Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer Installs 3 Gadget Formations In Offense Reveal: 'I Don't Play Static!'

Last season, we heard the chorus of people asking the Dallas Cowboys' offense to implement more shifts and motions to help jumble the picture for the defense.

But under Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys' offense didn't utilize that all too often, but under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, they will.

Having spoken about it back at OTAs and minicamp, training camp was going to be our first look to see if Schotty would be true to his word, and he was.

In the opening two days, there were numerous pre-snap motion looks, along with the speed at which the group broke from the huddle, all designed to prevent the defense from getting a read on what the offense was trying to do, thereby making it tougher to stop.

And for Schottenheimer, he delved into what he likes using so many pre-snap shifts and motions.

“I don't like to play static,” Schottenheimer said. “I think being static as an offense makes it easier on the defense. These defenses, if we just line up in a certain formation, we kind of let them see things, it's easy for them. So, when you shift or change the picture or you motion, it helps disguise that a little bit.

"Of course, when you're using your motions, they're very different. Your motions make them adjust on the run. So, if you shift, the defense can reload, but when you motion, they can't because you're snapping the ball on the run. So, we have those. We like those. Right now we're playing around with some of the ones that we believe that we'll use, but we change them up pretty regularly.”

Schotty even said specifically that Dallas might use shotgun, pistol and wildcat formations.

Considering the outcry last season of the Cowboys' offense looking a bit stale and running the same thing, Schottenheimer is doing everything he can to make sure the defense, on any given play, doesn't know what's coming.

Granted, it will be a process in getting this offense running in the manner that Schotty wants, but things appear to be going in the right direction. Yes, the pads aren't on yet, so we will hold our true evaluation, but there will be a big difference in how the Cowboys' offense operates compared to previous years.

Change has come to The Star personnel and coaching-wise, and now scheme-wise too.