IRVING, Texas -- According to offensive coordinator Bill Callahan, his job didn’t change one bit when the Dallas Cowboys switched their play-calling structure.
Head coach Jason Garrett opted to move quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson up to the press box with Callahan and took over Wilson’s old role relaying plays from Callahan to quarterback Tony Romo. However, Callahan strongly confirmed Garrett’s earlier statements that the head coach isn’t exercising veto power by changing the offensive coordinator’s play calls.
“Nothing has changed in terms of the play calling whatsoever,” Callahan said. “There [are] not changes of plays and things like that. Here is what I think everyone needs to understand: There is great communication amongst the offensive coaches. Jason is a part of this process of game planning and being on the sideline during the game. I think he’s just become more active with Tony in that regard because he has been, and rightfully so, he’s had that relationship with him on the sideline in his career and he wanted to get back to that a little bit more, and he should.
“There is no changing of plays and that nature because everything has been laid out as we go into a game. We come in at half and then we’ll tweak it or look at what we want to amend or bring up or possibly showcase a little bit more. But really, there is no changing of plays. There is no power struggle or anything like that.”
Callahan said he’s “all for” the changes instituted by Garrett during the bye week, which followed the Cowboys averaging only 278.4 yards over a five-game span, bottoming out with 193 yards in a 49-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
After that game, Garrett said he had the authority to take over play-calling duties, which he gave up this offseason at the insistence of owner/general manager Jerry Jones. However, Garrett said he had no intention to exercise that authority, opting to stay the course with Callahan and alter the play-calling structure.
Despite those changes, Callahan said the mechanics of play calling hasn’t changed at all from his perspective. The only difference to him is that he’s speaking to a different coach who relays the wrist-band number of the play called into Romo.
The communication between Callahan and Garrett hasn’t changed, either, according to the offensive coordinator. Callahan said much of that communication is Garrett asking him between offensive series about his plans for the next possession.
“All throughout, it’s been real consistent,” Callahan said. “I think Coach [Garrett] has always injected his thoughts and his observations and his ideas, not only on game day but during the week. We’re all working the game plan together. We’re all in there together. …
“It wasn’t a big change. But it’s positive. If it helps Tony, if it helps us, that’s great.”