Dallas Cowboys: A good QB coach is the key for Dak

In Dak Prescott’s second season as quarterback, his interceptions increased, his completion percentage fell, and he dealt with more hardships. This makes a legit quarterbacks coach key to his success.

In 2016, the Dallas Cowboys drafted Dak Prescott in the fourth round. At that point, Dak was seen as nothing more than project. Buried deep on the depth chart behind Tony Romo and Kellen Moore, Dak more than likely was a candidate for the practice squad.

When Moore broke his leg and Romo suffered a lower back injury in preseason, Dak moved up the depth chart and became the starting quarterback.

Sooner rather than later, the Cowboys realized they had a hidden gem in Dak as he guided the Cowboys to an 11-game winning streak, a 13-3 record, a divisional crown, and a first round bye in the playoffs.

Dak finished the season with 3,667 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, four interceptions, completed 67.8 percent of his passes, averaged 229.2 passing yards a game, and had a quarterback rating of 104.9.

With that performance, Dak won ROY (Rookie of the Year honors) and was hailed as the franchise quarterback, the saving grace after Romo’s injury.

Further, Dak broke Tom Brady‘s record for most pass attempts to start a career without an interception with 176. Talk about a bright future! The Cowboys were set, until adversity struck.

Star running back Ezekiel Elliott found himself suspended and left tackle Tyron Smith suffered half the season with significant injuries. The coaching staff was clueless as to how to handle this. As a result, they stunted Dak’s growth in his development as the franchise signal caller of America’s Team.

And the only way Dak will get better is with offensive continuity, meaning a bright and cerebral quarterbacks coach that can help him maximize his full potential as a field general.

The Cowboys took that step in hiring former backup Moore as the new Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach.

Some critics don’t like the hire, but whatever happened last season wasn’t working. And I believe Moore will be a good hire, someone who has a high football IQ and a fresh set of eyes to benefit Dak.

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To put it bluntly, Jason Garrett and Scott Linehan don’t know how to help Dak in becoming a better quarterback. It’s embarrassing on so many levels, considering Garrett is a former backup quarterback, and played behind one of the best ever, Troy Aikman.

Ditto Linehan furthering Dak’s development. Heck, Linehan doesn’t even know how to stop a no-name defensive end from recording six sacks and looking like a Hall of Famer in the process.

That’s why it’s very important for someone like Moore to coach up Dak.

He’s a former QB who just left the game and understands how it operates in 2018, not 1918, like Garrett and Linehan.

Of course, it would be ideal if Garrett and Linehan could assist more with Dak, but that’s not the case. Looking back on Dak’s rookie season, his success can be attributed to one person only. That would be Romo.

Dak stated that Tony did a great job in helping him during his rookie season. If you go back and watch the game film, you can see Romo was right beside Dak on the sidelines, pointing out several things.

It’s no coincidence why Dak’s second year was rough. Not having Romo to coach him up really hurt. A savvy veteran like Romo was an invaluable mentor for Dak.

That’s why I believe Moore is essential to Dak developing into a top-notch quarterback.

Just because Moore wasn’t a Pro Bowler doesn’t mean he’s not capable of being a really good quarterbacks coach.

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Instead of being a third string quarterback, Moore has only one job now, focusing on the important things that make a good quarterback, like pocket awareness, accuracy, footwork, mechanics and going through progressions, and understanding pre-snap reads.

Because only a good teacher can make a good student great.

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