The Cowboys’ change on offense from Kellen Moore to Mike McCarthy as play caller is supposed to have the biggest effect on Dak Prescott.
The perception is Prescott needs a new voice in his ear about what to do and how to do it at quarterback. He’s spent the first seven NFL seasons (97 starts) with Kellen Moore as a quarterbacks coach and offensive play caller.
Now McCarthy, the head coach, takes over.
While Prescott said it “sucks” to lose Moore, he pushes back on the notion he needs a new voice.
“Kellen’s voice was great,” Prescott told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday from the Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Beacon of Hope community luncheon about mental health awareness. “[Quarterback coach Doug] Nussmeier’s voice was amazing. It’s not like that I haven’t been coached by Mike. He’s always coached me; that’s not going to be new. I can’t say that’s a proper statement. As I said, it has happened. I am excited about that new voice.”
Everyone associated with the Cowboys will say this change was inevitable. McCarthy took the lead in this area with his comments at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ executive vice president, said there were philosophical differences between McCarthy and Moore.
These issues didn’t lead to the men throwing tablets at each other or blocking each other’s phone numbers. (At least we think not.) McCarthy sought change within the offense, whether it’s running the ball more, changing the blocking scheme, getting receiver Michael Gallup more involved in horizontal routes or just calling the game differently.
It’s McCarthy’s right to make changes. He is, after all, the head coach.
And while everyone outside The Star is freaking out about these changes, Prescott sounded like a voice of reason Tuesday.
“Change is inevitable, you can’t stop that,” he said. “It obviously happens so at this point just excited for what’s new. A little percentage of the offense is going to change. Excited knowing [McCarthy] had a lot of success calling the game [and] knowing that the way he sees the game being called for the quarterback. Excited.”
When the 2022 season ended, Prescott vowed his NFL-leading 15 interceptions wouldn’t happen again. A change in voices won’t reduce the turnovers. What helps is making the right decisions with the football and hoping the receivers, who weren’t the best at running routes in 2022, get on point downfield. Prescott knows this better than anyone who cashes checks from team owner Jerry Jones. The scrutiny Prescott is under is intense, similar to the man who was QB1 before him in Tony Romo.
Prescott, meanwhile, like everyone else associated with the Cowboys, has the belief this team is close to ending the Super Bowl drought that’s reached 27 years.
Everything starts with McCarthy calling the plays and with Prescott executing the plan. The team is devoted to Prescott, even saying a contract extension is looming, something Stephen Jones alluded to last week and was backed by Prescott.
“I’m excited to be a Dallas Cowboy,” Prescott said. “Always dreamed to be here. Now that I’m here, I don’t expect to play for any other team. Now it’s just about winning and now it’s about to get that done and just to hear the [support from the] front office. Looking forward to an extension. When that time comes it will happen. I’m with Stephen, it may just happen overnight. When it happens, it happens. It will be great.”
Prescott isn’t going anywhere, regardless of whether you believe he’s the best option at his position. He’s got the backing of the front office and he’s showing support for McCarthy, the man who believes changing to a timing-based West Coast offense will benefit everyone.
Once again, Prescott said he doesn’t need a new voice, he’s always had McCarthy.
Now he gets it full-time.
“It sucks losing Kellen, but like I said, change is inevitable,” he said. “[McCarthy is] excited to get back into it and dive into it and to be so engaged. It’s a change. But it’s going to be good.”
