FRISCO, Texas – Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula will not return to the Dallas Cowboys for the 2021 season, the team announced Friday.
Last season, the Cowboys (6-10) awarded the most points in franchise history (473) and finished 31st in the league in run defense. In the final loss of the season to the New York Giants, they allowed 23 points, including 20 in the first half, for an offense that did not score more than 19 in five weeks.
The unit has played better along the way with 12 innings in the last four games after scoring just 11 in the first 12 games, but this was partially helped by facing backup defenders from Cincinnati, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
“I am grateful for my relationship with Mike and Jim and I am grateful for the contributions they both made to our team in difficult conditions in 2020,” coach Mike McCarthy said in a statement. “These are never easy decisions to make and we wish them and their families the best in the future.”
Speaking to Dallas’ 105.3 Fan at various times of the season, owner and general manager Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones complained about the discordant scheme – from a 4-3 to a hybrid look – made by the Cowboys during a off-season in which the coaches could only meet virtually with the players.
Unable to gain practical experience until the start of a shortened training camp, the Cowboys defense fought hard. They finished on the 23rd place in the courts per game (31 vs. race, 11 vs. passes) and 28 on points (29.6). Cowboys allowed 69 games of 20 yards or more, including 51 passes and 18 runs.
In the other three periods, the Cowboys allowed a franchise record in points, the organization made either a change of scheme or a change of coach.
After scoring 436 points in 2010, Jason Garrett was named full-time head coach after taking over Wade Phillips in the middle of the season and hiring Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator. In 2013, they awarded 432 points in Monte Kiffin’s first year as coordinator, and he was replaced by Rod Marinelli. After giving up 405 points in 2004, Bill Parcells went from 4-3 to 3-4, but kept Mike Zimmer as coordinator.
Head coach Mike McCarthy and Nolan have a long experience together. In 2005, Nolan hired McCarthy as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, which helped him beat the Green Bay Packers a year later.
But the defense could not find its footing. While suffering some injuries to Leighton Vander Esch (collarbone, ankle), Trysten Hill (knee) and Trevon Diggs (leg), they were not hit as hard as the Cowboys offense.
Their larger free agent pickups were either injured in the camp (defensive lineman Gerald McCoy), did not take the team out of the camp (safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix), were changed (Everson Griffen), or were released. due to poor play in the middle of the season (defensive forward Dontari Poe, defender Daryl Worley).
If the Cowboys are looking for a replacement, George Edwards has spent the year as a senior defensive assistant. He was Zimmer’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2019.
But the first question to be answered is what kind of scheme the Cowboys want to use. In Green Bay, McCarthy used a 3-4 scheme for most of his term. If he wants to continue with the hybrid look that Nolan has tried to use, adding players to fit the scheme will be an off-season priority. In all but three years of their time in Green Bay, the Packers used a 3-4 scheme.