Cowboys coordinator Brian Schottenheimer explains what it's like working with Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is working with the third offensive coordinator of his career this season in Brian Schottenheimer. The pair interacted last season as Schottenheimer worked as an offensive analyst but now the duo are collaborating on a whole new level.
The former Seahawks assistant told reporters that he’d admired Prescott from afar during his time coaching elsewhere but now he’s experiencing the QB’s leadership firsthand.
“I love the man,” Schottenheimer said. “I love the work ethic. He’s a tireless preparer. The way the guys follow him. The way he wants to be coached, the way he wants to be open-minded to trying different things from a fundamental standpoint.
“That shows you the sign of a true winner, a champion, and I’m looking forward to working with him going forward.”
Like Prescott, one of Schottenheimer’s biggest strengths is connecting with the players and building relationships that lead to better results on the field. With several new faces joining the Cowboys offense this offseason, the first-year Cowboys coordinator says he is focused on making the unit feel like a family as they head toward training camp.
“All the guys have been great,” said Schottenheimer. “I want to make sure they feel like I feel that the connection piece is real. We want these guys to be connected. We truly look at it like a family.”
With OTAs and minicamp in the rearview, the Cowboys have a few weeks off before check-in for camp at the end of July. The past few weeks have been all about making those connections and working in the “wrinkles” that are changing Mike McCarthy’s offense.
Schottenheimer explains ‘Texas Coast’ offense
Dak Prescott revealed the team’s new name for the 2023 offensive scheme during minicamp, dubbing it the “Texas Coast” offense – a twist on the West Coast offense.
On Thursday, Brian Schottenheimer described what the “Texas Coast” means in terms of differences from last season.
“I’ve said it and I do believe it, it wasn’t broken,” Schottenheimer said of the previous offense under Kellen Moore, via Jon Machota. “What they’ve done here over the last five, six, seven years has been really good since Dak came into the league. We wanted to keep a lot of that in place. That’s what our players know. We’re a veteran, strong offense that has added some really cool pieces.
“We were very selective about the changes we made. We tried to protect some of the language, the things Dak has used for a long time. But we certainly added some wrinkles. Not to put a number on it, but we’re somewhere in that keep 70 percent-ish. We’ve certainly added some flavor.”