Dallas Cowboys: Leighton Vander Esch reveals defensive differences

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch talked about the defense under Mike Nolan

One of the bigger mysteries surrounding the Dallas Cowboys entering into the 2020 regular season concerns their defense. This group experienced the most changes in the offseason and the Cowboys undoubtedly hope it’s enough to propel this unit to new heights.

Now, that’s not to say that the team’s defense was terrible last year. In fact, this unit finished ninth in total yards allowed (5,232) and 11th in scoring defense, allowing an average of just 20.1 points to opposing offenses. But they did lose several key starters to free agency this offseason including cornerback Byron Jones, defensive end Robert Quinn, and safety Jeff Heath.

To no one’s surprise, this unit continued to struggle when it came to forcing takeaways. The defense ranked 26th in total takeaways with 17. Their combined seven interceptions were tied for dead last in the NFL in 2019.

The biggest change to this unit over the offseason was the hiring of a new defensive coordinator in Mike Nolan, who takes over for longtime coach Rod Marinelli and passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Kris Richard. Under Nolan, the Cowboys’ defensive scheme is expected to be more multiple and creative.

One thing Nolan emphasized early on about the changes he plans to implement to the Dallas defense is that the scheme will be much more complex than it has been in recent years. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch confirmed as much during a video press conference this week when asked about the team’s defensive differences under Nolan.

"“I think it’s mainly just disguising and just knowing and simplifying things. And making sure you know what you’re looking at. Your keys. It’s really detailed. And I think we just keep adding things to our arsenal that we’re going to be able to throw out on the field come gameday. But just the variety and just being able to play fast.”"

Two keywords fans should take away from Vander Esch’s quote are disguising and variety. This is a stark difference from the previous regime in Dallas whose approach was much more open about the schemes they were running, essentially threatening teams to beat it.

In fact, former Cowboys’ safety George Iloka recently revealed just how little the previous defensive coaching staff cared about disguising their coverages. On an episode of the Late Night Hype podcast in May, Iloka recounted an incident when Richard actually corrected him when he tried to disguise the fact they were playing in Cover 3.

Out of their eight losses from last season, four of the Dallas Cowboys’ defeats were decided by a margin of four points or less. With an offense that ranked first in total yards in 2019, the Cowboys are hoping the hiring of a new defensive coaching staff and introduction of a new scheme can make up that difference.