Brian Schottenheimer likely had 'imperative' demand to land the Dallas Cowboys head coaching job
Now that Brian Schottenheimer is the Dallas Cowboys head coach, there's one question many fans are asking: Will he call the plays? It's an important question to ask, as it strongly impacts the assessment we can have of the decision to make Schottenheimer head coach. Though not confirmed by the team just yet, the short […]
Now that Brian Schottenheimer is the Dallas Cowboys head coach, there's one question many fans are asking: Will he call the plays?
It's an important question to ask, as it strongly impacts the assessment we can have of the decision to make Schottenheimer head coach. Though not confirmed by the team just yet, the short answer is yes, you can expect him to be the play caller moving forward.
Here's why: NFL Network's Jane Slater recently reported that "wherever he goes (calling plays) was "imperative" for him to in his next job. All City DLLS insider Joe Hoyt reported earlier in the week that there was intrigue about what Schottenheimer could do as the main play caller.
Though he was the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys in 2023 and 2024, it's hard to say how much influence he had on McCarthy's play calling, which makes his play calling somewhat of a mystery. His passing game will likely still demand refined footwork from quarterback Dak Prescott, based on Schottenheimer's comments on it in the past. When asked last training camp about Prescott's future, he highlighted how footwork would continue to improve.
As for what fans might expect, perhaps his time in Seattle paints a clearer picture, which is why I reached out to analytics expert and known Seahawks connoisseur Ben Baldwin for his insight on Schottenheimer's scheme.
"He will probably call too many run plays, but one advantage of this is that his belief that the run game sets up play action leads him to use play action a lot," Baldwin told A to Z Sports. "I would say that there were times that he was more effective at getting Russell Wilson to play in structure than a lot of his other OCs have been, but this came and went at times."
Schottenheimer's running game is likely to center around inside zone concepts, which is what's been run in Dallas for years now while the passing game will likely resemble the Air Coryell/West Coast offense that's become familiar for the Cowboys.
Schottenheimer's coaching staff, which is expected to include Jason Witten, might reveal more about what the franchise is planning. For now, fans can bet on Brian being the one on Dak Prescott's ears on gameday.
