OXNARD, Calif. -- Michael Irvin was wearing an NFL Network shirt on Monday, but he could not hide his allegiance to the Dallas Cowboys. He never can.

“I’m their No. 1 guy when it comes to sometimes allowing my heart to control my head in assessing the Dallas Cowboys,” Irvin said. “But right now there’s a nervous anticipation about the season and that’s just the truth of it.”

What has Irvin with this nervous anticipation is knowing what he knows about Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and that offensive line and what he hopes he knows about the Cowboys’ running game.

So far in training camp, Darren McFadden hasn’t practiced, although that is scheduled to happen Saturday. Lance Dunbar has missed six days with a sprained ankle but the hope is he returns next week. Joseph Randle could not finish Monday’s practice because of a strained oblique, but he returned to work Tuesday in a limited fashion but didn’t participate in team drills.

Even if was 100 percent healthy, he was unlikely to play much or at all Thursday against the San Diego Chargers.

Earlier in the offseason, Irvin was critical of the Cowboys’ decision to let DeMarco Murray and his 1,845 yards walk in the offseason.

“I’m still waiting to see,” Irvin said. “I want to be honest and real with it. I hope and pray that it comes out and everybody runs the ball and they have a great running game.”

But Irvin is not a fan of a running back by committee. He recalled hearing legendary Cowboys radio voice Brad Sham recently talk about replacing Murray.

“He said, ‘OK, one guy had 1,800 yards, but if three guys get 600 yards, does that work?’ To be honest with you, no, because what it doesn’t do is tell the defense to come in and try to stop the run so we can just filet you like a fish and leave you in the alley,” Irvin said. “You see what I mean? That’s the difference. So you would have to establish that you are a great running game and a great running team and three backs at 600 yards won’t establish that. I’m just giving you the reality.”