McCarthy Hints Cowboys Might Use RB Elliott & Pollard Together
FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy early Monday offered a logical reason for why he prefers to not detail too deeply the personnel groups he's using at training camp here inside The Star: Secrecy figures an an advantage to a new coaching staff.
“I’m not really going to talk about how we’re going to use our players,'' McCarthy said. "We want to keep that as close to the vest as possible.”
But he did acknowledge something that has been unveiled in the early days of workouts: The utilization of All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott in the same backfield, at the same time, with young Tony Pollard.
Pollard selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, is already locked in as a "change-of-pace'' back behind Elliott. In his rookie season, the electric Pollard totaled 455 yards and two touchdowns on 86 carries (5.3 yards per rush), plus 15 catches for 107 yards.
Elliott, meanwhile, was in 2019 coming off of two NFL rushing titles in his first three seasons and then ended some contractual drama in the fall by signing his six-year $90 million extension. ... and then totaled 1,357 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns (both numbers good for fourth in the NFL). And in terms of all-purpose yards, Zeke totaled 1,777 yards (second in the NFL). And for anyone who thinks he'd lost something as he approaches his mid-20's, Elliott also led the NFL with seven 100-yard games.
“I’m not really concerned with (Elliott losing anything) because the guy I saw on film was a guy getting four-plus every time he touched the ball,'' McCarthy said. "(He has) excellent vision and gives us the ability to run between tackles.”
And will a bit of sharing be an issue for the superstar back?
"I can’t say enough about Zeke’s professionalism,'' the coach said. "He sits in the front row. Asks great questions ... He's part of the leadership group of our football team.”
In 2020, it might not be as much about individual numbers - something Elliott swears he cares very little about. While Dallas is also emphasizing 11-Personnel in this camp (featuring rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb joining Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup) It might be about total production with a lead back in Zeke and a sidekick in Pollard ... on the field at the same time.
