I always welcome the opportunity when we in the media get the chance to watch practice whether it's training or mini camps or OTAs because it always gives me clues to what we might see during the season. The Cowboys offensively have always had some form of a zone running scheme in the attack but now with Bill Callahan as the play caller and Frank Pollack's background with the Texans as part of the coaching staff, we are seeing it featured more in the way they would like to run the ball. With the zone scheme, you need linemen that are light on their feet but also have an understanding of how to play with leverage on the move.
I have never felt like Phil Costa was a great blocker one-on-one in a power scheme but put him on the move and he has a chance to finish his block. Where Costa can help this line is his ability to play on his feet because he does have the initial quickness to snap, step and work his arm underneath to gain position on his man. In this scheme, contact to the defender is [embedded_ad] vital and Costa has a nice feel for how to make this work. At center you can't be slow footed or be behind on your block. It's a constant fight to work your body into position in the effort to give that ball carrier a little room to get up the field because all he is looking for is a little space to make that cut. Where Costa was his absolute best was in the Baltimore contest where he was able to handle defenders on both levels as Garrett was attacking their front with zone runs. Costa was outstanding when it came to cutting the Ravens defense in half with his movement and blocks.
From what I have been able to observe through these past several weeks, is that if there continues to be a commitment by this offensive staff to run the ball in one back sets and multiple tight end packages, then this an outstanding fit for Phil Costa because he does have the experience and the ability to succeed in this type of an offense. Will the front office and coaches give him a fighting chance to win the job? I feel like they will and a sign of that is if you see Frederick getting some work during training camp at guard, then he really has a good shot.
