DAILY REPORT : Former Ram Assistant Makes Mark in Dallas
In 1991, when Coach Jimmy Johnson went looking for someone to revamp the Dallas Cowboy offense, he found Norv Turner, who was the Ramsā receivers coach under offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese.
Two years later, Turner is the Cowboysā high-profile offensive coordinator, and his name is being mentioned as a possible head coaching candidate.
āI take that as a compliment,ā Turner said. āThatās something Iād like to do at some point, but Iām really not in a hurry. I want to enjoy what Iām doing. You couldnāt ask for a better job.
āWeāre a talented young team, so I want to enjoy this. I think thereās plenty of time for (becoming a head coach).ā
Johnson credits much of Troy Aikmanās development to the quarterbackās relationship with Turner, and to Turnerās implementation of Zampeseās short-passing system.
āI think we hit it off well,ā Turner said. āI think he was really looking for someone to come in and give him directions. So it made it easier.
āHe was real receptive to getting going. Obviously, coming from (the Rams), an offense that had had some success throwing the football, and coming in with some background putting the film on of (Jim) Everett throwing to (Henry) Ellard and those guys, (here were) some things we can get done.
āI had (film) cut-ups of (former San Diego Charger Dan) Fouts, showing him the same plays maybe eight years ago, saying, āHey, when we get good at this, itās something we can do for a long time.ā So I think that got his attention.ā
Cowboy defensive tackle Tony Casillas hopes to return to Los Angeles to try a career as an actor. But from what he has seen during the last week, he isnāt sure he will fit into the Hollywood scene.
āThe only thing about L.A. is that Iāve found out that you meet all these people, and Iām not saying anything against L.A. or anything like that, but I mean, itās kind of artificial,ā Casillas said. āYou see these actors, you see these people . . . itās not reality.
āIf Iām an actor, Iāll definitely set a kind of precedent for entertainment people. Because you are a person and thatās what you are. Iāve noticed some of these people are all caught up in themselves, and thatās just not what itās about.ā
