Brian Schottenheimer announces a decision that should make the Dallas Cowboys tougher, and it’s based on science
The Dallas Cowboys are going home early from mandatory minicamp. But expect a more intense training camp for Brian Schottenheimer’s team.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer called off his team’s final practice of mandatory minicamp. But don’t confuse that for him taking it easy on his players. In fact, he is set on demanding more from them in this year’s training camp than he did in Year 1 as head coach.
And the best part is that decision is based on science.
Schottenheimer announces plan for padded practices
After calling off the third and final minicamp practice, Schottenheimer revealed he plans to have more padded practices when the team heads to Oxnard, California in late July for training camp.
“I think we’ll have more padded practices,” Schottenheimer told reporters. “I do think that one thing I learned last year with the way we have our schedule and the short weeks and stuff, that we get tasked with playing with primetime games, and things like that.”
Schottenheimer isn’t making decisions based on guesswork, however. Instead, the additional workload is the result of insights from his sports science team. And he aims to make his players tougher.
“It’s a little harder to carry the pads later into the season,” the Cowboys head coach explained. “I do think talking with our sports science people that there’s a different way to really build some callouses during training camp.”
Increased padded practices are part of a larger plan
Schottenheimer’s explanation shows his forward thinking, too. Additional training camp practices are the foundation for how he wants his Cowboys to practice during the season.
“And then when the season starts we’re going to have a hard type of week, a medium type of week, and a light type of week,” Schottenheimer added. “But I think it’s important that you go from hard to medium to light. But you got to comeback to medium as you’re getting ready for the playoffs. But you have to explain that to the players so they understand it’s not a punishment.”
Sending his players home in Day 3 of minicamp raises morale, but it also sets the table for a more intense training camp. We’ll see what’s in store for Schottenheimer in Year 2 head coaching the Cowboys.