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Aug 7, 2009 1:49 pm US/Central
'Smash, Dash & Tash' Give Cowboys Options
SAN ANTONIO (AP) ―
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Marion Barber of the Dallas Cowboys runs with the ball against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 21, 2008 in Green Bay.
Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Imagine the Dallas Cowboys are playing one of their NFC East rivals. Let's say it's a tight game in their fancy new stadium in Arlington. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett decides to show off his trio of running backs.
It might play out something like this:
On first-and-10, Marion Barber goes banging up the middle, grinding out a few yards.
On second-and-6, Tony Romo throws to Felix Jones coming out of the backfield. He squirts up the field, stopped just shy of a first down.
Now it's third-and-1 and out comes third-stringer Tashard Choice. He lines up as a shotgun quarterback, with Romo setting up like a wide receiver and Jones coming in motion.
It's a Dallas version of the Wildcat, with Choice and Jones filling roles they had when their college teams ran it.
Barber, Jones and Choice -- or, "Smash, Dash & Tash," as Choice has dubbed them -- give Dallas a unique combination of depth and versatility.
Barber, the oldest at 26, is "Smash," the starter whose battering-ram style wears down defenses.
Jones, a first-round pick last year, is "Dash," the 22-year-old speedster who seems even faster to worn-down defenses.
Choice, a fourth-round pick last year, is "Tash," a small, thick, quick guy who does it all, an inside runner like Barber but elusive like Jones. He's such a blend of the two that he's even right in between their ages, 24.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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