Sometimes development is loud. Sometimes it’s subtle. For KaVontae Turpin, it was subtle — but it’s starting to scream if you know where to look.
For years under Mike McCarthy, it never really felt like the Dallas Cowboys had a nuanced or layered rushing attack. TherDakas no real identity, very little physicality, and way too much stagnant gun-run. Dak Prescott operating from shotgun so frequently actually limited what they could accomplish on the ground — and we’ll be dissecting that much more in-depth throughout the week.
KaVontae Turpin is best known for his explosiveness as a return man. He's also rostered as a wide receiver, but his most significant impact in 2024 could come from the backfield.
In 2024, his first seven carries of the season were what you’d expect: jet-sweeps, end-arounds, motion plays from the slot. East-west concepts designed to get him to the edge.
Result? 21 total at 3 yards per carry.
Midway through the season, the Cowboys quietly pivoted.
Turpin’s next 5 carries came from a different look entirely — lined up in the backfield, more traditional handoffs, attacking north and south instead of trying to race to the sideline.
Result? 9.6 yards per carry.
From that point on:
• One more east-west touch? (-1 ypc)
• Four more backfield touches? (5.7 ypc)
The Cowboys learned something — and to their credit, they adjusted.
Now? With Brian Schottenheimer at the helm, Turpin’s role looks poised to expand even further. And when you layer in a dynamic rookie like Jaydon Blue — another explosive, space-manipulator type player — the possibilities start to multiply.
Schottenheimer has already openly discussed Turpin's readiness for an expanded workload, and if early offseason tea leaves mean anything, we’re going to see both Turpin and Blue on the field at the same time more often than people realize.
Brian Schottenheimer himself has openly acknowledged Turpin’s evolution.
"I think he's a dynamic weapon," Schottenheimer said of Turpin. "I can't say enough about his growth in the understanding of the football scheme over the last couple years. The game-changing plays he's made for us, dynamic weapon. There's really nothing he can't do. We're moving him in positions that two years ago we would [think] I don't know if that would work out. Incredible talent, but it's awesome to see him maturing as a football player."
And now? The door is wide open for double the dynamism.
Misdirection. Motion. Pre-snap eye candy. Two guys who can move like lightning, with a quarterback smart enough to use them both as chess pieces.
This is evolution.
And the Cowboys are just beginning to scratch the surface.
