What Tomsula - Another 'Ball Guy' - Adds to McCarthy's Cowboys Staff

FRISCO - New Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is a Pittsburgh guy, a "ball guy'' in the parlance, and so it stands to reason that the staff he's assembling here inside The Star might also feature some other "ball guys'' and maybe even a Pittsburgh guy.

#Cowboys Staff Tracker: Naming Names On Who Could Work For New Coach McCarthy - And Some at The Star Advice for the New 'Ball Guy' https://t.co/kBxYcpnDHC via @SInow pic.twitter.com/sa3tkXjoIU
— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) January 8, 2020

Welcome to Dallas, Jim Tomsula.

McCarthy, the ninth head coach in Cowboys history as he takes over for Jason Garrett, has already tabbed Mike Nolan as his defensive coordinator; McCarthy and Nolan go way back, with Niners ties.

Tomsula is also a Niners guy, a former head coach in San Francisco who has mostly built his reputation as a defensive line coach, the role he will fill in Dallas.

Cowboys Give Coach McCarthy a 5-Year Deal and A 'Secret Weapon' Named 'Jerry Jones.' (Yes, Really) https://t.co/rzJ11e7jYT via @fishsports
— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) January 7, 2020

There is obviously an ongoing changing of the guard on the Dallas defensive staff, with coordinator Rod Marinelli and top aide Kris Richard no longer under contract.

Tomsula, 51, was the Niners head coach in 2015 after serving as their D-line coach from 2007-14. Tomsula has spent the past three seasons as Washington’s D-line coach.

So is he just a "tough guy''? Our man John Owning of our Best Coast Boys podcast (and the Dallas Morning News) notes that maybe Tomsula is a bit more complex than that ...

Huge fan of the Tomsula and Fassel hires. Tomsula (from what I hear) is technician who harps a lot on leverage, angles, block destruction and hand combat. Fassel will bring a lot ingenuity and the STs should see an immediate improvement under his tutelage.
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) January 9, 2020

In Dallas, McCarthy, Nolan, Tomsula and the front office will have to reload when it comes to the defensive line. End DeMarcus Lawrence remains the centerpiece, but others like Robert Quinn, Michael Bennett and Maliek Collins are scheduled to become free agents. Dallas could get help from a healthy return from injury (and maybe a contract reduction) from Tyrone Crawford and surely needs more from second-round defensive tackle Trysten Hill, who was not a factor in his rookie season with the Cowboys.