Josh Ellis - Dallascowboys.com - May 18, 2009

IRVING, Texas - Let's say the Cowboys run the ball 400 times next season. How many of those carries go to Marion Barber, how many go to Felix Jones, and how many go to Tashard Choice?

     It might just be the biggest question of the off-season, with potentially a greater effect on the offense's productivity than whether to keep or release Terrell Owens, or whether to draft a receiver to replace him or how to make Tony Romo better in December. Because the more the Cowboys can utilize the talents of all three running backs, the less Owens will be missed, and the more efficiently Romo will play.

     In today's NFL it's not like the Cowboys can start running the wishbone offense and pass only when they must. They'll throw the ball more than they run it, no doubt about that. But an effective running game minimizes the need for Romo to make risky passes on long third downs. An effective running game means the Cowboys won't have to lean on the big play as much as they did a year ago, so often looking to Owens to supply the vertical threat. An effective running game makes the offensive line and the defense better, too.

     As former running backs themselves, the opinions of Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett may be a little biased, but both agree they like the talent in the Cowboys' backfield, and they see the importance of using all three, even if they were never really asked to split carries during their Cowboys tenure. Smith, for one, said the decision to part ways with Owens may necessitate a complete change of approach for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

"Who do you have that's going to be that explosive?" the league's all-time leading rusher asked. "(Roy Williams) can make plays, but can he be that explosive? Are you going to rely on Jason Witten? They could play ball control.

"Maybe that's the style, maybe that's the Pittsburgh Steelers style, maybe that's the style that they need to get to. . . . All three are different players, and all of them work together very nicely. For Jason (Garrett) to have those kind of weapons in his backfield, coming up with packages for all three of them is going to be challenging."

     The truth is, it isn't as simple as just carving out 150 carries for Barber, 150 for Jones and 100 for Choice before the season begins. In the same vein, you can't just say Choice is the starter, Jones is the change-of-pace back and Barber is the closer. It doesn't make sense to simply alternate them every play, either. The offensive coaches are going to have to deploy their backs differently in each game, and at different times in the game, to make the most out of what is obviously a glut of talent back there.

     Because there were times in 2008 that the talent was wasted. No matter the divergence of opinion on Garrett, there's no doubt he and the other offensive coaches were remiss in not playing Jones in the Week 4 loss to Washington. He became the first Cowboys rookie back to score touchdowns in his first three games, and then he doesn't get a single catch or carry that fourth time out? Sure Jones only played in six games, but it's also hard to believe he only caught two passes considering his ability to score if he gets the ball in space.

     As for Choice, apparently the coaches didn't see enough to get him into the game consistently until the second half of the Thanksgiving Day game, when Barber left with the toe injury that would make the Georgia Tech rookie a starter for the remainder of the season. Toe injuries were the downfall of Barber and Jones last season, but there's hope a steady rotation will keep everyone healthy in 2009.

"I'm not a big supporter of platooning running backs. When I was running I wanted to get the ball in my hands as often as I could," said Dorsett, who came in as a rookie in 1977 and immediately became the Cowboys' featured back. "But the game is changing now. The players are bigger, faster and stronger. Obviously injuries come into play."

     Dorsett loves the opposing styles Barber and Jones bring, but said the rigors of today's NFL make them far from bulletproof. He applauded Barber's tenacity, but said he thinks the former fourth-round pick exposes himself to too many hits. Dorsett believes Jones may have a better chance to stay healthy because his elusiveness can keep him out of harm's way.

     "Felix Jones. Felix Joooooones! Let me tell you now, that man there is the truth," Dorsett said. "From the standpoint of being able to go the distance from anywhere, that's your home run hitter; he's got those abilities. He's got tremendous skills, and he hasn't been abused - there aren't many hits on that body because he did the same thing at Arkansas."

     Smith, probably the most durable running back in league history, had a word of advice for the two guys believed to be at the top of the depth chart. "Tashard Choice showed that if you give him the opportunity, he's going to take advantage," Smith said. "So Marion and Felix, I've only got one word of advice: Don't get hurt, because the third guy is waiting for his opportunity. He's already showed the Dallas Cowboys and the country that he can carry that football."

     It remains to be seen how the offensive coaching staff will decide to use the running backs. Last season started with Jones having a seemingly separate role from the starter Barber, while Choice played special teams and provided depth in case of those inevitable injuries.

     Maybe the best way to make sure everyone gets enough touches and stays fresh is to have well-defined, important roles from the beginning. The diverse nature of the three backs should be tough for defenses to handle. Preston Pearson, who was a situational rusher/receiver for the Cowboys in the mid-70s, said the best thing to do is create a system that includes all three backs.

     "I knew when Dorsett came here that my days were going to be limited," Pearson said.      "Thankfully, Tom Landry found a way to get me in the game and let me make a contribution. I think Marion knows that Felix has got some skills, and I think Marion and Felix know that Tashard has got some skills. Why not share?"

     The Cowboys should be able to get more from Jones and Choice in the coming season. For one, they're no longer wet-behind-the-ears rookies, and they've also visibly added muscle to their upper bodies, which should make them more durable and versatile as inside runners. If used correctly, the Cowboys' three backs should expand on their 1,623-yard output of last season. On 360 combined carries, Barber, Jones and Choice averaged 4.5 yards per run. Despite that solid number, the running game did sputter on occasion.

     So far there haven't been any signs from Valley Ranch about how the trio of running backs will share duties. Despite the transparency of summer practices and training camp, it might not be clear until the first game at Tampa Bay on Sept. 13. What is clear, though, is the need to form a plan.

     "That's for Jason Garrett and the coaches to figure out," Pearson said. "That's why they're the coaches. They need to figure out exactly what those guys are capable of doing at the most valuable time, in pressure situations."

Source: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=55C91A1C-EA57-F8C6-A20F0ABF06DF69C3