FRISCO, Texas — The Cowboys have begun conducting interviews for defensive staff positions on Dan Quinn’s staff. Both Giff Smith and Aden Durde have been interviewed for roles, a source told D210SPORTS.
Smith served as the defensive line coach for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers the previous five seasons. Prior to his time with the Chargers, he spent stints with the Tennessee Titans (2014-2015) and the Buffalo Bills (2010-2012). During his tenure, he coached Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram III, Jurrell Kasey, and Kyle Williams to a total of eight pro bowl selections.
In Smith’s first year with the Chargers in 2016, the unit held the league’s 10th ranked rush defense and tallied the NFL’s second-highest percentage of tackles for a loss. That same year under his leadership, Joey Bosa was awarded NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors for leading the chargers and all NFL rookies in sacks with 10.5. The next year in 2017, Smith helped develop Bosa and Ingram into an elite power edge rush duo, leading the league in pressures and combining for 23 sacks. The team’s 43 sacks were tied for fifth in the league and the defensive front continuously wreaked havoc on quarterbacks, ranking third in the league in fewest passing yards allowed.
Smith has gotten the most out of his lineman at every stage of his career, playing into their individual strength’s and unleashing them on the gridiron.
Durde has been on Dan Quinn’s coaching staff with the Falcons the previous three years. He served as Atlanta’s defensive quality control coach (2018-2019) and outside linebackers’ coach (2020-present). He has the experience and capability of coaching linebackers and defensive lineman. Having familiarity and a prior working relationship with the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, Quinn, gives him an advantage. In 2019, Durde oversaw a squad that ranked 10th in the NFL in rush defense, limiting opponents to 103.5 rushing yards over the final eight weeks of the season. In the same timeframe, the Falcons accumulated 21 sacks during the final eight games (tied for 10th).
He also served as the head of football development at NFLUK where he helped initiate the International Player Pathway Program. In addition, Durde held the role of defensive coordinator of the London Warriors for six seasons.
In 2020, it is no secret the Cowboys’ defensive line struggled. Granted, the unit dealt with several key injuries including that of Gerald McCoy and Trysten Hill. McCoy suffered a torn quadriceps tendon before the season began and was released. Hill had earned a starting role, then tore his ACL in week five and was placed on the Reserve/Injured list. Antwaun Woods injured his ankle in week 15 against the 49ers and the team placed him on IR, ending his season.
Injuries can often be seen as an excuse but at the same time, it is a valid cause to the problem when the most talented players on the roster are not on the field. To top it off amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cowboys had to deal with an entirely new defensive coaching staff and scheme. Lineman that were used to a one-gap, get up and attack base 4-3, were now having to sit and hold at the line of scrimmage in a two-gap. The unit was not able to create the pressure and penetration from 3-4 looks and could not get off/out leverage blockers in the trenches. Then you had defensive ends, DeMarcus Lawrence and Aldon Smith rushing from a two-point stance standing up, as opposed to a three-point stance with one hand in the dirt that optimizes burst.
The staff simplified the scheme as the season wore on but by that point, the damage had already been done. The next man to fill the defensive line coach role, will be tasked with fitting scheme around player’s strengths and not the other way around; Learning what the current players left on contracts do best and harnessing it. Then along with Dan Quinn, finding players in the draft/free agency to complement the likely return to a 4-3.
