Tag: al harris

Cowboys’ Al Harris tracking to be a head coach sooner rather than later

Based on the way his players speak so highly of him, his increased responsibility and the results on field, Harris appears worthy of interviews in the next hiring cycle. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Let’s get this out of the way first. Stetson Bennett was awful on Sunday afternoon. The Los Angeles Rams backup was the undercard in the game, with all eyes focused on whether or not Cowboys backup QB Trey Lance showed signs of being “the guy”. Lance is the former No. 3 overall pick, acquired for a fourth rounder ahead of his third year, who hasn’t seen the field since 2022.

There’s hope in L.A. Bennett could be serviceable, but he was generally inaccurate and threw many passes directly to Cowboys. But the bigger point is the Cowboys’ down-roster backups caught what was thrown to them, as they have continuously done for the last three-plus seasons regardless of who was throwing for the opposition. There are two men who seem at the core of this continuous onslaught by the defensive backs; Will McClay and Al Harris.

And it’s about time that Harris, recently named assistant head coach, gets the flowers he deserves for what he’s done in his time on the Dallas coaching staff.

McClay is well renown for his ability to find talent. He’s cemented as the top personnel man in Dallas for over a decade now, and has been financially rewarded with General Manager pay despite the Jones family keeping that title in their inheritance package.

But someone has to coach that talent up to make sure it is capitalized on and doesn’t go to waste. Only one exhibition game into things, it’s becoming more apparant that Harris deserves the credit.

The 49-year old Coconut Creek, Florida original was hired by Mike McCarthy when the latter came to Dallas in 2020. He was part of Mike Nolan’s staff, but Nolan lasted just one season and was a horrible hire. Harris survived while fellow secondary coach Mo Linguist was removed from the equation.

In came Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt, Jr. in 2021, with the latter in charge of the defensive passing game but allowing Harris to take on more of the day-to-day coaching responsibilities.

All he’s done since is seen his direct reports in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland break longstanding NFL milestones and records in two of the last three years.

Diggs’ 11 interceptions in 2021 was the most since 1981. Bland leads the league in total picks across the last two seasons and in 2023 ran back five for touchdowns, an all-time NFL record. The Cowboys’ led the NFL in forced turnovers in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022 before finishing 13th last season.

And if Preseason Game 1 is any indication, Harris has his troops ready to go under his third, vastly different defensive coordinator in Mike Zimmer.

That’s the tweet.

Probably a combination of the two, Harris has been able to adapt his teachings to different defensive schemes and or he’s been given the latitude to simply do his own thing and the coordinators adapt to what he teaches.

Either way, he’s on the verge of proving himself as a true technique maven, and the new AHC title speaks to his ability to relate with his troops.

Back in May, Harris sat down with Cowboys’ beat reporter and analyst Patrik Walker about his new responsibilities.

Harris has become one of the most respected coaches in the league, and that means it’s only a matter of time before he takes yet another step forward in his coaching career.

“That’s my goal, and I’m pretty sure that’s [the goal of] every assistant coach here,” he said. “To have those responsibilities is big to me. I take that very seriously. Whatever we need, or need me to do to show my leadership skills, I’ll do.

“It’s big to me.”

“If this is the route I have to take, of course,” said Harris. “But, and I’m not telling you guys anything you don’t already know, you can call your own defense as a head coach, if you’re a defensive head coach. The ability to lead — I mean let’s call an ace an ace.

“[I’ve] been in the seat. There’s nothing you can come and tell me as a player that I won’t relate to. I’ve been in your seat. I can relate to you on and off the field, and keep your tires on the track.”

And that familiarity with greatness as a player (2x Pro Bowler) on his resume and a growing list of accolades for those he coaches, Harris is deserving of being brought in to interview for the several openings that will happen in the next head coach hiring cycle.

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Cowboys’ Al Harris ‘fired up’ to unleash Diggs, Bland as full-time starting CB duo

From @ToddBrock24f7: Both have turned in All-Pro campaigns, but Diggs and Bland have played relatively little together. A new era dawns this season.

Trevon Diggs led the NFL in interceptions in 2021. Last year, DaRon Bland set a new league record for most pick-sixes in a season.

The Cowboys’ presumptive starters at cornerback pose a significant challenge for opposing quarterbacks. But while each man has enjoyed an All-Pro season individually, packaging them together- on the field at the same time- is still a relatively new proposition.

It may be hard to believe given their respective successes, but there have been just 16 contests at all (postseason included) in which Diggs and Bland both took defensive snaps. They’ve started only ten total games together, and Bland played the nickel in every single one.

So when Cowboys defensive backs coach Al Harris was asked about trotting both of them out onto the field as his starting outside-CB tandem in 2024, the former two-time Pro Bowler lost his composure just long enough to drop a NSFW bomb to begin his answer.

“[Expletive], I’m fired up,” he beamed.

Harris notched 21 interceptions over his 14-year pro career. The fact that both Diggs and Bland are within realistic reach of topping his total this season- in their fifth and third years, respectively- is just a testament to the fact that, even at 49, Harris can still teach the gift of grab.

“When you can get guys that you’ve groomed and coached, mentored, and you see your work on tape, that’s all I can ask for as a coach,” he told reporters at The Star in Frisco this week.

“It’s, ‘Hey, look, I’m asking you to do this. I know your job is hard. Go out and do it.’ I’m fired up to see those guys out there together.”

It’s been a while since Diggs was out there at all. When the Cowboys’ Week 1 date in Cleveland finally rolls around, it will have been 357 days since his last appearance in a game. The ACL tear he suffered in practice last Sept. 21 has kept him sidelined ever since, but Harris promises the 25-year-old “looks good” in his rehab work.

As for Bland, Harris knows the fifth-round draft pick isn’t the league’s best-kept secret anymore. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have room to improve even further.

“Seven interceptions for a touchdown would be awesome,” he joked.

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In truth, Harris expects the Fresno State product to simply work on his consistency.

“Whether that’s playing it safe or making a play, just be consistent with it.”

He vows that won’t be a problem for Bland. Despite breaking a gaudy 30-year-old pick-six record last season, Bland, at least according to Harris, hasn’t changed a bit.

“Not at all. The man- you know, take the player out- the man isn’t that type of guy. He’ll always be able to handle success. He’s an extremely humble young man.”

Bland and Diggs both exude the quiet-yet-extreme confidence that also marked Harris as a player. It’s a trait that can be found running through the rest of the CB room, too, from longtime Cowboys stalwart Jourdan Lewis to second-year man Eric Scott Jr. and even (so far) to incoming rookie Caelen Carson.

That’s the way Harris likes his charges.

“One day, you could be great,” Harris cautions, “but there’s somebody who’s got your number.”

So now Harris is looking for each of his corners to take their game to the next level and boost their own numbers, even if they don’t come right out and announce they’re going to do it.

“Don’t stay. It doesn’t stop. You add on goals. That’s the approach that we take, as far as corners,” he explained. “So whether you have four picks, nine picks, 11 picks, you add on to that and you just keep rolling from there.

As for which one of his starters- Diggs or Bland- will have more success in 2024, Harris isn’t picking sides.

“That just depends on which side they throw the ball to the most.”

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Cowboys finalize 2024 coaching staff; WR coach Robert Prince adds new duties

From @ToddBrock24f7: Prince will add pass game coordinator to his existing job duties. Al Harris’ promotion is official; other staff tweaks were announced.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has put the final touches on his staff for the 2024 season, and several assistants have received promotions for the coming year.

Defensive backs coach Al Harris has, as expected and previously reported, been officially named the team’s assistant head coach, a role he’ll add to his current duties. The former Pro Bowl cornerback started on the coaching track when he interned with Joe Philbin’s Dolphins in 2012; he reunited with McCarthy, his onetime Packers coach, in Dallas in 2020.

“Al has been such an impactful member of our coaching staff and team,” McCarthy said, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m looking forward to his leadership in this expanded role. He’s a highly effective mentor and motivator, and our entire team will benefit from him taking this elevated step. Al’s dedication, teamwork, understanding of the game, and experience in developing the unique dynamics necessary to support a championship locker room are all a part of his special fit for this.”

Harris isn’t the only Cowboys staffer adding new responsibilities to his plate.

Robert Prince, the team’s wide receivers coach for the past two seasons and a veteran NFL and college coach for the better part of the past three decades, will serve as Cowboys’ new pass game coordinator. That role was previously held by Joe Whitt Jr., who left this offseason to become the Commanders’ new defensive coordinator under Dan Quinn.

Prince, 58, has previous experience as pass game coordinator at both Boise State and Colorado.

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ESPN’s Todd Archer points out a handful of other tweaks made to the Dallas org chart. Game management specialist Ryan Feder adds the title of assistant quarterbacks coach, assistant defensive backs coach Cannon Matthews becomes the new full-time safeties coach (after filling in for Whitt during the 2023 season), and assistant tight ends coach Chase Haslett is now listed as the Cowboys’ pass game specialist.

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Report: Cowboys expected to make Al Harris assistant head coach

From @ToddBrock24f7: Harris interviewed for the Cowboys’ DC job and was blocked from speaking with Washington; he’ll get a promotion for staying.

Most Cowboys fans feel the team has shown up embarrassingly late to the free agency party, watching almost ten players walk out the door while adding just one outsider and re-signing four of their own.

But as it turns out, the club may still be tweaking their 2024 coaching staff.

Defensive backs coach Al Harris is expected to be promoted, with an addition of assistant head coach being tacked on to his current title. That news comes courtesy of NFL insider Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, who cited a source in a Sunday night tweet.

Harris joined the Cowboys staff in 2020, reuniting with Mike McCarthy, who had coached him during his playing days in Green Bay. Harris has been a rising star within the coaching ranks, thanks in large part to blockbuster seasons from cornerbacks Trevon Diggs in 2022 and DaRon Bland in 2023.

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The 49-year-old Harris interviewed for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator role after the departure of Dan Quinn. Quinn then showed interest in possibly hiring Harris away to join his new staff in Washington, but the Cowboys blocked the Commanders’ interview request, electing instead to retain Harris as part of new DC Mike Zimmer’s staff.

Now it appears that a significant bump in title is coming Harris’s way as a show of what he means to the organization.

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Cowboys News: Zimmer reveals his plan, Giants deny access to DL coach

Dallas Cowboys roundup of Mike Zimmer press conference, Super Bowl analytics, and coaching changes. | From @ArmyChiefW3

The idea of Mike Zimmer as the new defensive coordinator of the Cowboys is starting to sink in and has been solidified by his words at his introductory press conference. One thing that will undoubtedly accompany him to Dallas is a zero-tolerance policy. Gone are the days of the man with the backward hat and the future holds a more fundamentally sound approach. The rules of football have not changed but the defense will look different from what everyone has been accustomed to.

One custom that has long been celebrated is the Super Bowl. Behind all of the glitz and glamour the game brings, the two teams may have left behind a blueprint that can reveal the secret to their success. On social media, Cowboys fans puffed their chests out when the team denied Washington permission to speak with Cowboys assistant Al Harris. While they did lose someone else, the favor was returned by another NFC East rival. Lastly, the Dallas Cowboys lost a family member recently as former lineman Tony Hutson has passed away. All that and much more in this edition of Cowboys news and notes.

Tug of war between Cowboys, Commanders as Quinn pulls, poaches

Quinn’s desire to bring over a bunch of familiar names at his new digs was met with some level of resistance by Dallas. | From @BenGrimaldi

The Dallas Cowboys finally lost defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to a head coaching job after fending off suitors for two offseasons. Quinn did a great job turning around a defense that was one of the worst in franchise history and was rewarded for his three years of service by getting one of the top 32 gigs in professional football.

Unfortunately, the coaching job he took was with the Washington Commanders. As NFC East rivals, the Commanders and Cowboys have a long history of feuds and hatred between the two iconic organizations, and Quinn’s hiring appears to be stoking the flames once again.

Quinn’s hiring meant he was going to try and bring along coaches he’s worked with in the past, which includes several position coaches in Dallas. Since Quinn’s been the head man with the Commanders, there’s been a healthy amount of tug of war between the two teams involving their coaches.

Here’s who’s gone, who might go, and who hasn’t been allowed to go with Mr. Quinn to Washington.

Report: Cowboys deny Commanders permission to speak with DB coach Al Harris

From @ToddBrock24f7: Dallas has now blocked requests for Dan Quinn’s new team to interview 2 key assistants. They granted permission to speak to 2 others.

Apparently Lunda Wells wasn’t the only Cowboys coworker Dan Quinn wanted to bring with him to Washington.

One day after it was revealed that the Dallas front office blocked the Commanders’ request to interview their tight ends coach for an opening on Quinn’s new staff in the nation’s capital, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports that the Cowboys’ longtime divisional rivals have had their eye on several other coaching assistants, too.

Per Archer, who cited a source, the Cowboys also denied the Commanders’ request to interview defensive backs coach Al Harris. Harris has been a popular name among some circles within Cowboys Nation to replace Quinn as the defensive coordinator in Dallas.

The 49-year-old hinted just a few weeks ago that he would drop everything to join a Quinn-led coaching staff.

“If Q was to go and get a head coaching job,” Harris said, “honestly, in whatever capacity he wanted me to come, I’m there. I’m there.”

It seems as though he won’t get that chance, at least not this year with Washington. League rules state that assistants must be allowed to interview with new clubs for a promotion to a coordinator role, but employers may block opposing teams from speaking to assistants about lateral moves to another assistant role.

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The Cowboys clearly have plans for Harris, but they did grant permission for the Commanders to speak with assistant defensive line coach Sharrif Floyd and defensive assistant Pete Ohnegian. Both were hired last February for the Cowboys’ 2023 season.

Upon his hiring last week in Washington, Quinn moved quickly to hire away Cowboys defensive passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and make him the Commanders’ new defensive coordinator.

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Cowboys control coach Al Harris’ fate unless Dan Quinn makes this bold move

Al Harris is under contract with the Cowboys so unless Dan Quinn is ready to promote Harris in Washington, Dallas can block a potential move

It’s not often that the most popular coach on the Cowboys is their defensive secondary coach, yet that’s exactly what seems to be the case in Dallas these days with coach Al Harris. The former Green Bay CB has developed star status on both a local and national level over the last season.

His ability to churn out star CB after star CB has earned him weekly screen time during broadcasts and an abnormal amount of discussion for a relatively green NFL coach. But numbers don’t lie, and DaRon Bland’s jump from a fifth-round pick in 2022 to the 2023 league leader in interceptions and all-time leader in interceptions returned for touchdown, is all awfully hard to ignore.

Bland’s season, on the heels of Trevon Digg’s spectacular 2021 season, served as the anointing oil for Harris’ NFL reputation. In the wake of Dan Quinn’s departure as defensive coordinator, it’s made Harris a hot name in Cowboys circles as well as Commanders circles.

While Harris’ ties go back to Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, he’s also seen as being fiercely loyal to Quinn. And with Quinn off to build his staff in Washington, many Cowboys fan have all but accepted the loss of Harris.

“Honestly, in whatever capacity he wanted me to come, I’m there,” Harris said hypothetically of Quinn. “It could be Alaska. He could be coaching the Alaska Bluebirds…”

In a recent offseason interview, Harris went on record saying he’d essentially follow Quinn to the ends of the Earth if Quinn came calling. And frankly, why wouldn’t Quinn call? Harris helped develop a Day 2 and Day 3 pick into All Pros, seemingly overnight. That’s a valuable skillset every franchise would love to have on their coaching staff.

There’s only one problem with that: the Cowboys have Harris under contract.

Unless Harris is being promoted to defensive coordinator, Quinn can’t poach him from Dallas. And given Harris’ inexperience across the defense, that’s an unlikely elevation for Quinn to make.

Harris has only been the secondary coach for four seasons. Before that, he’s just served in assistant and intern roles. He hasn’t worked other position groups nor has he called plays. The jump from where he is today to defensive coordinator is enormous, even if Quinn wanted to hold his hand early on.

Harris’ recent celebrity status has made him a hot name in many circles, and rightfully so. But his inexperience makes him a longshot for a coordinator post in 2024 and that may ultimately keep him in Dallas one more season.

With that said, the Cowboys may exercise goodwill to Harris and grant him permission to follow Quinn to Washington. Perhaps whoever they bring in to replace Quinn as defensive coordinator prefers it that way. Regardless, unless Quinn is ready to promote Harris, the Cowboys can block any move.

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11 candidates for Cowboys vacant defensive coordinator position

The Cowboys are in need of fresh perspective in the defensive coordinator role, but it may be a difficult fill. 11 candidates, both internal and external. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys are in a unique situation now. They are going to have to find a new defensive coordinator after the departure of Dan Quinn. Quinn became Washington’s new head coach, and will have a playground to work with that includes $63 million in cap space and the No. 2 overall selection in a QB-heavy draft class.

That Dallas needs to replace a coordinator isn’t a big deal. The fact that their head coach is going into the final year of his contract without an extension is what makes things difficult. Defensive assistants in positive environments, or with a bunch of opportunities, might hesitate to pack up their lives (and families) for what might be a one-and-done.

On the other hand, veteran defensive minds might look at this as an opportunity to audition for one of the most famous sports jobs in America. Theoretically, a coach with experience would be in line to be at worst an interim hire should things go bad for Mike McCarthy’s offense and an in-season firing happened. They’d at least get consideration for the gig were Dallas to move on from McCarthy at the end of the 2024 season.

And if there’s success? Then the DC would be in running for head coach job elsewhere in 2025. With that in mind, here’s a collection of names —both internal and external —that could be on Jerry Jones and company’s radar as the interview process convenes.

3 internal defensive coordinator options for Cowboys if Dan Quinn leaves

If the Cowboys want to replace Dan Quinn at defensive coordinator with internal options, these three Cowboys assistance headline the list. | From @ReidDHanson

And just like, that the Cowboys season has come to an end. After being upset 48-32 to the No. 7 seeded Packers on Sunday, Dallas now must assess the future of their coaching staff. While head coach Mike McCarthy draws the bulk of the attention in this matter, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is every bit on the block as McCarthy. And that’s regardless of whether or not he is hired away as a head coach elswhere.

After starting the season red hot, Quinn’s defense cooled as the season progressed. The Cowboys defense ranked 20th in EPA/play over the last four weeks of the season. Over that same period, they ranked 28th in success rate against, with 47.7% of plays against them being successful.

In the postseason things only got worse, with the Cowboys yielding a historic performance to a first-year starting QB. For as poorly as the Dallas offense played, Love’s 1.13 EPA/play against the Cowboys defense is the most by a playoff QB in the last 24 years.

Mental mistakes and discipline were season-long issues on defense. When good times came, good times rolled. But all too often bad plays happened in bunches and disaster befell the Cowboys in avalanche form. A change is likely needed and with Quinn reportedly interviewing for positions elsewhere, change is likely.

But what if the Cowboys stay the course with McCarthy? What if they want to buy time for one more year and resist big moves which require long-term commitments?

Then promoting from within may be Dallas’ preferred course of action in 2024