A new feature on DallasCowboys.com this training camp is to hand out some Cowboys-themed "gold stars" after each padded practice here in Oxnard. Saturday's practice might have been the most heated of camp, but there was more than just a few scuffles, including some great plays from the rookies.
Lindsay Draper: My star of the day was "goal line Bo". Bo Scarbrough is benefiting from Ezekiel Elliott sitting out of some contact drills. Jason Garrett previewed today for us by telling us the first team and second team will each get a set of downs to score on the goal line. It's the one drill at camp where the players can actually hit each other. And with Elliott watching from the sidelines, that were very gassed up by the way - Scarbrough powered his way into the end zone. He also won a matchup in the compete period of practice as well.
Mickey Spagnola: In camp, when you are a rookie free agent from no more than Middle Tennessee State, man, you got to do something so everybody knows your name. Well, Saturday, cornerback Charvarius Ward did some doing, putting his name with his No. 40 jersey for really the first time in camp. In a two-on-two passing drill, he made an over-the-head interception of Dak Prescott's deep throw to Michael Gallup. Then later in a team drill, he had a breakup and also tight coverage on Tavon Austin, basically forcing the incompletion down the sideline. Remember it, No. 40, Charvarius Ward.
Rob Phillips: A week-plus into camp, this is an opportunity for young guys to show they're deserving of snaps in the first preseason game. Charvarius Ward did that today. He was all over the field as a reserve corner and did an excellent job trailing Tavon Austin on a go-route that fell incomplete. Add an interception off Dak Prescott and another breakup, and this easily was the best day of camp from the rookie free agent out of Middle Tennessee State.
Nick Eatman: Yes, it's hard to argue the Ward-train but another rookie was pretty good as well. Dorance Armstrong continues to shine and the coaches are definitely noticing. The fourth-round pick from Kansas got more reps with the first- and second-team units in the pass-rushing drills on Saturday. Armstrong might not be the most powerful rusher right, which is expected from a rookie, but you won't find many on this team with a quicker first step.
Bryan Broaddus: One thing you should never question about Kavon Frazier is his toughness. Frazier used that toughness on two separate occasions to help his teammates with a goal line stand. Frazier set the edge against a Zack Martin pull block which forced Bo Scarbrough to stay inside where he was tackled by Antwaun Woods and Joe Thomas. Scarbrough couldn't bounce the ball to the edge. Next play, Frazier played off a block by Blake Jarwin sliding down inside to tackle Jordan Chunn before he had a chance to get into the end zone.
David Helman: Any time a guy on the back end of the depth chart has a great day, I have to take notice. I don't think I had said the name "Charvarius Ward" more than once or twice during this camp — up until Saturday night, when he took over the practice. The undrafted rookie picked off Dak Prescott during Compete Period, with the entire team watching. He followed that up by tallying two PBU's during full-team reps against the second-team offense. It's all about making plays on the ball, and Ward did that a bunch on Saturday.
| Player Name | Star of the Day Total |
|---|---|
| Chidobe Awuzie | 5 |
| Terrance Willams | 4 |
| Dorance Armstrong | 3 |
| Charvarius Ward | 3 |
| Tyron Smith | 2 |
| Byron Jones | 2 |
| Michael Gallup | 2 |
| Dak Prescott | 1 |
| DeMarcus Lawrence | 1 |
| Allen Hurns | 1 |
| Rod Smith | 1 |
| Kavon Frazier | 1 |
| Tavon Austin | 1 |
| Cole Beasley | 1 |
| Charles Tapper | 1 |
| Connor Williams | 1 |
| Bo Scarbrough | 1 |
| Mekale McKay | 1 |
| Donovan Olumba | 1 |
