Jenkins and Scandrick to split starting role, alternate week to week

by scottmaui on Sep 4, 2009 2:48 AM CDT Comment 9 comments

DCFanatic.com has the news from CBS 11 Sports:

CBS 11 Sports has learned that Cowboys coaches have sat down with cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick Thursday, telling the two players what the plan will be at right corner to start this season.

Jenkins and Scandrick have been battling since May for the starting position.

The plan, as the coaches told the men, is that they will alternate the two each week as the starter. The players will be platooned through the season.

During the 16-game season Jenkins will start for the team in week 1 at Tampa Bay. Scandrick will start against the Giants in the Cowboys home opener week 2.

CBS 11 Sports talked to both after the coaches decision Thursday. Scandrick called it a good solution, Jenkins said "they want to keep the battle going apparently."

Both were told that if one of them gets hot and does particularly well the team will use that player more.

Assistant Secondary coach Brett Maxis says they didn't feel it was fair to name a clear-cut starter.

Somehow I had a feeling this might happen. There are pros and cons, but having two young players who are both good enough to start and not being able to figure out which one is ahead of the other is not the worst problem to have! Neither one has separated himself from the other to make himself the clear starter, so the competition will continue into the season and each will get opportunities to win more playing time through their production. I think one drawback is that it doesn't give one guy a chance to just get into the rhythm of the position, but rotating them from game to game is better in this regard than rotating them from series to series within a game, so at least for each game one guy will assume the role. And though both of them will still be on the field plenty each game in certain packages, having them alternate carrying the load could actually help them both stay fresh for the the long haul. And not like they necessarily need extra motivation to play hard and give everything they've got, but knowing that they are still really competing for the long-term starting job should make each one push as hard as they can to excel. Hard to tell how much their draft positions and the emotional/motivational factor comes into play: judging them purely based on their performance, or hedging based on not wanting Jenkins to go "in the tank" as they say by losing the starting job.

So what do you think? Wade being wishy-washy and should just pick a starter? Or a good solution for now to get the most out of both and give them both a fair opportunity going forward?

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If it is indeed true I think it's a great decision

It basically just extends the competition.

I’m totally pulling for Scandrick, though. Guy’s tough, one of(if not THE) fastest players on the team, is great in coverage, and seems like an extremely intelligent player. Jenkins is great as well, so I’m not too concerned, but if I absolutely had to pick one over the other I’d go with Scandrick.

Epic Fail since 1985

by the red scare on Sep 4, 2009 3:40 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it is a decent compromise to the situation

I think that both players will push hard during the season and maybe this way neither one will let up because the coaching staff has told them that they are still competing for the long term No. 2 CB. I think that the two scenarios were:

1. Jenkins is placed as the starter due to draft status and the competition being neck & neck, Jenkins may not handle not having the starter role better than Scandrick.

2. Scandrick is better suited for the slot so he should be the one who is rotated in as the 3rd CB to come in on nickel packages.

I like this setup because it walks the balance between Jenkins (perceived) mental state and Scandrick’s pride. I am sure that both feel that they should be the starter, but actual games will be the acid test for each player. Preseason is not a true reflection of the defense they will run and is not the same as a live game. The games will bear out who has done a better job; but let’s take a look at the upcoming schedule to see who they will have as opponents.

1. Bucs
2. Gints
3. Panthers
4. Denver
5. KC
6. Bye
7. Atlanta

I think that by the time the Bye week comes around the coaches will have a better idea on how to use these two players. Assuming that Tnew, Jenkins, and Scandrick stay healthy; or if one of them is struggling with the role they have been given when it is their week. I will concede that the move is unorthodox but I do not think it is a terrible idea.

Ignore the Mainstream Media, EMBRACE THE HATE!!!!

by cowboy78 on Sep 4, 2009 7:07 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it's a good idea

It keeps them both hungry and determined to win the job eventually.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Sep 4, 2009 8:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I just have a feeling

That this is all going to be a moot point soon. I’m nervous T-New is gonna get hurt returning punts. Then they’ll both be starting

Never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake. - Napoleon

by MadDawg03 on Sep 4, 2009 9:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Seems fair, keeps them both working hard,

and we really have three starting CB’s anyway, which is a really nice situation.

"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin

by 24Hz on Sep 4, 2009 9:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

my feeling is.

Wade could care less about a players ego I think he’s a good talent evaluator and will do what he thinks is best for the team and he’ll use their strengths to allow his d to put as much pressure on qb’s as possible. Jmubclhwbtbro. Btw scott I enjoy your posts very much keep them coming….

I don't need a compass to know which way the wind shines....

by hashishkabob on Sep 4, 2009 11:20 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

hey thanks bro

by scottmaui on Sep 5, 2009 2:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Scandrick to start 5 of 6 NFC East games

I don’t think they’ll continue the competition this long, but DCFanatic points out that if the alternating starts were to continue for the whole season, Scandrick would start in both Giants and both Eagles games and 1 Skins game, 5 of the 6 division matchups. They had to choose which one would start the season knowing which games they would play, so in reality this tells us that Scandrick is actually winning the competition. Plus as DCF mentions he will play slot in the nickel so he actually has 2 jobs. My guess is that if he plays like they/we expect I think it is only a matter of time before he’s the regular starter.

by scottmaui on Sep 5, 2009 2:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Whoever "wins" this competition...

We’re still looking at the two future starters for the Cowboys (once age starts anchor T-New’s game). Both these guys will see significant playing time this year either way. If the nothing else the cowboys will see plenty of 3-wide packages this year which may necessitate the need to have all 3 corners on the field.

The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.

by gee-roj on Sep 5, 2009 7:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs