watch his team win a Super Bowl
without him. Zimmer teases him about whether he deserved to pick
up his ring.
"I don't want to watch another Super Bowl from the sidelines,"
he said. "No way."