Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer's emphasis on fundamentals shouldn't be mistaken with conservative style

Mike Zimmer's 35-minute press conference was filled with important insights into his coaching style from connecting to young players to his initial thoughts on coaching Micah Parsons as he takes over as defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.

But one of the biggest highlights of the press conference was his response to questions about whether or not turnovers would be as huge of an emphasis as they were under Dan Quinn, whose defense in Dallas led the NFL in takeaways twice. 

In Zimmer's view, football doesn't work like Madden where you set your settings to being an aggressive/balanced/conservative defense. It's about little things leading to bigger ones. In other words, you can't eat your takeaways dessert without eating your fundamental veggies. 

"If you look at turnovers, typically they come from quarterback hits, overthrows, you know, things like that, where quarterbacks make the wrong reads," Zimmer explained. "You knock the ball out of somebody's hands because you're physical. I think all those things kind of incorporate all of those things."

Now, although Zimmer is all about having the fundamentals of football down, his philosophy shouldn't fool Cowboys fans into thinking he won't prioritize taking the ball away. Instead, it's precisely those fundamentals who will enable his defense to get the ball back to the offense.

"In my opinion, I've always felt like you have to be fundamentally sound to get to the football in the right way," he added. "And then, once you get there, now it's doing that. And then, you know, if you never hit the quarterback, you're not going to get turnovers. So, um, you know, obviously, we're always going to try and hit the quarterback."

In fact, it's that soundness that allows Zimmer to remain an aggressive coach who will often disguise coverages and utilize a complete plan to pressure through blitzes, many of which will happen through the A-gaps. 

Zimmer mentioned competitiveness and technique as two of the big things that haven't changed for him as a coach all these years deep into his career as he'll turn 68 before next season starts. 

He needs to prove it on gamedays, of course. But Zimmer's first impression has been a strong one so far.