Of savages and converts, Kris Richard is the new prophet of rage leading the defense

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli confirmed the obvious Thursday when he acknowledged that the new messiah on defense, Kris Richard, had assumed the role of his unit’s play caller.

An energetic and attacking Cowboys’ defense that has harassed the opposition the first two games with a relentless and physical style is right out of the Book of Richard.

Richard officially came to the Cowboys in the offseason as secondary coach/passing game coordinator after eight years leading the Legion of Boom defense with the Seattle Seahawks, including two trips to the Super Bowl and the title in 2013.

This prophet of football rage speaks with the passion, conviction and purpose of a Baptist minister. And a Cowboys’ defensive group used to being called the weak link became converts upon his first appearance.

But he has avoided the media leading up to Sunday’s return to Seattle to take on his former team likely because his intensity and truth would have led to some bulletin board material due to his unceremonious departure.

He simply can’t help himself from getting worked up. That’s how he is and how he has always been.

Richard had the defensive backs ready to wage holy war on the football field in his first position meeting and his first sermon on the mount before the entire defense drew a standing ovation like T.D. Jakes at The Potter’s House.

“He gave us a speech the first day he came,” cornerback Anthony Brown said. “He hasn’t changed since. He said, ‘We going to be some dogs, some savages we going to put them in the trunk.’ ”

Put them in the trunk?

“We are going to catch a body and put them in the trunk,” Brown confirmed. “He brings a lot of confidence to the defensive backs, a lot of swag. When he says it, you believe it. You got proof of it. He got it on paper He has been the Super Bowl twice. He came from the great defense. We believe it. Whatever he says when we go on the field it comes to light. So it’s like, ‘damn, this dude knows everything.’ We trust him.”

It’s one thing to gain followers from the direct charges in your position group. It’s another to cast a spell on the entire defense, including veteran linebacker Sean Lee who was as moved by Richard’s knowledge and technical expertise as he was by his passion and motivation.

“It was football then it moved into life, similar to Coach Marinelli,” Lee said of Richard’s first speech. “He is coaching the man first then he is going to coach the football player. They both have that type of attitude. To have a guy with that motivation ability and to sit there and hear his wisdom was something. That was special. We clapped at the end of it. It was that great. I have been here eight years. I have learned a lot of football. He has come in here and taught me a lot of football. It’s a blessing for me. The stuff he gives you show up on the field. That’s when you know how great he is.”

Now Richard doesn’t want his defensive backs actually putting offensive players in body bags. But he doesn’t want them to play hard, tough and physical like savages.

“You have to have a ruthless mentality and you gotta hit,” he said during an interview in training camp. “We all want that type of football team. We want a team that’s going to hit down after down after down. They want to be a badass every time they step on the field. Every time you step out there it’s about whether you can physically dominate the man across from you. It’s a hard-ass, physical mentality with a chip on your shoulder. It’s not just talking about it, it’s being about it.”

To his credit, Richard doesn’t talk much about the Seahawks and what he did there. What is known is understood. His focus is about making the Cowboys great.

“This is the Dallas Cowboys defense. This is the Dallas Cowboys secondary,” Richard said. “If we want to play with a particular style we’re more than capable of doing it but we gotta buy in and make it real every day. We’re not trying to be them. We’re trying to be us. If we want to have success then this has been the formula that has been successful in the past.”

The Cowboys have bought in and have been all about Richard and his teachings since he showed up.

Byron Jones moved to cornerback from safety at Richard’s insistence and has blossomed along with fellow cornerback Chidobe Awuzie thanks to a physical style that made Richard Sherman a perennial All-Pro in Seattle before joining the 49ers in the offseason.

Kavon Frazier is playing the best football of his career at safety and the members of the defensive line and linebackers all sing his praises.

“Everything you see is true,” Awuzie said. “Your eyes don’t like. He is energetic and passionate, a guy you can rely on. He is going to lead you the right way. It’s been paying off for us corners and safeties. I asked my friend with the Seahawks about him and he said I was going to love him. He hasn’t lied to me. It’s been a great match for us.”

He has been great for the entire defense, which ranks fourth in the league and third in points allowed. Richard’s influence has the Cowboys blitzing more than they have in the past under Marinelli.

The team recorded six sacks from six different players in last Sunday’s 20-13 victory against the New York Giants. It’s the first time the Cowboys have had six different players with sacks since 1997.

The nine total sacks are second in the league and the third most for the Cowboys through two games since 1982. The 29 points allowed through the first two games are fewest for a Cowboys defense since 1996.

The biggest influence Richard has had is on Marinelli who has basically turned his defense over to Richard. Not only are the Cowboys blitzing more but they are playing more to the three-deep zone in the secondary than Marinelli’s preferred Cover Two scheme, made famous in Tampa Bay.

Marinelli said the two are kindred spirits and spark each other.

“The team to me is everything, every decision you make, is how you get the team better,” Marinelli said. “And so, some of the things he can do, he makes us better. I’m really glued to that.

“I’ve been around some great defensive coaches, I’m telling you. He’s right there, as good as I’ve been around. I think the guy’s brilliant. Being that, he’s also a great technician. That’s what I love about him. It’s just really working well together. We’re fortunate. I’m lucky. Oh God, yeah. It’s fun. I’m just having a ball.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 12:44 PM.