FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys came back from a 3-5 deficit to shock the world, finishing the season with the NFC East Title and 11-7 in the postseason. In looking back on the 2018-19 season, three assistant coaches made a dramatic difference in the turnaround outcome of America’s Team: Ben Bloom, Kris Richard, and Marc Colombo/ Hudson Houck.
Ben Bloom-linebacker coach: Bloom moved around in coaching positions with the Cowboys since 2011, where they hired him as the club’s defensive quality control coach and linebacker coach assistant under Matt Eberflus. In 2014 he worked with the team’s defensive line and in 2015, moved to working with Dallas’ defensive ends. In 2016 he worked as the club’s assistant coach/special projects advising Garrett on matchup and schemes. When Matt Eberflus took the defensive coordinator position with the Colts, Ben Bloom assumed the role of linebacker coach in 2018.
Bloom is one of, if perhaps the loudest, and most vocal coach during practices at the Star and on the sideline during games. He has had a substantial effect on the linebacker core this season.
Jaylon Smith had a resurgence this year on the field with 150 tackles, four sacks, 13 quarterback pressures, four pass defends, five tackles for a loss of 16 yards, and was ranked fifth in the league in 2018 for fumble return yards with 69. Rookie Leighton Vander Esch recorded 176 tackles in 2018- the most by A Cowboys’ rookie in franchise history. He amassed six pass defends, two interceptions, five QB pressures, and three tackles for a loss of seven yards. He was named the NFC’s Week 10 Defensive Player of the Week, and the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the month for November-after accumulating 39 tackles and two interceptions in November. He was added to the 2019 Pro Bowl roster in place of injured Luke Kuechly.
2X veteran Pro Bowl player Sean Lee was in and out of the lineup due to a hamstring issue this season, and Bloom had to constantly change the linebacker rotation to include Smith, Vander Esch, and Lee on a game-by-game basis.
I asked Sean Lee about Ben Bloom’s coaching ability and he stated, “ He has had a huge impact. Just look at the transition Leighton Vander Esch made to the NFL.”
The way this linebacker core has played throughout the season is a direct link to Bloom’s coaching ability and the fire he brings to the Cowboys’ defense.
Kris Richard-passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach: Richard was a defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks the previous three seasons after spending five seasons coaching defensive backs. He assumed the role of passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach in 2018 for the Cowboys. He was a candidate for the Miami Dolphins head coaching position, but the team is reportedly going with Patriots’ LB coach Brian Flores according to reports. Luckily for Dallas, Richard will apparently be back for the 2019 season.
The secondary raves about Richard and his presence in the coaching staff. At the outset of the 2018 season, Richard moved Byron Jones from safety to cornerback. The switch has been one of the best moves for the Cowboys’ defense.
Jones finished 2018 with 76 tackles, two tackles for a loss of seven yards, and 15 pass defends. The Cowboys’ defense placed seventh in the league in red zone defense, allowing only 25 touchdowns in 49 offensive appearances for a 51.0 %. That stat is largely due to Jones’ ability in man-to-man coverage. Jones beat opposing receivers in 2018, allowing a catch on only 50% of targets against him. He was one-of-three cornerbacks in the league to allow a catch percentage of 50% or lower in 2018 and allowed a QB rating of 74.8 on passes against him. He will be attending his first Pro Bowl in 2019. Chido Awuzie also had a career-high season with 84 tackles, an interception, and 13 pass defends; along with Xavier Woods who had 2 interceptions, 67 tackles, and nine pass defends.
Richard complimented Rod Marinelli on the defensive side of the ball and the two made a great coaching duo. Richard has an innovative mind when it comes to coverages in the backfield and quickly revamped Dallas’ last line of defense.
Marc Colombo/Hudson Houck- offensive line coach and consultant: Colombo, a former Cowboys’ offensive lineman, retired in 2012 as a player and made the transition to coaching, joining the team as an assistant in the personnel department in 2014. He was named the assistant offensive line coach in 2016, and when Paul Alexander was fired midway through the 2018 season, Colombo was upgraded to offensive line coach. The franchise brought in former longtime o-line coach Hudson Houck to be a consultant and advisor, helping Colombo with the coaching transition during the season.
Marc and Hud came in at week nine and helped the offensive line get back on track. Dallas’ o-line had a tough season battling through injury: Connor Williams had knee surgery, Zack Martin battled a knee injury, Tyron Smith dealt with a neck stinger and elbow injury, and Xavier Su’a-Filo had a gruesome eye injury and battled an ankle injury. It was a difficult task trying to gain chemistry within the offensive line when the lineup was constantly changing due to injury, but Marc and Hud managed to do it. Ezekiel Elliott earned the 2018 rushing title with 1,434 rushing yards on 304 carries.
