Cowboys’ ezeiruaku Faces Pressure to Deliver on Sacking Promise, Stadium Glare Presents Unique Challenge
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The Dallas Cowboys invested a second-round draft pick in defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, expecting immediate impact. Six games into his professional career, though, the rookie is still searching for his first sack, a stark contrast to his dominant performance at Boston College.
ezeiruaku, who never went more than two games without a sack in college, acknowledges the adjustment to the NFL. “It’s definitely different,” he said. “It’s a lot faster. Guys are a lot more polished. But I feel like I’m getting closer. I feel like it’s going to click soon, adn when it clicks, I believe it’s going to be a wave.”
Despite the lack of sacks, Ezeiruaku is contributing. He currently has 14 quarterback pressures and is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with three. He has also forced a fumble and recorded 16 tackles. last season, he led the nation and set a school record with 16.5 sacks, making his current situation all the more scrutinized.
The speed of NFL quarterbacks is a key adjustment, according to Ezeiruaku. “Quarterbacks know timing,” he explained. “They feel that pressure on their back. It’s a little bit of timing, but I’ve got to do my job and get there faster.” In his first six games at Boston College last year, he amassed an impressive 11.5 sacks.
Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus remains confident in Ezeiruaku’s progress, dismissing any concerns about the player pressing too hard. “it’s going to come because he’s really bringing it in practice,” Eberflus stated. “He’s done a great job in the games getting home.I think that’s coming. Love the way he’s working.Love the guy.”
Beyond on-field performance, the Cowboys are also addressing a long-standing issue with their stadium: glare from the sun. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged the challenge posed by late afternoon kickoffs, like Sunday’s game scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. The issue, present since the stadium opened in 2009, involves sunlight streaming thru the end zone glass.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has resisted calls for curtains or glass treatments to mitigate the glare. Schottenheimer detailed the team’s extensive readiness. “We really do [study it],” he said.”If you guys could see the process and the plan we have in place to figure it out. We have satellite imaging.We have pictures of the sun, when it’s coming down. There’s a big plan and process.” He added that, historically, the glare hasn’t considerably impacted games, but the team remains diligent in its planning. “But ultimately, it’s something that we’re aware of. It’s very beautiful. It’s majestic when the sun comes through there.”
Staying Connected Through Injury
On the sidelines, safety Malik Hooker is navigating a different challenge: remaining engaged while on injured reserve with a toe injury. He is expected to miss at least two more games, potentially returning after the Nov. 9 bye week.
Hooker understands the difficulty of staying connected when sidelined. “Maybe,probably you can tend to feel that for some people,” he said,describing the feeling of being present in meetings but unable to play. He emphasized the importance of continued communication from the coaching staff and maintaining connections with teammates.
Hooker, drawing on his experience with previous serious injuries – a torn ACL and MCL in 2017 and a torn Achilles in 2020 – has developed strategies for staying involved. “I kind of know how to be locked in, but also use it as, I guess, breathing time,” he explained. He actively communicates with teammates, sending text messages during games and attending team dinners to share his observations. “I try to watch games in advance, too, depending on who we play,” he said. “It’s just kind of letting them know what I’ve seen in the last game and going into the next week, what I’ve seen.”
