OXNARD, Calif. – The Dallas Cowboys are back in Oxnard for their last week of training camp on the West Coast. The Cowboys will head back to Dallas on Friday and will finish up camp at their headquarters in Frisco at the Star. Today, the coaching staff’s main focus is a “bone on bone practice,” to mimic the physicality of a real-life game performance and refine skills; To take practice a day at a time and work harder than the previous day.
Coach Garrett touched on Tavon Austin and how he has met expectations in Scott Linehan’s plan to utilize him in the offensive scheme “ he was a highly regarded player coming out of the draft. We feel fortunate we did not pay that top 10 pick for him but nonetheless there is still a lot of value there. You love what he is all about, his spirit and how hard he practices. The competitiveness he has… that has come to fruition for us in the first three weeks of training camp. When we got him we felt like he was versatile. A receiver outside, a play receiver inside, and in some ways you could use him in the backfield or in handing him the ball. As well as his capabilities as a punt returner, he has not disappointed at all… He has certainly shown he is capable of doing all that.
Austin was with the Los Angeles Rams for five seasons (2013-2017), but his full potential on the field was never unleashed. He had a total of two kick returns for the Rams in 2016-17 and last year amassed 59 carries, 270 yards, a 4.6 average, and one touchdown. His career high was 434 rushing yards in 2015, and 509 receiving yards in 2016.
The Cowboys plan to use him as a versatile player in the passing and run game, and in special teams. He has incredible speed and is smooth on routes. He has connected well with Dak Prescott at minicamp and during training camp stretching the field and making catches on critical plays down the sideline. He does well against corners on man-to-man coverage, like his touchdown in the Blue White Scrimmage where he reached over Charvarius Ward’s helmet to make the catch and pull the ball in. Prescott overthrew him but he was able to adjust and still make the play a success. That is what the Cowboys have been looking for. The Cowboys had a versatile player in Lance Dunbar in past years, but he could not stay healthy. Austin is a playmaker and No.10 will be one to watch throughout pre-season in a variety of ways in the offense. His ability is already causing an exciting reaction in the coaching staff and players!
