IRVING, Texas - It can still be an issue deciphering the specific roles of each coach after the various offseason changes, but it's no issue picking out the most impactful move.
That is, without question, the move to make Rod Marinelli the defensive coordinator.
Cowboys officials can say whatever they want about Monte Kiffin's new position and dress it up to sound almost like an upgrade by adding the title of assistant head coach, but the reality is Marinelli's now in charge of the defense. It's a switch that should help change the course of next season more significantly than any other coaching move.
For starters, Marinelli won't need to do much to at least improve the defense from where it was at last year as the NFL's worst total defense, allowing 415 yards per game. No other NFL team allowed even 400 yards per game.
In addition to earning the unwavering faith of all the many linemen who cycled in through Dallas last season, Marinelli also experienced recent success as a defensive coordinator in the NFL.
The Bears finished as the No. 5 total defense in Marinelli's final season as the defensive coordinator for Chicago in 2012. Throughout Marinelli's tenure, that defense had a penchant for pressure and takeaways. The Bears ranked in the top 10 in sacks, interceptions and forced fumbles in Marinelli's final season as coordinator.
Since arriving as the defensive line coach last season, he's preached the importance of finishing. A sack is not enough to Marinelli. He wants the ball to pop out and for his linemen to be athletic enough to take that to the house. He'll now get to preach the same objective to a wider audience on defense.
The Bears led the league with 24 interceptions in his final season in Chicago, returning eight of them for touchdowns. Chicago also ranked in the top 10 in total defense two out of three times during Marinelli's three years as coordinator.
Now, this is a different team he's dealing with. His personnel in Chicago undoubtedly played a role in those numbers. But Marinelli's recent past gives reason to believe this defense has a better chance to succeed under his tutelage, and no one would have scoffed had this changed been made last season. Any marginal change will be an improvement from finishing last in the league, but he gives the Cowboys the potential to be better than just "not the worst." [embedded_ad]
On the other side of the ball, there's no telling how the coaching decisions will work out. The Cowboys demoted a coach who's now still on the staff and part of the game-planning process on offense while adding to the mix a new play-caller and voice for the offense with new terminology.
Last year, owner/general manager Jerry Jones said it was his intention for Jason Garrett to be significantly less involved on offense before circumstances changed the original plan. What's to stop that from happening again if the offense is out of sync early on as it adjusts to Scott Linehan's offense?
The decision to make Marinelli the defensive coordinator is the major move everyone was waiting for, and it's the move that will make the most impact among the various changes that occurred to the coaching staff this offseason.
