Derrick Foster To Bring Intelligence To Cowboys Run Game

Now, with a noticeable turn to making the Cowboys a run-first football team under Brian Schottenheimer and his offensive staff with Klayton Adams, Conor Riley, and running backs coach Derrick Foster, the hope is that Dallas will be productive in the run game.

But something stood out when Foster spoke to the media about what he thinks is important for the offense.

"I think being a tough, physical team and a smart football team, I think that's extremely important," Foster said.

Hmm, a "smart" football team. That's an interesting choice of words. But what does he mean by that?

"I think it's all about understanding the blocking in the schemes of what we're doing," he added. "That goes into the classroom, once I teach those guys exactly what we're trying to get out of this play and Klayton [Adams] and coach Schotty [Schottenheimer] getting in front of the team and explaining exactly what we're trying to look for on this particular run play and guys just taking a deeper dive in the film room. 

"Once we get in the classroom, we just do a deeper study to understand exactly what is this play in particular and what we are trying to get accomplished.”

So, the Cowboys have a clear direction regarding where they want to go on offense, and that is to run the football first. Plus, when listening to Adams and Riley, there is a clear want to be a physical and violent offense - but they also want to be smart.

That, of course, starts up front with the offensive line, something that both Adams and Riley are well-versed in. 

Foster will be in charge of getting the running backs on the same page with the offensive line and playing "smart" football, something that we haven't really heard of as being a point of emphasis.

It might only be early, but this new Cowboys coaching staff is saying everything Cowboy Nation wants to hear.